#6. Organ donor advocacy

[spartanmemesmedical]

A Beacon of Hope: How a Chat Room Helped Destiny-Rae, 5, Find a New Kidney in the UK

Introduction: Destiny-Rae, a bright and resilient 5-year-old girl, faced a daunting challenge when she was diagnosed with kidney failure. Her journey to find a life-saving kidney transplant seemed uncertain until a remarkable turn of events unfolded through the power of social media and online communities. In this heartwarming blog, we explore how Destiny-Rae’s story of hope and perseverance…

[kp777]

By Jake Johnson

Common Dreams

Jan. 6, 2024

"Billionaires attempting to influence politics from the shadows should not be rewarded with taxpayer subsidies," said Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse.

Legislation introduced Tuesday by a pair of Democratic lawmakers would close a loophole that lets billionaires donate assets to dark money organizations without paying any taxes.

The U.S. tax code allows write-offs when appreciated assets such as shares of stock are donated to a charity, but the tax break doesn't apply when the assets are given to political groups.

However, donations to 501(c)(4) organizations—which are allowed to engage in some political activity as long as it's not their primary purpose—are exempt from capital gains taxes, a loophole that Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.) are looking to shutter with their End Tax Breaks for Dark Money Act.

Whitehouse, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee who has focused extensively on the corrupting effects of dark money, said the need for the bill was made clear by what ProPublica and The Lever described as "the largest known donation to a political advocacy group in U.S. history."

The investigative outlets reported in 2022 that billionaire manufacturing magnate Barre Seid donated his 100% ownership stake in Tripp Lite, a maker of electrical equipment, to Marble Freedom Trust, a group controlled by Federalist Society co-chairman Leonard Leo.

The donation, completed in 2021, was worth $1.6 billion. According to ProPublica and The Lever, the structure of the gift allowed Seid to avoid up to $400 million in taxes.

"It's a clear sign of a broken tax code when a single donor can transfer assets worth $1.6 billion to a dark money political group without paying a penny in taxes," Whitehouse said in a statement Tuesday. "Billionaires attempting to influence politics from the shadows should not be rewarded with taxpayer subsidies."

"We cannot allow millionaires and billionaires to run roughshod over our democracy and then reward them for it with a tax break."

If passed, the End Tax Breaks for Dark Money Act would ensure that donations of appreciated assets to 501(c)(4) organizations are subjected to the same rules as gifts to political action committees (PACs) and parties.

"Thanks to the far-right Supreme Court, billionaires already have outsized influence to decide our nation's politics; through a loophole in the tax code, they can even secure massive public subsidies for lobbying and campaigning when they secretly donate their wealth to certain nonprofits instead of traditional political organizations," said Chu. "We can decrease the impact the wealthy have on our politics by applying capital gains taxes to donations of appreciated property to nonprofits that engage in lobbying and political activity—the same way they are already treated when made to traditional political organizations like PACs."

The new bill comes amid an election season that is already flooded with outside spending.

The watchdog OpenSecrets reported last month that super PACs and other groups "have already poured nearly $318 million into spending on presidential and congressional races as of January 14—more than six times as much as had been spent at this point in 2020."

Thanks to the Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United ruling, super PACs can raise and spend unlimited sums on federal elections—often without being fully transparent about their donors.

Morris Pearl, chairman of the Patriotic Millionaires, said Tuesday that "there is no justifiable reason why wealthy people like me should be allowed to dominate our political system by donating an entire $1.6 billion company to a dark money political group."

"But perhaps more egregious is the $400 million tax break that comes from doing so," said Pearl. "It's a perfect example of how this provision in the tax code is used by the ultrawealthy to manipulate the levers of government while simultaneously dodging their obligation to pay taxes. We cannot allow millionaires and billionaires to run roughshod over our democracy and then reward them for it with a tax break."

[humusboii2thereturnoftheking]

Israel is the low-hanging fruit Human Rights Organizations pick on for validation.

Remember these organizations operate on donations. If you were attempting to maximize donations, which topic would you discuss?

(A) The Uyghur concentration camps in China

(B) The genocide and ethnic cleansing in Sudan

(C) The genocide and ethnic cleansing in Myanmar

(D) One of the worst humanitarian crisis ongoing in Yemen

(E) The terrible human rights violations in Iran

(F) Pakistan expelling two million refugees

(G) Russia's war crimes and massacres in Ukraine

(H) The war in Gaza launched by Hamas

Obviously, the answer is G, as evident by the mind-boggling amount of attention the conflict receives. The popularity of the Israel-Palestine conflict pales in comparison to other global major events and Human Right Organizations know it.

For The Red Cross, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch It is much more profitable, popular and safer to criticize Israel than Russia, Iran, Sudan, China, Pakistan, Myanmar, Nigeria, Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, etc.

Let's summarize:

The ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) has made 6 times more statements to criticize Israel and has often resorted to hyperbole to cast Israel as a “limitless” destroyer to evoke sympathy for one side and demonize Israel. No statement was made speaking directly about the massacre of October 7th. Beyond language, only 2 statements condemning Hamas include videos and pictures while 38 tweets condemning Israel contain images, graphic testimonies, and videos designed to solicit greater attention and a stronger response. Through their Twitter, it is evident that the ICRC has dedicated large amounts of resources to interviewing doctors and victims in Gaza, to editing infographics and videos, and to appearing on the news to talk about the devastation in Gaza. Comparatively little to no attention was paid to Israeli victims.

Human Rights WatcH (HRW) - Is obsessed with criticizing Israel in the conflict and has been called out by their own founder for abandoning their mission and focusing on scrutinizing Israel. HRW disproportionately focuses on condemnations of Israel and that publications related to Israel often lack credibility. HRW also promotes an agenda based solely on the Palestinian narrative of victimization and Israeli aggression.

Amnesty International - Disproportionately singles out Israel for condemnation, focusing solely on the conflict with the Palestinians, misrepresenting the complexity of the conflict, and ignoring more severe human rights violations in the region. In October 2023, in the aftermath of the brutal Hamas attack on October 7, Amnesty emphasized “the root causes” of the conflict, in particular “Israel’s system of apartheid imposed on all Palestinians.” Amnesty does not identify “root causes” on the part of any other actor, including Palestinians and terror groups.

I will reiterate- these organizations follow the wishes of their donors and while their funding isn't fully transparent here are some notable moments:

• In November 2023, MEMRI leaked a document detailing a €3 million donation in 2018 to HRW from Qatar.

• In February 2020, it was revealed that HRW's Executive Director Ken Roth accepted a donation in 2012 from a Saudi real estate tycoon for $470,000 “promising not to support advocacy of the LGBT community in the Middle East and North Africa.”

• In December 2013, Amnesty International admitted to working with the Alkarama foundation, whose Qatari co-founder has been accused of financing Al Qaeda and its affiliates.

• In February 2021, Indian officials accused Amnesty International India of money laundering.

Recommended further reading:

For those complaining I'm relying on UNWatch and NGO-Monitor: Every word is backed by a source which you are encouraged to verify yourself. Anyone refusing to accept factual data because of their cognitive bias should not be discussing this topic in the first place.

Today is the 187 day since Hamas abducted men, women, elders and children from their homes. 133 of them are still in captivity. Ceasefire will only come when Hamas surrenders and releases the hostages.

[ivankahasbeentreatedsounfairly]

By Thomas B. Edsall

In the world of political fund-raising, there is hard money, soft money, dark money — and Leonard Leo money.

Political advocacy and charitable groups controlled by Leo now have far more assets than the combined total cash on hand of the Republican and Democratic National, Congressional and Senatorial committees: $440.9 million.

Leo is a 58-year-old graduate of Cornell Law School, a Catholic with ties to Opus Dei — the most conservative “personal prelature” in the church hierarchy — chief strategist of the Federalist Society for more than a quarter century and a crucial force behind the confirmations of John Roberts, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett. He has emerged over the past five years as the dominant fund-raiser on the right.

As Leo has risen to this pinnacle of influence, he has become rich, profiting from the organizations he has created and from the consulting fees paid by the conservative advocacy and lobbying groups he funds.

Leo has an overarching agenda. In a 2022 speech he made upon receiving the John Paul II New Evangelization Award at the Catholic Information Center, he warned fellow Catholics: “Catholic evangelization faces extraordinary threats and hurdles. Our culture is more hateful and intolerant of Catholicism than at any other point in our lives. It despises who we are, what we profess and how we act.”

Leo describes the adversaries of Catholicism as “these barbarians, secularists and bigots” who “have been growing more numerous over the past few years. They control and use many levers of power.” He is determined to wrest the levers of power from “the grasp of liberals” and place them, permanently if possible, with those he sees as their rightful owner: social and economic conservatives.

Leo has most famously used his network and personal influence not only to establish a 6-3 conservative majority on the Supreme Court but also to secure appointment of deeply conservative justices throughout the federal and state court systems.

At the same time, Leo has provided essential support to the full gamut of right-wing advocacy and lobbying organizations, including the Federalist Society, Susan B. Anthony Pro-life America and the Faith and Freedom Coalition.

The millions of dollars Leo has raised through his tax-exempt nonprofits have, in turn, flowed to profit-making consulting companies owned, in part or wholly, by him. In 2016, he created the BH Group, a for-profit consulting firm that is now defunct, whichreceived at least $6.9 million from tax- exempt donor nonprofits run by him.

Four years later, Leo formed CRC Advisors, also a profit-making consulting firm. Since then, two of his tax-exempt donor organizations, the 85 Fund and the Concord Fund, have paid CRC Advisors more than $77 million, according to reports filed with the I.R.S.

Leo is a prodigious fund-raiser whose organizations take in and hand out hundreds of millions annually. For example, the 85 Fund, according to the I.R.S., raised $317.9 million from 2020 to 2022 and gave out grants totaling $147.4 million. During that same period, the 85 Fund paid CRC Advisors — of which Leo is chairman — fees totaling $55.2 million, according to I.R.S. filings and research by Accountable.us and ProPublica.

Similarly, the Concord Fund raised $150.7 million from 2020 to 2023 and awarded grants totaling $96.8 million, according to the I.R.S., and the Concord Fund paid CRC Advisors a total of $21.9 million.

In effect, Leo has created for himself and his for-profit partners at CRC Advisors a lucrative business model.

In 2021, Leo was the recipient of what is believed to be the single largest contribution to a politically oriented advocacy group: $1.6 billion from Barre Seid, an obscure but very wealthy Chicago electronics manufacturer. Leo used the money to create the Marble Freedom Trust, which had assets of more than $1 billion in April 2023, according to its most recent I.R.S. filing. That report shows that it gave $153.8 million to Schwab Charitable, $55.5 million to Leo’s Concord Fund and $7.6 million to the Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund.

The vast sums under Leo’s command have elevated him to the highest echelons of conservative influence and power.

