I received this mailing from the Gates Foundation today and was impressed by the size of the commitment and the partners involved - Rotary, Gates, UK and Germany. I knew Rotary was deeply committed to polio eradication but did not know the scale of the investments. I would be interested to hear more from Kabissa members about how this news will be received in Africa, in particular in Nigeria, and how the problem of polio is being addressed by local organisations in your communities. Also - how will innovative technologies be applied to address this seemingly intractible problem. -Tobias
SAN DIEGO -- Rotary International, the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation, and the British and German governments today committed more
than $630 million in new funds to fight polio, a crippling and sometimes fatal disease that still paralyzes children in parts of
Africa and Asia and threatens children everywhere. In addition to
pledging needed funds, leaders urged additional donors and leaders of
countries where polio still exists to join them in an aggressive push
for eradication.
The Gates Foundation is awarding a $255 million challenge grant to
Rotary, which Rotary will match with $100 million raised by its members
over the next three years. At the same time, the United Kingdom is
giving an additional $150 million and Germany is giving an additional
$130 million (? 100 million), both to the Global Polio Eradication
Initiative (GPEI). Contributions from the U.K. and Germany over the
next five years will not count toward Rotary's match of the Gates
Foundation challenge grant.
Submitted by Kymmene Brereton on 13 October, 2010 - 15:25
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