Tracking payments to CRC Advisors from groups supported by Leo’s three major charities is particularly difficult because of his deliberate secretiveness. For a majority of grants, Leo uses specific “donor-advised funds,” or pass-throughs — vehicles designed to prevent the public from knowing who the beneficiaries of his largess are. Over the three years covered in the most recent I.R.S. reports, Leo’s charities channeled a total of $325.5 million through Schwab Charitable and $216.7 million through Donors Trust.

Leo or his designated representative can direct Schwab or Donors Trust to make contributions to specific groups, but those groups remain largely out of public view.

Here is how Donors Trust describes its services:

In today’s polarized climate, many conservative and libertarian donors worry about being able to manage their charitable giving in a way that aligns with their values. We help donors like you to have a positive, principled impact with your giving in a private, tax-friendly way. We are a charitable partner that not only understands your commitment to liberty but shares it, too.

The Donor Trust lists the grants it makes without identifying the source of the money. A quick scan of the groups receiving money from the Donor Trust in 2021 and 2022 includes many entities that Leo has publicly supported, including the Competitive Enterprise Institute, $1.3 million; the Constitutional Defense Fund, $7.4 million; the Foundation for Government Accountability, $2.5 million; the State Policy Network, $17.4 million; the Federalist Society, $3.7 million; and Teneo Network, $6 million.

A second factor contributing to the opacity of financial transactions involving Leo’s donor organizations and the groups they fund is that they are not required to file timely reports. Instead, many tax-exempt groups file reports with the I.R.S. in November for the previous year. So the most recent filings for many of these organizations is November 2023 for information on activities in 2022, now nearly two years out of date.

By email, I asked Leo a series of questions about his financial transactions, including:

Can you explain what CRC Advisors did for the $6,058,832 in 2023, the $3,757,454 paid in 2022, the $7,679,331 in 2021 by the Concord Fund? What did CRC Advisors do for the 85 Fund after receiving payments of $21,360,985 in 2022, $21,715,382 in 2021, and $12,117,335 in 2020? Do these payments from 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) charities, which are controlled by you, to CRC Advisors — a for-profit consulting firm that you chair — amount to self-dealing, in violation of tax law? If not, what justifies these payments? I know you have dismissed these concerns as baseless, but could you explain how they are baseless? In addition to the payments to CRC Advisors from the Leo-Leonard-run donor groups, many of the groups that have received payments from the 85 Fund, the Concord Fund and the Marble Trust have hired CRC Advisors. What services do you provide these groups? Do you assist them in making grant applications to your donor groups?

In his emailed reply, Leo argued that all payments were legitimate and based on the quality of the product clients received:

CRC Advisors is a firm that employs over 100 best-in-class professionals who provide an unsurpassed level of value and impact through an all-encompassing suite of services, including program and events management, content creation, research, and all aspects of public affairs. Our fees and services are based on a rigorous compliance system that is established and managed by leading legal counsel, accountants, and management and compensation consultants. We are paid less for more than our progressive rivals, and the nonprofit clients we work with are governed by independent boards. We are happy to have these standards judged against the progressives’ Arabellaand Tides networks, or any other enterprise that is similar to us.

In May 2019, Leo told The Washington Post: “I don’t waste my time on stories that involve money and politics because what I care about is ideas.”

Despite the disclosure limitations surrounding the money flowing through the donor-advised funds, Leo’s charities do list some of their grantees, and some of those grantees, in turn, disclose payments to CRC Advisors on their reports to the I.R.S.

The tax filings from 2020 to 2023 show, for example, that Leo’s donor groups gave Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America at least $12 million. In its most recent tax filing, the Anthony group reported that it paid CRC Advisors $543,821 for “public relations consulting.”

Leo’s charities have given the Foundation for Government Accountability at least $2 million. From 2020 to 2022, the accountability foundation told the I.R.S. that it paid CRC Advisors $640,000 for “public relations.”

Or take the Federalist Society, the conservative legal think tank. Leo was formerly the vice president and is now a co-chairman of its board. His donor nonprofits have given it at least $15.5 million during the 2020s, according to tax records. In its most recent filingswith the I.R.S., the Federalist Society reported paying CRC Advisors $4.78 million from 2020 to 2022.

Last week, Hans Nichols, a reporter at Axios, published a letterLeo wrote to the recipients of grants from the 85 Fund. It said in part:

“Conservative philanthropy is too heavily weighted in the direction of ‘ideation’ — the development of and education about conservative ideas and policies. In contrast, vastly insufficient funds are going toward operationalizing and weaponizing those ideas and policies to crush liberal dominance at the choke points of influence and power in our society.”

To counter this misallocation of right-wing money, Leo told the grantees, “If others are not going to devote funding to operationalize or weaponize the conservative vision, then the 85 Fund needs to weight its support much more heavily in that direction and much less in the direction of research, policy and general education.”

The 85 Fund, Leo continued, “intends to gap-fill by placing much, much greater emphasis on projects and leaders that operationalize or weaponize ideas and policies.”

For beneficiaries of Leo’s grant-making organization struggling to figure out how to “operationalize or weaponize” ideas and policies, what better place is there than CRC Advisors to get guidance?

Leo’s financial activities have been subject to repeated investigations by such liberal groups as True North Research, which has released several studies; Accountable.us, which has also put Leo under the magnifying glass; and the Campaign for Accountability.

In April 2023, the Campaign for Accountability filed a complaintwith the I.R.S. seeking an investigation into seven Leo-affiliated organizations in order to determine

whether the Leo-affiliated nonprofits have diverted substantial portions of their income and assets, directly or indirectly, to the personal benefit of Leonard Leo. Most of these entities have either made substantial independent contractor payments to one or more of his for-profit business entities or made major contributions to other Leo-affiliated nonprofits that made such payments. Such payments were generally listed as made in exchange for alleged consulting, research, public relations, or similar services; however, CFA has reasonable questions about whether those alleged services were actually rendered at all or, if services were rendered, whether the payments made were substantially in excess of the fair market value of those services.

The Campaign for Accountability, in its complaint, cited investigative reporting by Heidi Przybyla of Politico about Leo’s growing affluence: “Beginning in 2016, coinciding with the multimillion-dollar payments paid to BH Group, Leonard Leo began living more lavishly. In 2017, Leonard Leo pledged to donate $1 million to Vatican initiatives worldwide.”

I asked Philip Hackney, a former I.R.S. expert in the law governing tax-exempt groups who is now a law professor at the University of Pittsburgh, about Leo’s involvement with tax-exempt and for-profit groups.

In a phone interview, Hackney said the crucial issue when examining situations like Leo’s is whether the fees paid to his for-profit firms are “a fair amount for the services he is rendering.” The $77 million paid to CRC Advisors by Leo’s charitable funds “seems like a lot,” Hackney said.

Hackney noted, however, that when the I.R.S. seeks remedies in such cases, “it’s a hard battle to win” because the judgment of a fair price is subject to so many different interpretations, many of them subjective.

Marcus Owens, a former director of the I.R.S. Exempt Organizations Division — who is now a co-chair for nonprofits and tax-exempt organizations at the Washington law firm Loeb & Loeb — wrote by email:

There are, indeed, federal tax rules that govern related party transactions, particularly when the transactions involve a “disqualified person,” the phrase Congress used when it enacted section 4958 of the Internal Revenue Code back in 1986 to refer to an insider with the ability to wield influence over an organization that is exempt from federal income tax under either section 501(c)(3) or section 501(c)(4). For example, the Marble Trust and the Concord Fund are exempt under section 501(c)(4), while the 85 Fund is exempt under section 501(c)(3). Insider transactions that result in the insider receiving an excessive return, i.e., one that is greater than what fair market terms and conditions would provide, can lead to loss of tax-exempt status or the imposition of a penalty excise tax on the insider of 25 percent of the excessive amount, or both. Fair market terms and conditions are defined as what similar organizations would pay for similar goods or services under similar circumstances, a standard that encourages creative expression by attorneys and accountants.

While Leo has reached a pinnacle of power, he still has a lot riding on the outcome not only of the presidential election but also of the battle for control of the Senate.

Capturing the presidency is important to Leo not only for policy and ideological reasons, but also because, if Donald Trump is elected, he will appoint the next I.R.S. commissioner. It would be very unlikely that such an appointee would pursue an investigation into Leo’s finances.

Control of the Senate is also crucial because the Democratic-controlled Judiciary Committee last year subpoenaed Leo to talk about whether he was involved in gifts to members of the Supreme Court by prominent Republican donors.

In April, Leo declared that he was refusing to comply with the subpoena. “I am not capitulating,” he told reporters, to “Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and the left’s dark money effort to silence and cancel political opposition.”

Since then, the Senate Democratic leadership has been reluctant to try to enforce the subpoena — a virtually impossible task since it would require overcoming a filibuster. If Democrats retain control after the coming elections, they will be under considerable pressure to change the filibuster rules, raising the possibility that Leo could be forced to testify under oath about his activities.

The chances of that happening are, however, slim at best. The most likely outcome of the controversies surrounding Leo is that he will continue, unabated, in his drive to make America great again by devoting vast sums, relentless pressure and every kind of imaginable financial ingenuity to alter the balance of power and push America ever further to the right.

[shabnaztaherkhani]

Using the Internet to Promote Animal Rescue Organizational Efforts

Rescue organizations provide critical services that save animal lives and reduce their suffering. Programs to keep pets with their families include low-cost vet care, behavioral support, and pet food assistance. However, with over 6 million animals needing shelters annually and under 3.2 million getting adopted, the need outpaces available homes. Consequently, animal shelters and individual rescuers are now amplifying their efforts through strategic internet use.

Platforms like Facebook and Instagram provide animal shelters and rescuers with free, invaluable tools for promoting adoptable pets. The sites allow shelters to freely and easily share photos, videos, and detailed profiles showcasing pets to a broad online audience. The posts help raise awareness of beautiful animals and pets waiting for their forever families. According to research, over half of aspiring pet adopters today begin their search online.

In attracting potential adopters using social media, animal welfare organizations thoughtfully craft social media narratives for each adoptable pet that appeal to potential adopters' emotions without relying on pity. Upbeat storytelling spotlighting each animal's personality and rehabilitation journey brands them as loving companions ready for new homes. Alongside positive tales of progress and character, compelling visuals and captions that speak to the animal's charm often inspire and engage followers.

The Internet provides animal welfare groups new avenues to secure funding via online fundraising and donation drives. Shelters can leverage social media to share compelling visual content that highlights their mission and the financial requirements for rescue operations, appealing to people's kindness. Moreover, specific online campaigns on sites such as Kickstarter provide a simple way for donors to contribute. At the same time, local donation drives hosted in virtual spaces help spread awareness more broadly within communities.

Besides fundraising, the Internet streamlines the pet adoption process. Various digital tools enable shelters and individual rescuers to develop rich online profiles that showcase each pet's name, age, and charming qualities. Broadcasting these profiles across virtual channels thrusts the animals into the spotlight and piques the interest of prospective adopters.

An informative, engaging shelter website is pivotal in generating excitement and promoting showcasing adoptable pets virtually. A well-designed site lets potential adopters browse each animal's detailed digital profile conveniently. For instance, profiles of dogs could bring their personalities and daily activity levels to life through vivid writing, high-resolution imaging, and video snippets. This rich digital display conveys a strong sense of each pup without an in-person visit. Furthermore, the site serves as a platform for advocacy by cultivating an understanding of welfare concerns and promoting responsible pet guardianship among site visitors.

Video platforms such as YouTube allow individual rescuers and animal shelters to create instructional content that educates the public on animal welfare topics, including pet care, training, and adoption. However, viewers must be discerning when consuming rescue-related videos, as some exploit animal causes or scam viewers solely to drive views and revenue. Potential adopters should fact-check channels and focus on responsible content from trusted shelters with proven rescue efforts. They should also identify and report fake videos that lack authenticity.

Animal shelters can harness digital tools through strategic email outreach to complement their social media efforts. By cultivating contact lists comprising community members, former adopters, and other allies, shelters can use free or inexpensive email services to share announcements on upcoming adoption events, fundraising initiatives, and volunteer opportunities. This targeted digital medium ensures stakeholders receive important updates that inspire participation and support.

[thesetu]

Importance of NGOs on Child Development in India

In the complex tapestry of India’s societal structure, the role of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in child development is of paramount importance. These organizations, guided by principles that prioritize the well-being of children, play a crucial role in shaping the future of the nation. Before delving into their significance, let’s establish the fundamental principles that guide these Noida NGOs:

Principles Guiding NGOs in Child Development

1.Child-Centric Approach: NGOs prioritize the best interests of the child in all actions and decisions. This principle ensures that children’s welfare is at the forefront of their developmental initiatives.

2. Inclusivity and Non-Discrimination: Every child, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or socioeconomic background, deserves equal opportunities. NGOs commit to creating inclusive environments free from discrimination.

3. Child Participation: Recognizing children as active agents in their own development, NGOs encourage their participation in decisions that affect them, fostering a sense of autonomy and empowerment.

4. Best Interests of the Child: In every action and decision, NGOs consider what is in the best interests of the child. This principle guides program design, implementation, and evaluation.

5. Holistic Development: NGOs adopt a holistic approach, addressing not only the immediate needs of children but also their long-term development, including health, education, and emotional well-being.

6. Community Engagement: Child development is interconnected with community dynamics. NGOs actively engage with communities to understand local contexts and involve them in creating a supportive environment for children.

7. Sustainability: Ensuring the sustainability of their interventions, NGOs work towards creating lasting impacts on child development that extend beyond the duration of specific projects.

8. Advocacy for Children’s Rights: NGOs are vocal advocates for the rights of children. They actively engage with policymakers to influence legislation and policies that protect and promote children’s rights.

9. Partnerships and Collaboration: Recognizing the complexity of child development issues, NGOs foster partnerships with government bodies, other NGOs, and stakeholders to maximize their collective impact.

10. Transparency and Accountability: NGOs maintain transparency in their operations and are accountable to the communities they serve, donors, and the public. This principle ensures trust and effective governance.

Now, let’s explore the profound importance of NGOs in child development in the context of India:

Holistic Educational Initiatives:

NGOs in India spearhead initiatives that go beyond conventional education. They focus on creating child-friendly learning environments, implementing innovative teaching methodologies, and providing resources for a well-rounded education. These organizations often bridge the gap between formal and non-formal education, ensuring that even children in remote areas have access to quality learning.

Healthcare Interventions for Child Well-being: Child health is a core concern for NGOs. They conduct health camps, facilitate immunization drives, and provide nutritional support to address the specific health needs of children. By collaborating with healthcare professionals and communities, NGOs contribute to reducing child mortality and ensuring the overall well-being of young individuals.

Nutritional Support and Eradication of Malnutrition: Malnutrition remains a pressing issue affecting a significant number of children in India. NGOs implement nutrition-specific programs, conduct awareness campaigns on proper nutrition practices, and work towards eradicating the root causes of malnutrition. These efforts are critical for the physical and cognitive development of children.

Empowerment Through Skill Development: NGOs recognize that empowering children involves preparing them for the future. Skill development programs, including vocational training and exposure to technology, are integral parts of NGO initiatives. By enhancing children’s skills, these organizations pave the way for a more empowered and employable youth.

Protection from Exploitation and Abuse: Child protection is a cornerstone of NGO activities. They actively work towards preventing child labor, trafficking, and any form of exploitation. Through awareness campaigns, community engagement, and collaboration with law enforcement agencies, NGOs create protective shields for children.

Emotional and Psychological Support: The emotional and psychological well-being of children is often neglected but is equally crucial for their development. NGOs run counseling programs, create safe spaces for expression, and address the emotional needs of children who may have experienced trauma or adverse circumstances.

Advocacy for Inclusive Policies: NGOs advocate for policies that foster inclusive child development. They engage with policymakers to influence legislation related to education, healthcare, and child protection. By actively participating in advocacy, NGOs contribute to creating an enabling environment for children to thrive.

Community Mobilization for Child Welfare: Realizing the interconnectedness of child development and community dynamics, NGOs actively engage with local communities. They organize workshops, community meetings, and awareness campaigns to mobilize communities towards actively participating in the welfare of children.

Addressing Gender Disparities: NGOs work towards eliminating gender-based disparities in child development. They promote equal opportunities for boys and girls, challenge gender stereotypes, and provide platforms for girls to excel in education and other spheres.

Building Resilience in the Face of Adversity: Many children in India face adversity due to various factors such as poverty, natural disasters, or social unrest. NGOs play a crucial role in building resilience among these children. Through targeted interventions, they provide a support system that helps children overcome challenges and develop into resilient individuals.

Sustainable Community Development: NGOs contribute to sustainable community development, recognizing that the well-being of children is intricately linked to the overall development of their communities. By addressing issues such as sanitation, access to clean water, and environmental sustainability, NGOs create an environment conducive to the healthy growth of children.

[clicknonprofit]

Transformative Threads: Decoding How Nonprofit Marketing Works

Nonprofit marketing stands as a powerful catalyst, weaving the narratives of impact, engagement, and support. Let's explore how nonprofit marketing works, shedding light on the strategies, nuances, and profound impact it has in advancing the missions of organizations dedicated to positive change.

**1. Mission-Centric Communication:

At the heart of nonprofit marketing lies a commitment to mission-centric communication. Every campaign, every piece of content, and every outreach effort is crafted to articulate the mission and values of the organization. This intentional communication is the foundation upon which a nonprofit builds its identity and connects with its audience.

**2. Audience Understanding and Engagement:

Nonprofit marketing begins with a deep understanding of the target audience. Who are the supporters, donors, and beneficiaries? What motivates them? What channels do they use for information and engagement? Effective nonprofit marketing involves engaging with the audience in meaningful ways, building a connection that goes beyond a one-time interaction.

**3. Storytelling for Impact:

Stories are the currency of nonprofit marketing. Whether through written narratives, compelling visuals, or multimedia presentations, storytelling is employed to convey the impact of the organization's work. Real-life stories, testimonials, and case studies create a human connection, allowing the audience to see the tangible difference their support can make.

**4. Strategic Use of Digital Platforms:

Nonprofit marketing embraces the digital age, leveraging various online platforms to amplify its message. Social media, websites, email marketing, and online advertising play pivotal roles in reaching a broader audience, fostering engagement, and providing a space for the community to interact and share the organization's content.

**5. Fundraising Campaigns:

One of the core functions of nonprofit marketing is fundraising. Campaigns are meticulously designed to inspire financial support from individuals, corporations, and foundations. From crowdfunding initiatives to targeted appeals, marketing strategies are deployed to encourage donations that fuel the organization's initiatives and programs.

**6. Advocacy and Awareness:

Nonprofit marketing extends beyond soliciting donations; it includes advocating for change and raising awareness about critical issues. Through targeted advocacy campaigns, nonprofits aim to influence public opinion, engage policymakers, and drive social or policy changes aligned with their mission.

**7. Impact Measurement and Reporting:

Nonprofit marketing is not just about conveying a message; it's about demonstrating impact. Effective organizations use data and metrics to measure the outcomes of their initiatives. Regular reporting on how funds are utilized, the number of lives impacted, and the progress made toward goals instills transparency and accountability, building trust with supporters.

Conclusion:

Nonprofit marketing is a dynamic and multifaceted endeavor, weaving together creativity, empathy, and strategy to bring about positive change. It operates as a bridge between the organization and its stakeholders, inviting them to join a collective journey toward a better world. As nonprofits continue to navigate the complex landscape of social impact, the power of marketing remains a beacon, illuminating the path to awareness, engagement, and transformative change.

[consagoustech]

Develop E-Learning App For Non-Profitable Business

E-learning app is necessary for nonprofit organizations to train volunteers. They now have more duties than ever before since there are so many people who need assistance. For the best outcomes, nonprofit organizations must train volunteers. As they put a lot of hard labor into the organizations, it is crucial to virtual or in-person award and motivates them for future work. All this is possible with e-learning app development. 

Additionally, working with a tight budget is one of the non-profitable organizations' main difficulties. This budget must be stretched to teach staff, donors, board members, and volunteers about essential themes in addition to paying wages and other expenses. This kind of training can be expensive and take a lot of time. These firms can save a lot of money and effort by using eLearning platforms. Here we have covered all the benefits of eLearning for NGOs and how it can alter their current training approach for nonprofit organizations.

Benefits of e-learning app development for nonprofit organizations:

eLearning can play a significant role in nonprofit organizations by helping them achieve their objectives and fulfill their mission. eLearning can be valuable for nonprofit organizations that want to improve their effectiveness and efficiency. By using eLearning to train stakeholders, build capacity, and raise awareness, nonprofit organizations can better achieve their mission and goals.

Here are some ways eLearning can benefit nonprofit organizations:

1. Training: Volunteers, employees, and other stakeholders can get training via eLearning on various subjects, including fundraising, organizational policy, advocacy, and program delivery. You can create online courses to teach specific skills to volunteer management, and they can complete them at their pace. eLearning app can also educate potential donors about the organization's mission and impact. This will help you build trust and credibility, which can be crucial for securing donations. 

2. Building capacity: By providing online courses, webinars, and other tools that assist stakeholders in acquiring new skills and information, the eLearning app can help nonprofit organizations in increasing their capacity. 

3. Outreach and awareness: Outreach and awareness-raising materials can be developed using eLearning to increase public understanding of the organization's mission, objectives, and influence. New supporters, contributors, and volunteers can be drawn as a result.

4. Cost-effectiveness: eLearning is often more affordable than conventional training techniques, such as live workshops and seminars. This can assist nonprofit organizations in making financial savings while still offering their stakeholders high-quality training. Also, with the eLearning app, you can create an online course at once and share it with multiple learners, reducing the need for in-person training sessions and associated expenses.

5. Accessibility: Stakeholders can more easily access training and materials using eLearning since it is available whenever and from wherever they are. Nonprofit groups operating in remote or rural locations can find this very helpful.

6. Onboarding volunteers: To accomplish objectives, nonprofit organizations frequently depend on volunteers and any essential training before they begin working; the eLearning app can enlighten volunteers about the organization, its goal, regulations, and processes.

7. Advocacy: Nonprofit groups frequently attempt to increase public awareness of crucial social concerns. eLearning can provide programs and instructional materials that inform the public about these problems and motivate them to take action.

8. Good communication channels: Communication is key. An eLearning mobile app is excellent for leveraging communication and informing people. Nonprofits can use e-learning platforms to communicate with other members and share valuable resources and news within the team. Additionally, these apps allow contributors to collaborate via live chat and attend webinars and online classes to learn and discuss the organization’s mission more. 

Features of e-learning apps

Here are some standard features of e-learning apps for nonprofits:

Course Management: A feature that enables an organization to design and manage courses quickly should be included in an e-learning platform for NGOs. This function allows for  the creation, editing, and publication of courses.

Learning Management System (LMS): An LMS enables nonprofit organizations to manage and deliver courses to their students. This service includes course catalogs, registration, and progress monitoring. 

Assessment and evaluation: An e-learning app should offer a function that enables nonprofit organizations to design exams and quizzes to measure learners' understanding of the material. It should be possible to track and report on learner performance using this feature.

Gamification: Gamification components can boost learner motivation and engagement. This feature can contain badges, points, and leaderboards to encourage students to finish their courses.

User Management: This feature enables NGOs to manage user accounts for their administrators and learners, including registration, login, and password reset. 

Collaboration and communication: This feature made exchanging information easier for students and teachers. Add email notifications, forums, and chat, for internal communication and make learning two-way. 

Analytics and reporting: Nonprofits can monitor the effectiveness of their courses and students. The analytics can display stats for engagement, average quiz scores, and completion rates.

Customization and Branding: Nonprofits can customize their learning materials. They can add logo and branding colors to create a consistent look and feel across their online courses.

What Difficulties Arise When Creating Elearning Applications?

Developing an eLearning app can be a reasonably complex, drawn-out process. You could have a solid foundation and make wise choices. Yet you could struggle because of unexpected difficulties. These can cause a project delay, add unplanned expenses, or impair the app's quality.

Remember that inadequate planning can jeopardize your connection with the outsourcing provider, eventually impacting the app's quality, which is not what you desire! 

Hire Consagous For E-Learning Mobile App Development

Consagous Technologies offer e-learning mobile app development. We designed apps to give learners access to educational content and interactive features, allowing them to study at their own pace and convenience. Our e-learning App Developers can customize the app to suit the specific needs of different industries and user groups, such as schools, universities, training centers, and businesses.

If you are looking for an eLearning app development company, you can consult our experienced developers who have experience developing similar apps.

E-learning mobile app development can be a valuable investment for businesses and organizations that want to provide employees or customers with flexible and accessible training and education. Contact us for more information!

Original Source: https://www.consagous.co/blog/develop-e-learning-app-for-non-profitable-business

[creatiview]

[ad_1] By Zac Gery December 1, 2022 These are the resources and tools I’ve used to launch and grow my nonprofit, Second Wind Bicycles, over the last two years. In 2021, during the pandemic, the used bicycle market was alive as people sought outdoor activities to escape cabin fever. This impacted organizations such as the Milford Advocacy for the Homeless.  After hearing about their struggle to locate bicycles, I started my own hunt. The more success I had the harder it drove me. I reached out to other homeless shelters and organizations and found this was a common unfilled need. My nonprofit, Second Wind Bicycles, was born.With a steady stream of bicycles flowing in, it was time to define our mission and make things official. Our mission is to locate used bicycles, repair them, and provide them at no cost to those in need, including the homeless, refugees, the elderly, at-risk individuals, teens, and children. Jump ahead to a section for specific advice: With my mission in hand, I turned my attention to creating a nonprofit organization. That journey taught me many valuable lessons. I had many questions and few answers. As I spoke with others, I found they had similar experiences. Here are some of the most common questions and what I learned. The first few steps to start a nonprofit Start with your organization name and logo. Every organization needs a compelling name and logo. If you need help developing a logo, I highly recommend using Logo.com. Answer a few questions and they will provide you with logo ideas at no cost. Don’t forget to double-check that your nonprofit name isn’t already taken by searching the IRS nonprofit database. After I had those two items, I used AWeber to purchase the domain SecondWindBicycles.org and used AWeber’s landing page builder to publish the website.  Then I signed up for Google Workspace for $6 per month (and it was eventually free – see further down). Google Workspace provided me with a dedicated email address on my domain (e.g. zac@secondwindbicycles.org). With Google Workspace, you also get Calendar, Docs, Sheets, Drive, Voice, and a few other useful apps.  Google Voice, in particular, is good to have. It gives you a phone number for your business. Having a dedicated website, email address, and phone number is essential given all the paperwork required with setting up a nonprofit. Plus, they demonstrate a level of professionalism that’s key to getting donors. Legal paperwork you need for your nonprofit ALERT: This is not official legal advice. Getting your nonprofit set up in the eyes of the law can be the most intimidating part of getting started. But I’ve done it and I’m here to tell you what you’ll need, and how to do it. The first step is filing as a corporation within your local state. The paperwork to complete this step is commonly found on your state’s website. A quick way to get started is to Google “register nonprofit in [YOUR STATE]”. Once you’ve registered and received your Articles of Incorporation document from your state, you can petition the federal government for nonprofit status. The IRS website provides forms and tutorials to help you get everything submitted. Before completing those forms, be sure to obtain a Federal EIN, determine your tax exemption type, and formalize who will be on your Board of Directors. These are all required to complete the paperwork.  Aside from the fee associated with each filing, you can do all of this on your own and for free. Or you can choose to use a paid service like LegalZoom that does most of the work for you.  After much deliberation, I decided to use LegalZoom for this part of my journey. Please be aware that processing your nonprofit status takes time. The IRS provides a time estimate of 3-6 months. Also be sure to check if your state has any additional requirements for nonprofits. For instance, I live in Pennsylvania and they require nonprofits to register with their state-run Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations.

Being registered was also a requirement to apply for several in-state grants. How to receive and process monetary donations The best way to get a lot of donations is to make donating as easy as possible. Second Wind Bicycles has a variety of ways to collect monetary donations. First, I built a donation page using AWeber’s landing page builder. That page includes a built-in option to donate on the spot via Stripe and a button for PayPal. I also added a QR Code to the page to aid with quick mobile donations. I set up Venmo to expand the options available to my donors. Fundraising is another great way to raise money. I registered with Amazon Smile which donates a small portion of each purchase someone makes on Amazon to your charity. Platforms such as Facebook and Go Fund Me are wonderful places I used to set up fundraising campaigns that I could share with my audience. I also created an Amazon Wishlist of commonly-used bicycle parts that people can directly purchase. When registering your charity with Amazon Smile and Amazon Wishlist, Amazon uses a service called GuideStar to list eligible charities. You must register with GuideStar first, which can take several weeks. Facebook Fundraisers also takes several weeks to receive approval, so plan ahead. Have a thank you letter template prepared for when you receive physical or monetary donations. Some organizations need a letter or receipt as part of their documentation. How to budget money for your nonprofit It’s all about being mindful of costs. As a nonprofit, there are various ways to save money. When it comes to software, many businesses offer discounted pricing to nonprofits. If you aren’t sure, simply Google the company name and add the words “nonprofit pricing” to your search.  For instance, AWeber offers nonprofits three months free of Pro and then 25% off after that. Google has a program called Google for Nonprofits which provides many of its tools such as Google Workspace (Gmail, Sheets, Docs, Slides, Drive), and Google Ads for free. To sign up for Google for Nonprofits, you must have a Tech Soup account which can take several days to approve. Don’t forget to look at other ways to save money as well. Stripe, PayPal, and Venmo all offer lower processing fees to nonprofits. When it comes to fees, every dollar saved helps. Pennsylvania charges a 6% sales tax on most purchases, but they also offer a sales tax exemption for qualifying businesses. I completed the necessary paperwork and was approved. This helps me save money every time I place an order for more bicycle parts. To keep me on budget and everything in order, I organize all financial transactions in QuickBooks. Very early on I recorded everything in a spreadsheet until it became clear that it was time to find a better solution. QuickBooks is not the cheapest solution, but everything integrates with it. Connecting the business bank account and credit card was a breeze. Those integrations pull over every transaction you have into QuickBooks. It’s a big time saver and reduces manual mistakes. How to manage day-to-day business operations I use Google Workspace for all of my day-to-day business activities. It includes Gmail, Calendar, Docs, Sheets, Drive, and a few more tools. These are crucial for my everyday tasks like managing inventory, documenting repairs, bicycle donations, bicycle deliveries, and much more. I rely on AWeber to host my website and accept donations, which is an important way for me to interact with folks as I do not have a storefront. QuickBooks has also been a vital part of my accounting and its robust set of pre-built reports makes it easy to prepare for board meetings. I use Vistaprint as a fast and convenient source of business cards, signs, banners, shirts, decals, and more. You’ll need insurance for your nonprofit organization. There are at least two types of insurance you should consider: General Liability insurance and Directors & Officers Liability insurance.

Take time to research both of them and speak with an insurance agent that specializes in small business insurance. How to manage your own time when running a nonprofit I try to maintain a 70/30 split between tactical and strategic work, respectively. The tactical work includes repairing bicycles, ordering parts, communicating with partners, and organizing pickups and deliveries. The strategic side focuses on optimization, planning, grants, expansion, projecting, partnerships, etc. Pro tip: Building and running a nonprofit comes with a fair share of forms and paperwork. Keeping these handy and in PDF digital form will save you a lot of time.  Common documents include: Employer Identification Number Letter (from the IRS) Letter of Determination (from the IRS notating your nonprofit status) Articles of Incorporation (from your state showing your legal business entity) Charitable Organization Certificate (specific to Pennsylvania charities only) Sales Tax Exempt Letter (specific to Pennsylvania only) How to communicate with your audience For Second Wind Bicycles, our audience is made up of three distinct groups of people: those who need a bicycle, those donating a bicycle, and those providing monetary donations. The primary ways people have discovered Second Wind Bicycles are through Google search, local signage, and word of mouth. People find our website on Google search and I run Google Ads (which are free through Google’s nonprofit program). To rank in relevant searches, you need to do a little bit of SEO: Identify keywords that target topics relevant for your nonprofit. In my case, that’s “bicycle donation,”  “homeless, refugees,” “used bicycles,” etc.  I haven’t started an email list yet, but when I’m ready I won’t need to purchase any additional tools as AWeber has me covered. When it comes to social media, I don’t believe there is a single strategy that can work for everyone. You don’t need to be on every platform, but it makes sense to have some type of presence. Think about what social networks your audience prefers. Start small. You can always expand into other platforms as necessary. I opted to create a Facebook Page and a LinkedIn profile where I post updates about recent donations and bicycle deliveries. How to grow your nonprofit Overseeing a nonprofit is a balancing act of immediate needs and the desire to grow and expand. Being able to focus on growth starts with having a solid Board of Directors with balanced views, contributing members, and constructive feedback. Growth is not a straight line. Surround yourself with local business people, leaders, and mentors. Keep your eyes open for potential opportunities. Talk to people. Ask them for their opinion. Receive ideas with an open mind. I’ve had wonderful insights from both direct and indirect conversations. These conversations keep your most pressing concerns at the forefront of your mind, and that keeps your mind flexible for potential opportunities. A good rule of thumb is to treat every person you meet with the expectation that they are the missing piece to take you to the next level. Thinking ahead The future looks bright for Second Wind Bicycles. We continue to make new connections with our community and charitable organizations. We have a passion for partnering with people to make a difference in our community. Having the opportunity to serve others is a blessing.  We fuel our organization with smiles. There is nothing better than the smile a bicycle brings to someone’s face. We plan to keep those smiles coming well into the future.  If you are interested in following our journey, follow us on LinkedIn or Facebook. Are you starting a nonprofit and need to build an email list, buy and register a domain, host a website/landing page, and accept donations? You can do all that in AWeber. Get started for free and learn more about our nonprofit pricing for paid plans. (function(d, s, id) var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];

if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.0&appId=189473471148265"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); (document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); [ad_2] Source link

[sfnewsvine]

Invest in Black-led Organizations -The San Francisco Foundation

Pictured left to proper: (high row) Brandon Johns, Aman Sebahtu, Mizan Alkebulan, (second row) Quinton Sankofa, Ttori Johnson Bese Sake reimagines love and energy collectively by fostering a spot to community for 18 Black-led Bay Space organizations. The Bese Saka initiative convenes these organizations quarterly to share organizational data and sources whereas offering therapeutic help and unity. San Francisco Basis held a Donor Dialogue on October 6 to share details about Bese Saka. Brandon Johns, SFF’s program officer for the Koshland Program, facilitated a discourse together with his fellow Bese Saka challenge administration workforce: Brotherhood of Elders’ Quinton Sankofa and Aman Sebahtu, Spearitwurx’s Mizan Alkebulan, and Cheryl Fabio from Sarah Webster Fabio Heart. They shared Bese Saka’s influence and future objectives. All 18 organizations are deliberately from completely different cities within the Bay Space – to lend a various scope in geography, group dimension, applications supplied, and populations served. The initiative is led in partnership with the Brotherhood of Elders Community (BOEN). BOEN is an intergenerational volunteer community of males of African ancestry that work collectively by stewardship and advocacy to “advance and protect the well being and wellness of our households and communities.” Ttori Johnson, Applications Supervisor at East Oakland Collective, is a Bese Saka Cohort Advisor and shared that the mission and objective throughout the cohort is to search out liberation by self and generational therapeutic in a secure house “with out masks or guises.” Johnson additionally mirrored that a lot of the work she and her friends do inside our communities is heavy and the chance to share the burden and lean on others within the cohort for technique and help are crucial. Bese Saka hopes to boost $150,000 – $300,000 from particular person donors and invite organizations for the second cohort of Black-led organizations in 2024. Bese Saka requires donations motivated by love for individuals, not out of worry. “The work that we do to serve the Black group is figure that serves everyone,” stated Quinton Sankofa. “Change strikes on the pace of belief, however belief strikes on the pace of relationships. To ensure that us to have the ability to construct and rework our society and our tradition and the circumstances that people live in, we’ve got to construct the relationships with a purpose to construct that belief, with a purpose to rework.” Mizan Alkebulan stated. Watch a recording of the occasion. To be taught extra about supporting these Black-led organizations, please contact your philanthropic advisor or e-mail donorservices[at]sff.org. You can even advocate a grant in Donor Heart to the “Brotherhood of Elders Community for the Bese Saka program.” Supply hyperlink Originally published at SF Newsvine

[spiritualdirections]

Researchers at Columbia create 40 people, kill them after gene editing mistake

https://www.wsj.com/articles/crispr-gene-editing-can-lead-to-big-mistakes-in-human-embryos-11603983608

“...Researchers in the new study published in Cell said they used sperm from a single human donor to create 40 embryos. The man has hereditary blindness caused by a mutation on the EYS gene, which is located on chromosome 6, one of the 23 pairs in humans. The scientists used Crispr-Cas9 to cut the father’s DNA at the site of the gene mutation they wanted to correct. When a cut is made in the DNA, the cell tries to repair the DNA.

“Scientists injected a Crispr-Cas9 enzyme into 37 embryos, and three other embryos served as controls. The scientists found that about half of the embryos lost large segments of the chromosome, or the entire chromosome, on which the EYS gene is located. “This is a very adverse outcome,” Dr. Egli said.”

[Full article below the break.]

Crispr Gene Editing Can Lead to Big Mistakes in Human Embryos

Columbia University study of Crispr technology found it made unwanted chromosomal changes in human embryos

Scientists using the Crispr gene-editing technology in human embryos to try to repair a gene that causes hereditary blindness found it made unintended and unwanted changes, frequently eliminating an entire chromosome or large sections of it.

The study published Thursday in the journal Cell comes as the international scientific community continues to grapple with the potential use of Crispr for editing human embryos that would be intended for creating a pregnancy and birth.

In September, an international commission sponsored by the U.S. National Academy of Medicine, U.S. National Academy of Sciences and the U.K.’s Royal Society issued a report stating that the gene-editing technology isn’t ready for such a use because scientists don’t understand how to make precise fixes without also introducing potentially dangerous changes.

Dieter Egli, assistant professor of developmental cell biology at Columbia University and the study’s senior author, said, “This study is not going to stop the field. But we have to ask what to do with these powerful tools, and in which context they are safe and efficacious.”...

Two separate papers published earlier this month indicate that the ethical debate continues over whether and under what circumstances creating genetically modified children could be permissible.

One paper, published in the Crispr Journal, solicited views of more than three dozen experts on issues raised in the international commission’s September report on Crispr germ-line editing. The technique—which involves making changes to eggs, sperm and embryos—is controversial because any changes can be passed to future generations. The paper revealed major differences of opinion among leading scholars, including Jennifer Doudna, the University of California, Berkeley, biochemist who with a colleague was awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry this year for pioneering work on Crispr.

In her comments on the report, Dr. Doudna said the commission’s recommendations reflect consensus in the field that the technology shouldn’t be used for embryo editing in the clinic at this time. She added that she was struck by the inclusion of certain diseases that are already being managed, such as cystic fibrosis, with disorders where embryo editing might someday be permissible.

The other paper, also published in the Crispr Journal, surveyed policies across 106 countries regarding germ-line gene editing. The researchers found 96 of the countries already had applicable policy documents, such as legislation, regulations or international treaties. Of those 96 countries, 75 bar the use of genetically modified embryos for the purpose of starting a pregnancy—an indication that it might be possible to create an international consensus on the issue, the researchers said.

Crispr enables scientists to cut, edit and insert DNA and has been an object of excitement, fascination and controversy since its discovery in 2012. The technology opens up the possibility of treating severe illness for which there are no effective therapies. Trials are under way or expected to start soon in patients with cancer, sickle-cell anemia and other conditions in China, Europe and the U.S.

The potential to use Crispr to create genetically modified babies has been an area of major concern, especially after the 2018 announcement of the birth of twin girls from embryos whose DNA had been changed using the Crispr technology.

A second woman implanted with a genetically modified embryo is also believed to have given birth.

Very little is known about the health of the babies. He Jiankiu, the Chinese researcher who spearheaded the experiments, was sentenced to three years in prison after being found guilty last year in a court in China of conducting illegal medical practices.

Researchers in the new study published in Cell said they used sperm from a single human donor to create 40 embryos. The man has hereditary blindness caused by a mutation on the EYS gene, which is located on chromosome 6, one of the 23 pairs in humans.

The scientists used Crispr-Cas9 to cut the father’s DNA at the site of the gene mutation they wanted to correct. When a cut is made in the DNA, the cell tries to repair the DNA.

Scientists injected a Crispr-Cas9 enzyme into 37 embryos, and three other embryos served as controls.

The scientists found that about half of the embryos lost large segments of the chromosome, or the entire chromosome, on which the EYS gene is located.

“This is a very adverse outcome,” Dr. Egli said.

Scientists still don’t know a lot about the mechanisms of human embryo development. The U.S. government doesn’t permit the use of federal funding to conduct research on human embryos. The research for the Cell study was funded by private donations from the New York Stem Cell Foundation and the Russell Berrie Foundation Program in Cellular Therapies.

Dr. Egli said scientists know more about the cell and molecular biology of flies, worms and mice embryos than human embryos. He said the current study seems to indicate that “the human embryo seems unique in its poor ability to fix a DNA break.” The significance of the biological finding “goes beyond the debate” over the use of Crispr in embryos, he said.

Nonetheless, the ethical debate will likely continue alongside development of the technology. Françoise Baylis, university research professor at Dalhousie University in Canada, one of the authors on both Crispr Journal papers, said that much of the debate within the scientific community over editing human embryos focused on whether the technology is safe and effective enough to use. “That’s not the right question to start with,” Dr. Baylis said. “I am not asking if the science is ready. I am asking what problems do we want to solve, and what science will help us solve them.” Dr. Baylis is a member of a World Health Organization expert advisory panel set up last year to issue global standards and guidelines for editing of the human genome. The panel hasn’t yet issued its guidance.

Marcy Darnovsky of the Center for Genetics and Society in Berkeley, Calif., a public-interest advocacy group in human genetics and assisted reproductive technologies and one of the authors of the global policy study, said the Cell paper indicates the substantial technical challenges that remain surrounding Crispr gene editing of embryos. “It gives us time,” she said. “There is still a window to have a meaningful conversation about the social questions.”

[kp777]

By Jack Johnson

Common Dreams

April 12, 2024

"Corruption on the Supreme Court has gotten out of control, and Justice Thomas is the poster child."

More than 165,000 people have signed a petition demanding that U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas recuse himself from a pending case on whether former President Donald Trump should be immune from criminal charges stemming from his attempt to overturn his 2020 loss.

The petition, organized by the progressive advocacy group MoveOn, urges Thomas to recuse from all cases related to the January 6, 2021 insurrection, including the high-stakes and closely watched Trump immunity case. Oral arguments in that case are scheduled for April 25.

MoveOn argues that Thomas should step away from the case because of the role his wife, Ginni, played in the right-wing effort to reverse the 2020 election results.

"From secret gifts from right-wing donors to weighing in on cases that his wife is connected to, Thomas has a longstanding history of conflicts of interest," the petition reads. "It's crucial that we raise the pressure now and demand that Justice Thomas recuse himself from this case immediately!"

Alexis Martinez, MoveOn's campaign director, said in a Friday statement that for the Supreme Court to consider January 6-related cases "with any impartiality, it's critical that justices with conflicts of interest recuse themselves."

"That applies first and foremost to Justice Clarence Thomas, whose own wife played a role in Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election," said Martinez. "Corruption on the Supreme Court has gotten out of control, and Justice Thomas is the poster child of why more work needs to be done to stop outside interests influencing the bench. Robust ethics reform must start with Thomas' recusal, and should continue with efforts to rebalance the court, impeachment of corrupt justices, and passing other reforms that restore the integrity of our judicial system."

[msclaritea]

“The Supreme Court under Chief Justice John Roberts has been extraordinarily friendly turf for corporations. It has been more than four years since the Court has reversed a lower court decision favoring corporate interests, according to a new analysis by the Constitutional Accountability Center, a progressive think tank.

Now, with the clock ticking for Senate Republicans to confirm President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, federal judge Amy Coney Barrett, the groups that helped push through Trump’s two previous nominees are again ready to spend tens of millions of dollars on advertisements to ensure Barrett receives the lifetime appointment.

With 53 Senate Republicans in this soon-to-end 116th Congress, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell needs to prevent no more than three defections to confirm Barrett with a simple majority. Two Republicans have publicly expressed disapproval of confirming Trump’s nominee so close to the election, Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, though it is not clear they have unequivocally committed to voting against Barrett—and the developing coronavirus outbreak among Republican senators is changing the vote count and confirmation timeline.

The conservative groups spending millions on television, digital, and direct mail ads hope to shore up GOP support for a nominee who is expected to be anti-abortion, socially conservative, and favorable to corporate interests.

All signs indicate that a potential Justice Barrett would continue the pro-corporate tilt of the Court. According to an analysis by the nonpartisan watchdog group Accountable.us, Judge Barrett sided with corporations over people 76% of the time on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, in 44 of 55 cases reviewed. For example, in the 2018 case of Bruce Betzner and Barbara Betzner v. The Boeing Company, Barrett voted to reverse a district court’s decision to send a personal injury lawsuit back to state courts, the outcome Boeing was seeking. In August, Barrett delivered a ruling that could block gig workers from suing when tech companies deny them overtime pay, according to a report from The Daily Poster.

The Roberts court has been stuffing its docket with cases in which lower courts ruled against corporate interests—fully 91% in the 2018-2019 term. Already on the docket for the term that starts on Oct. 5 are a number of cases that involve state rulings: Ford Motor Co. v. Montana Eighth Judicial District Court, which could limit where individuals can pursue personal injury suits; Rutledge v. Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, on whether states can regulate pharmacy benefit managers; and Carney v. Adams, on whether states can require judges to be affiliated with one of the two major political parties. Other cases to be heard by the Supreme Court will feature deceptive commercial activities, arbitration agreements that limit peoples’ ability to sue corporations, and even the enforcement of IRS reporting requirements.

FOLLOW THE MONEY

Many of the top funders of groups backing Barrett, including many Republican megadonors, are billionaire corporate executives—in industries like manufacturing, transportation, shipping supplies, and private equity financing—whose economic outlooks could benefit from Barrett being confirmed to the vacant seat.

Here are the top donors to conservative groups spending on the Barrett confirmation, according to FEC data from Jan. 1, 2019 to Aug. 31, 2020:

Club For Growth

The right-wing Club For Growth, known for backing far-right candidates against moderate Republican incumbents and a past recipient of funding from the Koch-linked Center to Protect Patient Rights, recently pledged to spend $5 million on ads to back Trump’s nominee. The group’s nonprofit arm received nearly $6.8 million from undisclosed donors from July 2017 through July 2018, according to tax documents. Its super PAC, Club For Growth Action, has reported receiving nearly $56 million in the 2020 election cycle, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics.

Club For Growth President David McIntosh said in a statement praising Barrett, “This choice will shape America’s future, as the Court considers cases relating to issues like the constant unconstitutional growth of government and whether federal agencies should have free rein to enact arbitrary rules without Congressional approval.”

Club For Growth has had huge support this year from Republican megadonor Richard Uihlein, the right-wing founder of shipping supplies company Uline, whose donations total $26.5 million this election cycle. Uihlein contributed $10 million to Club For Growth Action, the group’s super PAC, on Jan. 12, then $4 million on April 21 and another $10 million on August 8, according to FEC records.

Right-wing billionaire Jeff Yass, co-founder of financial firm Susquehanna International Group, donated over $17.5 million to the super PAC this cycle. Yass, a Pennsylvania-based options trader, has also contributed over $4 million to the conservative Protect Freedom PAC this cycle, making up the vast majority of its funding as reported in FEC records.

Also in this cycle, Club For Growth Action received over $2.1 million from the late Republican megadonor Richard Gilder, who died in May of congestive heart failure at the age of 87, and his ex-wife Virginia James. James has donated to the conservative Wisconsin state judge David Prosser in a 2011 recount battle and other Koch-related causes.

Richard and Barbary Gaby contributed over $1.6 million to Club For Growth Action. Barbara Gaby is the youngest child of Amway co-founder Jay Van Andel, who, with the DeVos family, has been a major funder of the the Heritage Foundation, a right-wing think tank, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a nonprofit that helps Republican legislators collaborate with corporate lobbyists, and the Center for International Private Enterprise, a non-profit affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

America First Action

The pro-Trump super PAC America First Action is also promising ad buys totaling $5 million to promote Barrett in national television, digital and direct mail. Its nonprofit arm, America First Policies, took in $22 million in 2017 from donors whose identities it was not required to publicly disclose, while the PAC has received nearly $83 million this cycle, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics.

The leading donors to the Trump super PAC, at $10 million apiece, have been Republican megadonor Timothy Mellon, the majority owner of transportation holding company Pan Am Systems, and Kelcy Warren, the billionaire co-founder and CEO of pipeline company Energy Transfer Partners whose Dakota Access pipeline has been mired in court battles over its potential to pollute key water sources in South Dakota.

Geoffrey Palmer, a Republican donor and billionaire real estate developer based in Los Angeles, has donated $6 million to America First Action. Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein threw in over $2.7 million. Three more familiar Trump megadonors have chipped in: Linda McMahon, the former pro wrestling executive who is now the super PAC’s chairwoman, with over $3.5 million; Blackstone Group CEO Stephen Schwarzman, with $3 million; and Diane Hendricks of Wisconsin, chair of a roofing supply company and a Republican megadonor, with $2 million.

Richard DeVos, co-founder of Amway and husband of Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, has contributed $400,000 to America First Action. GOP megadonor Marlene Ricketts, wife of TD Ameritrade founder Joe Ricketts, has given half a million dollars to the PAC.

Americans For Prosperity

Through a standalone website and by mobilizing its membership, the Koch brothers-founded libertarian advocacy group says it has sent 200,000 letters in support of Barrett to U.S. senators in the past week. The group’s super PAC has spent over $20 million this cycle in independent expenditures.

The majority of that amount has come from $7 million from Charles Koch’s fossil fuel conglomerate Koch Industries and close to $6.5 million from the Koch network’s Freedom Partners Action Fund, but several more corporate megadonors have given to Americans For Prosperity Action this cycle. Major GOP donor Ron Cameron, president of the Little Rock, Arkansas-based Mountaire Corporation, a chicken products producer, has contributed $3.5 million. Richard “Dick” Haworth, the former CEO of an eponymous office-interiors manufacturer company, and his wife Ethelyn contributed $1.5 million to AFP Action. Haworth attended an exclusive Vail, Colorado retreat convened by the Koch Brothers for donors who had given over $1 million to right-wing causes. Trucking executive Clarence L. Werner, a previous million-dollar donor to the Kochs’ Freedom Partners super PAC, kicked in $1.5 million on July 1. Individuals from several energy, timber, pipeline, and coal companies have given at least $100,000 each to the PAC.

Judicial Crisis Network

The Judicial Crisis Network’s leading role in the communications push to confirm Trump’s nominees has been funded recently through some $30 million received between July 2018 and June 2019, led by a $15.9 million donation from an anonymous donor, according to IRS records reviewed by the Daily Poster. JCN is organized as a “social welfare” nonprofit and is not required to disclose the identities of its donors.

In 2017, a secret donor behind a $17 million gift readied JCN for the Kavanaugh confirmation showdown, providing over three-fourths of the total amount it received that year. Together in the efforts to confirm Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch in 2017, JCN was estimated to have laid out $22 million.

Three additional groups on the right have said they’ll be spending money on efforts to confirm Barrett: anti-abortion nonprofit Susan B. Anthony List, conservative nonprofit Catholic Vote, and conservative, anti-LGBT nonprofit think tank American Principles Project. The Susan B. Anthony list has reported raising a bit over $1 million to its PAC this cycle from hundreds of donors giving $5,000 and below, while its non-profit arm received over $12 million in funding according to its most recent Form 990, for 2018.

Millions More Spent on State Judicial Races

While the Supreme Court hears cases involving lower courts’ rulings on consumer lawsuits and government regulations, the conservative groups pushing Trump’s nominees have also spent millions to influence state judicial races.

A December 2019 report by the nonpartisan policy institute Brennan Center for Justice, titled “The Politics of Judicial Elections, 2017–18,” noted that JCN quietly spent $3.8 million on state elections in those years. After JCN donated nearly $1 million last year to the Republican State Leadership Committee, a national 527 group dedicated to electing Republicans to state office, the RSLC transferred $1.2 million to the Judicial Fairness Initiative, which works as an effort under the RSLC to elect conservative state judges. In the 2018 election cycle, the Judicial Fairness Initiative received over $4.3 million from RSLC, according to IRS records compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics.

The Brennan Center tracked how in 2013-14, JCN sent half a million dollars to Wisconsin Club for Growth, which spent money that cycle for the successful reelection campaign of conservative Justice Patience Roggensack. In May, during oral arguments in front of the Wisconsin Supreme Court regarding a stay-at-home order issued by the state health department, Justice Roggensack appeared to downplay the importance of some cases by contrasting the workers at a meatpacking plant who had been exposed to a coronavirus outbreak with “the regular folks in Brown County.” She then joined the majority on the state Supreme Court in a 4-3 decision to strike down the order, which was supported by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.

The Judicial Ads Act, introduced in the Senate on July 2 by Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), would bring transparency to secretive groups like those that blasted out ads promoting Kavanaugh’s confirmation. The bill would require any group spending at least $50,000 in a year on federal judicial nomination advertisements to disclose the identity of any donor giving $5,000 or more. Recently introduced in a House version as well by Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) and Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), the measure is supported by the nonpartisan watchdog Campaign Legal Center. It could be taken up by Congress next year—most likely, if Democrats take control of the Senate—as part of the next version of H.R. 1, the For the People Act, a sweeping ethics package passed by the Democratic House in March 2019 that is not supported by any Republicans in Congress.”

[laceyspencer]

The Importance of Macro Practice Emphasis in Social Work Education-Juniper publishers

Statement of the Issue

An essential facet to health and human service organizations (HHSOs) successfully addressing the challenges facing many disenfranchised communities today are organizational leaders and managers of the social work profession, trained in macro practice [1]. Despite this understanding, few professionals with backgrounds in social work occupy such positions of leadership within HHSOs, resulting in a significant deficit in the unique values and perspectives brought forth by such experiences [2]. Social work education plays an integral role in preparing students with values of social justice and ethical-professional acumen to compete for leadership positions within HHSOs. The Rothman [2] Report provides a well-documented assessment of the deterrents to schools of social work establishing and sustaining macro practice concentrations (e.g. limited financial investment).

Go to

History & Current Position of Macro Social Work

History of macro practice in academia & organizations

Macro practice interventions utilize a neighborhood and community focus, employing practice interventions in the areas of locality development, social planning and social advocacy [3]. According to the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), it wasn’t until 1962 that social work accredited community organization as a legitimate practice method equivalent to casework. Meaning, the age of macro practice is about half of that of clinical practice. Consider for a moment that the profession of social justice and ethical-professional acumen did not acknowledge the legitimacy of mass public empowerment for half-a-century, still today placing greater value in working with individuals and families over communities and jurisdictions. The need for the latter gaining traction and finding platform remains omnipresent [4].

However, the advance of macro practice cannot come at the regression of clinical practice. Clinicians employ a myriad of techniques working with clients and it is important to acknowledge that individuals are, in many ways, products of their environment and society. Thus, clinical practitioners must strive to incorporate macro concepts into practice just as macro practitioners must strive to do the same with clinical concepts [5]. In order to best serve the society, collaboration between clinical and macro social workers with the target community is strategically sound in defining problems and discovering solutions. This approach has the added benefit of empowering individuals, as well as community-based organizations, to use evaluation data to make decisions on their own behalf [6].

The International Federation of Social Workers’ policy paper states: ‘social work has always been a human rights profession, the basic principle is the value of every human being and the promotion of equitable social structures, which offers people security while protecting their dignity’ (“IFSW,” 1988). The time has come to begin giving equal credibility and legitimacy to these macro-level ‘social structures [7].

Current role of macro practice in academia & organizations

It is imperative that organizations implement a strategic plan with measurable goals. The process of strategic planning is longlasting, systematic and community based, integrating short and long-term goals, allowing for organizations to build innovative programs for clients [8]. Macro-track social work students learn the necessary skills to implement strategic plans as part of their curriculum. For most non-macro-track students, there remains a disconnect between the importance of macro-practice concepts needed in organizational development and the lack of emphasis on macro-practice concepts in their curriculum.

According to MSWcareer.com, as of 2011, only 8.8% of social work students choose a concentration in macro practice. In fact, many schools fail to offer macro courses and there is an overall absence of a macro concentration. An historically consistent trend, focusing on clinical social work in academia, leading to the marginalization of macro practice. Some social work department administrators simply do not value a macro curriculum, nor provide adequate resources and financial allocation for it. Such practices range from uncooperative, disruptive attitudes of clinical colleagues to the lack of access to resources, in addition to minimal recruitment and employment of macro faculty [9].

Social work education, particularly evidence-based practice, has been about the integration of theory and practice, though most commonly employed in work with individuals, families and groups. When students are exposed to the rich experience of empowerment brought on by social change and social reform, they acknowledge the relevance and impact of social work at the macro level [10]. There remains a clear gap between clinical and macrotrack social work education. Experiential learning, commonly thought to be of greatest value throughout social work education, remains lacking regarding macro practice. Within social work organizations, the transfer of knowledge is macro-level work. Evidence indicates that organizations that transfer knowledge effectively from one department or organization to another are far more productive and more likely to be successful [11].

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Economic & Socioeconomic Strategies for Survival

There are currently no government or nonprofit platforms where wide-scale social work salaries are publicly disclosed. Glassdoor.com, a database where people submit information about their organization, role, salary, benefits and more, shows the national average annual salary for a director of social services in the United States is $92,358, while the national average salary for a clinical social worker is $51,737. In the state of New York, social workers with a graduate degree in a clinical concentration are eligible to take the Licensed Master of Social Work (LMSW) exam in addition to the Licensed Clinical of Social Work (LCSW) exam, whereas their macro concentration colleagues are only eligible to take the LMSW exam. Although literature suggests that a macro-specific license would provide greater accountability and a standardized level of professionalism and competency [12], there is currently no specific license designated for macro practitioners. This means that despite being eligible to take one more exam, adding to their resumes and curriculum vitae and seemingly being more qualified, clinical practitioners still earn $40,621 less annually than macro practitioners who may themselves have lesser credentials.

Social work education programs across the United States continue to contend with the economic pressures of developing curricula that are financially viable in a highly competitive academic market [13]. Fund allocation to create and develop macro programs depends on funders and donors having a close and consistent association with the institution’s environment, processes and practices. Marketing is at the forefront of organizational and institutional success. Thus, recruiting and graduating students specifically for and from the macro concentration would make for mutually beneficial relationships between students looking to maximize their career potential and programs looking to maximize their enrollment and outreach.

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Recommendations

The engagement of social work faculty in discussions pertaining to the value of macro social work and how it fits in with direct practice could begin the process of stakeholder buy-in. The more social work faculty value macro practice, the more likely they are to effectively communicate their ideas with students, potentially sparking a greater level of interest in macro social work.

The marketing and recruitment of clinical students into schools of social work nationwide have been successful, suggesting the potential for improvement in the marketing and recruitment of macro students. An equal level of effort in attracting clinical and macro students could make for greater equality in representation between clinical and macro students.

Funding is integral to the growth and success of any initiative. Increasing the allocation of funds toward macro practice, in conjunction with faculty engagement and student marketing and recruitment, could be the best opportunity for macro practice in social work education to gain ground on clinical practice, thereby strengthening the overall social work curriculum and profession.

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[thesetu]

What are the Objectives of NGOs in Children’s Education?

In a world striving for progress and development, the role of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in India has become increasingly vital, especially in the realm of children’s education. These organizations stand as champions of change, guided by a set of principles that shape their actions and objectives. In this comprehensive exploration, we’ll delve into the core objectives of Noida NGOs in children’s education, while also emphasizing the critical role they play in nurturing India’s most valuable asset — its children.

The Guiding Principles of NGOs

1.Commitment to Social Welfare: At the heart of every NGO’s mission is an unwavering commitment to the welfare of society. This commitment extends to the most vulnerable and impressionable — children. NGOs strive to provide them with a better future through education.

2. Equity and Inclusivity: Ensuring that every child, regardless of their background or circumstances, has equal access to quality education is a fundamental principle. NGOs aim to erase disparities in education based on caste, creed, gender, or socio-economic status.

3. Transparency and Accountability: Transparency in their operations is a non-negotiable principle. NGOs maintain clear financial records and ethical fundraising practices. This transparency fosters trust and credibility among donors and beneficiaries.

4. Community-Centric Approach: Children’s education is most effective when it resonates with the unique needs and aspirations of the local community. NGOs actively engage local communities in decision-making, ensuring the relevance of educational initiatives.

5. Independence: NGOs maintain independence from political or commercial influences, allowing them to address issues objectively and impartially, thereby ensuring that children’s education remains a priority.

6. Human Rights and Dignity: Protecting and promoting the rights and dignity of children is a cornerstone principle. NGOs stand as guardians against any form of child rights violation.

7. Sustainable Development: The vision for children’s education extends beyond immediate concerns. NGOs promote sustainable development in education, equipping children with the skills they need to become self-reliant, responsible citizens.

8. Empowerment and Capacity Building: Empowering children through education is a primary objective. NGOs offer programs that equip children with not just knowledge but also essential life skills.

9. Collaboration and Partnerships: Collaboration is a key to expanding the reach of children’s education. NGOs actively seek partnerships with government agencies, other NGOs, and the private sector to pool resources and expertise.

10. Advocacy for Policy Change: NGOs don’t confine their efforts to the grassroots. They actively engage in advocating for policy changes that can significantly impact children’s education at a broader level, shaping the future.

Objectives of NGOs in Children’s Education

1.Universal Access to Quality Education: The primary objective of NGOs in children’s education is to ensure that every child, regardless of their socio-economic background or geographic location, has access to quality education. This involves building schools, providing scholarships, and improving existing educational facilities.

2. Eradicating Illiteracy: NGOs work relentlessly to eliminate illiteracy by implementing programs and initiatives that target both children and adults. They understand that a literate community is a stronger, more empowered one.

3. Promoting Inclusive Education: Inclusivity is a core principle. NGOs strive to create an inclusive educational environment where children with disabilities or from marginalized communities receive the support they need to thrive academically and socially.

4. Skill Development: Beyond traditional education, NGOs focus on skill development. They aim to equip children with practical skills that make them employable and self-sufficient. Vocational training is a significant part of this effort.

5. Nutrition and Health: NGOs recognize that a healthy child is better equipped to learn. They often integrate nutrition and healthcare programs into their education initiatives, ensuring children receive proper nourishment and healthcare.

6. Child Rights and Protection: Ensuring children’s rights are protected is a crucial objective. NGOs work to prevent child labor, child trafficking, and all forms of exploitation. They also create safe spaces for children in need of protection.

7. Promoting Gender Equality: Promoting gender equality in education is a critical objective. NGOs strive to ensure that girls have equal access to education and are not subjected to gender-based discrimination.

8. Digital Literacy: In the digital age, digital literacy is essential. Many NGOs introduce children to information technology, ensuring they are prepared for a technology-driven future.

9. Cultivating Life Skills: Education goes beyond academics. NGOs aim to nurture life skills like problem-solving, critical thinking, and communication, which are essential for a child’s holistic development.

10. Community Involvement: An objective that sets NGOs apart is community involvement. They actively engage parents, local leaders, and the broader community in children’s education, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility for the children’s future.

Conclusion

The objectives of NGOs in children’s education are multifaceted and reflect a deep commitment to ensuring that every child in India has the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed. The role of these organizations is not limited to classrooms but extends to transforming the future of the nation. By embracing their guiding principles and pursuing these objectives, NGOs in India continue to shape a brighter, more equitable future for children, which, in turn, fosters the progress and development of the nation as a whole.

[newstfionline]

Tuesday, January 26, 2021

Pandemic aftershocks overwhelm global supply lines (Washington Post) One year after the coronavirus pandemic first disrupted global supply chains by closing Chinese factories, fresh shipping headaches are delaying U.S. farm exports, crimping domestic manufacturing and threatening higher prices for American consumers. The cost of shipping a container of goods has risen by 80 percent since early November and has nearly tripled over the past year, according to the Freightos Baltic Index. The increase reflects dramatic shifts in consumption during the pandemic, as consumers redirect money they once spent at restaurants or movie theaters to the purchase of record amounts of imported clothing, computers, furniture and other goods. That abrupt and unprecedented spending shift has upended long-standing trade patterns. “It’s crazy. Prices are at record highs. Multiple things are happening all at once,” said Phil Levy, an economist with Flexport, a San Francisco-based freight forwarder. “People work off of expectations. But now there’s just so much uncertainty.” At the Port of Los Angeles one day last week, 42 ships were anchored offshore, waiting to unload their cargoes, even as every warehouse within 60 miles was already full. A shortage of dock workers amid California’s worsening coronavirus outbreak is further complicating operations; inbound cargo volumes in December were more than 23 percent higher than one year earlier. “Some areas of the supply chain need to be sharpened,” Gene Seroka, the port’s executive director, said. “People are a little bit on edge.” It’s a global problem, and it may get worse before it gets better.

Destructive protests by anarchists and extremists signal divided left as Biden administration begins (Washington Post) The hundreds of far-left and anarchist demonstrators who gathered in protest mere hours after President Biden swore the oath of office Wednesday signal a fracturing on the left that could become a scourge for the new administration, political leaders and experts say. Some activists are carrying their destructive tactics into a new administration to voice rejection of centrist ideologies they believe will do little to address existential worries over climate change, economic inequality, foreign wars and racism. The vandalizing of the Oregon Democratic Party headquarters by extreme-left demonstrators on Inauguration Day has split Portland liberals, and federal agents’ launching of tear gas at crowds that descended on the city’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement headquarters produced scenes reminiscent of similar summer standoffs ordered by President Donald Trump. In Seattle, a march organized by anarchists and the city’s Youth Liberation Front branch roved through neighborhoods, chanting expletives at both Trump and Biden, some breaking windows. James Ofsink, president of Portland Forward, a local advocacy group for liberal causes, said the growing tension in Portland’s progressive circles is emblematic of a larger tug of war happening in the nation. “Portland is going to continue to be a microcosm of the political divides, especially among the left, that we’re seeing across the country,” Ofsink said. “The idea that middle-of-the-road Democrats can say with a straight face that we need to take things slowly or do things in a very deliberate way rubs a lot of people the very wrong way.”

Trump’s coming impeachment trial aggravates rift among Republicans (Reuters) The coming second impeachment trial of former U.S. President Donald Trump on a charge of inciting the deadly storming of the Capitol has aggravated a rift among his fellow Republicans that was on full display on Sunday. At least one Republican, Senator Mitt Romney, said he believed the trial, which could lead to a vote banning Trump from future office, was a necessary response to the former president’s inflammatory call to his supporters to “fight” his election defeat before the Jan. 6 attack. Ten Republicans joined the House of Representatives in voting to impeach Trump on a charge of inciting insurrection. But a significant number of Republican lawmakers, concerned about Trump’s devoted base of voters, have raised objections to the impeachment. Trump is the first U.S. president to be impeached after leaving office. Senator Tom Cotton, another Republican, said the Senate was acting beyond its constitutional authority by holding a trial. “I think a lot of Americans are going to think it’s strange that the Senate is spending its time trying to convict and remove from office a man who left office a week ago,” Cotton told Fox News on Sunday. “I think the trial is stupid,” Republican Senator Marco Rubio told Fox News on Sunday, saying he would vote to end it at the first opportunity. “I think it’s counterproductive. We already have a flaming fire in this country and it’s like taking a bunch of gasoline and pouring it on top of the fire.”

Ununited Kingdom (Times of London) The UK is facing a constitutional crisis that will strain the Union as new polls reveal a majority of voters in Scotland and Northern Ireland want referendums on the break-up of Britain. A four-country survey we commissioned, based on separate polls in Scotland, Northern Ireland, England and Wales, also found that the sense of British identity that once bound the country together is disintegrating. And in another significant move, the Scottish National Party (SNP) announced that it is prepared to call a wildcat referendum of its own if Boris Johnson refuses to grant one himself—a move that puts the two governments on a constitutional collision course.

Riots explode across Netherlands over covid restrictions (Washington Post) Dutch rioters who attacked police and destroyed property over the weekend while protesting new coronavirus measures are “criminals,” Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Monday, as law enforcement officials warned that the violence could last for weeks. The unrest across the Netherlands, some of the worst in decades, had “nothing to do with protest,” Rutte, who resigned last week following a scandal, told reporters outside his office in The Hague, news agencies reported. Protesters had gathered in defiance of lockdown orders in at least 10 towns and cities Sunday, looting stores and clashing with police after authorities imposed a new nighttime curfew — the first in the Netherlands since World War II. The violence continued Monday night in several cities, including Amsterdam and The Hague. The curfew, from 9 p.m. to 4:30 a.m., tightens an already-strict lockdown aimed at curbing coronavirus infections and comes amid fears that a new, more contagious variant, first identified in Britain, will cause a surge in cases.

In France, growing alarm over students’ well-being as pandemic pushes some to the brink (Washington Post) he hardships of university students during the pandemic have now reached the attention of the highest levels of the French government, with President Emmanuel Macron promising to provide more assistance. “You haven’t been forgotten,” he said this month. But students protesting de facto campus closures, seeking psychological support and lining up for free food handed out by private donors have come to a different conclusion. In a country that prides itself on having one of the world’s most generous public welfare systems, student food banks have become the most visible display of the economic impact of the pandemic on young people. After 10 months of varying degrees of isolation and restrictions, a less visible but increasingly worrisome mental health crisis is taking form among students, too. Some have been confined for months under lockdown or curfew in 97-square-foot dorm rooms off campus. New measures by Macron last week indicated growing alarm among French officials that financial distress and mental health are increasingly intertwined and are fueling one another. Students have written open letters asking French ministers for more support. Mental health hospitals have expanded their offerings to cope with a surge in demand among high school and university students. Some professors have themselves requested psychological support after finding their students in distress.

Navalny Protests Sweep Russia (Reuters) Russian authorities have attempted to deflect attention from Saturday’s nationwide street protests—the largest in years—by accusing the United States of interfering in the country. On Saturday, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused the U.S. embassy in Moscow of fanning the flames of dissent by publishing protest times and routes (as part of a notice to avoid such gatherings) on the embassy website. “What was that: a setup or an instruction?” Zakharova told the Russian news agency TASS, adding that if the Russian embassy in Washington had done the same during U.S. protests “global hysteria” would ensue. The government’s rhetorical counters came after thousands of Russians across roughly 100 towns and cities protested amid freezing winter temperatures on Saturday, heeding a call from detained anti-Putin activist Alexei Navalny to take to the streets to demand his release. Over 3,500 people were arrested during the protests, according to the monitoring group OVD Info—the most arrests the NGO had ever recorded in one day.

Angry farmers drive thousands of tractors into New Delhi (AP) Tens of thousands of protesting farmers drove long lines of tractors into India’s capital on Tuesday, breaking through police barricades, defying tear gas and storming the historic Red Fort as the nation celebrated Republic Day. They waved farm union flags from the ramparts of the fort, where prime ministers annually hoist the national flag to mark the country’s independence. Thousands more farmers marched on foot or rode on horseback while shouting slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. At some places, they were showered with flower petals by residents who recorded the unprecedented rally on their phones. Leaders of the farmers said more than 10,000 tractors joined the protest. For nearly two months, farmers have camped at the edge of the capital, blockading highways connecting it with the country’s north in a rebellion that has rattled the government. They are demanding the withdrawal of new laws which they say will commercialize agriculture and devastate farmers’ earnings.

Syrian refugees in Lebanon are under pressure as never before (Washington Post) Millions of Syrians have sought safety in Lebanon and across the region since the Syrian uprising began nearly a decade ago. Now they are stuck between untenable options: ongoing instability and violence back in Syria as President Bashar al-Assad consolidates control, and deteriorating conditions in cash-strapped Lebanon, where politicians are pressing refugees to leave. Syrians have long struggled in Lebanon, where about a million refugees make up some 20 percent of the population. But 2020 brought a new cascade of problems. The country’s financial system collapsed, and the prime minister resigned, ousted by protesters fed up with endemic corruption. Then the coronavirus hit, followed by the devastating Beirut port explosion, of which many Syrians were among the victims. In less than a year, the currency depreciated by more than 80 percent. Communities across Lebanon are hurting, especially Syrians, amid mounting competition for resources, said Elena Dikomitis, advocacy adviser for the Norwegian Refugee Council in Lebanon. “The landscape of needs in Lebanon has changed dramatically over the last year,” she said. “There are a lot of increasing tensions as one can expect over access to jobs, to aid, to basic services.” In October, the U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR, estimated that nearly 90 percent of Syrians in Lebanon lived below the extreme poverty line, up from 55 percent the year before. Already legally excluded from many jobs, 90 percent of Syrians reported losing their income or having salaries reduced, the agency found in July. [Many Lebanese want the refugees to go home. Syria, however, remains a very dangerous homeland.]

Pirates in the Gulf of Guinea (Reuters) Pirates are stepping up attacks on ships in West Africa’s Gulf of Guinea, defying regional navies. On Saturday, pirates off Nigeria kidnapped 15 sailors from a Turkish container ship and killed one. Pirates in the Gulf of Guinea kidnapped 130 seafarers in 22 separate incidents last year, accounting for all but five of those seized at sea worldwide. The pirates come from Nigeria’s turbulent Niger Delta, experts say. The region produces the bulk of the nation’s petroleum, but is woefully underdeveloped, scarred by pollution and has some of the highest unemployment in the country. Bands of men desperate for money engage in a variety of illegal but lucrative activities, including kidnapping, stealing and refining oil, and piracy. Last year’s oil price crash and Nigeria’s second recession in five years worsened unemployment and economic hardship. Saturday’s attack, which took place 200 nautical miles offshore, reflected increasing sophistication, as vessels further from shore are less likely to have naval protection.

Satellites (Space.com) SpaceX launched a record 143 small satellites into orbit on Sunday, the most ever on a single rocket. The launch was the first mission where SpaceX ferried lots of satellites up rideshare-style along with 10 of its own Starlink internet satellites. In 2019, the company announced that at various points in the year smaller satellites could hitch a ride at launch for $1 million a pop. Among the payload was a South Korean military communications satellite, two Taiwanese satellites which will improve navigation, a payload called Celestis 17 containing cremated human remains, three Hawk 2 radio satellites and a cargo capsule for the space station. The team successfully recovered the Falcon 9’s first stage in the Atlantic, which was the 73rd recovery of a booster for the company.