8 California Organizations with an International Reach
In order to build the world we want, we can't just concern ourselves with the problems in our own communities. These organizations take a broader view, looking at global problems and working toward solutions that will help not just Americans, but those in other countries and on other continents. Each of these groups is doing important work that improves the lives of people all across the world. This video was made with Ezvid Wikimaker.
8 Organizations Based in California Doing Work Abroad
| Name | Headquarters | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Annenberg Foundation | Los Angeles | Supports the arts, education, animal welfare, and other community efforts domestically, and funds the GRoW @ Annenberg initiative supporting humanitarian efforts around the globe |
| Vitamin Angels | Santa Barbara | Employs a network of over 1,600 local nonprofits to provide vitamins to pregnant women, mothers, and young children at risk of malnutrition |
| International Relief Teams | San Diego | Offers health services and humanitarian assistance to victims of disaster, neglect, and profound poverty worldwide |
| Fistula Foundation | San Jose | Works to eradicate fistula by funding surgeries, equipping hospitals, training medical professionals, and providing support for survivors |
| Seacology | Berkeley | In exchange for the creation of a forest or marine reserve, provides financial support to island communities for something beneficial such as a health center or school |
| Asante Africa Foundation | Livermore | Empowers young people in East Africa through scholarships, the Leadership and Entrepreneurship Incubator, job training and educational efforts, and a Girls' Advancement Program |
| International Community Foundation | National City | Deploys community grants in the areas of education, health, the environment, and cultural preservation, with a special focus on the Baja California peninsula and the Sea of Cortez region in Northwest Mexico |
| The Prem Rawat Foundation | Los Angeles | Seeks to build a more harmonious world, focusing on the fundamental human needs of food, water, and peace, offering peace education courses globally and providing emergency relief, clean water, and nutritious meals for communities in India, Nepal, and Ghana |
GRoW @ Annenberg on Saving Important Hopi Artifacts
Where Water Is Found On Earth
According to the U.S. Department of the Interior
| Location | Percentage of Earth's Water |
|---|---|
| Oceans | 97.2% |
| Ice caps & glaciers | 2.0% |
| Groundwater | 0.62% |
| Freshwater lakes | 0.009% |
| Inland seas & salt lakes | 0.008% |
| Atmosphere | 0.001% |
| Rivers | 0.0001% |
The Power of Vitamins
The Most Educated Countries Around the World
| Rank | Country | Population in 2019 | Adults 25-64 who have Received a Tertiary Education (2 or 4-year degree or vocational program) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canada | 37,411,047 | 56.71% |
| 2 | Japan | 126,860,301 | 51.44% |
| 3 | Israel | 8,519,377 | 50.92% |
| 4 | South Korea | 51,225,308 | 47.74% |
| 5 | United States | 329,064,917 | 46.36% |
| 6 | United Kingdom | 67,530,172 | 45.74% |
| 7 | Ireland | 4,882,495 | 45.66% |
| 8 | Australia | 25,203,198 | 45.36% |
| 9 | Finland | 5,532,156 | 44.30% |
| 10 | Norway | 5,378,857 | 43.21% |
Real-Life Stories From Asante Africa Foundation
Incarceration Rates Worldwide
| Rank | Country | Total population in 2019 | Total number of prisoners | Prisoners per 100,000 people |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | 329,064,917 | 2,193,798 | 737 |
| 2 | Russia | 145,872,256 | 874,161 | 615 |
| 3 | Ukraine | 43,993,638 | 162,602 | 350 |
| 4 | South Africa | 58,558,270 | 158,501 | 334 |
| 5 | Poland | 37,887,768 | 89,546 | 235 |
| 6 | Mexico | 127,575,529 | 214,450 | 196 |
| 7 | Brazil | 211,049,527 | 371,482 | 193 |
| 8 | Spain | 46,736,776 | 63,991 | 144 |
| 9 | Kenya | 52,573,973 | 47,036 | 130 |
| 10 | The Netherlands | 17,097,130 | 21,013 | 128 |
In Depth
For such a large state with so many residents, California, home to stunning beaches and towering redwoods, maintains a particularly cosmopolitan outlook. Not satisfied with working solely within the country, many groups in the Golden State are active abroad, collaborating with nonprofits, villages, and other communities internationally. If you are interested in learning more about the work they do, then here are, in no particular order, eight organizations in California that have a global impact.
Coming in at #1 is the Annenberg Foundation. Established in 1989, this family organization supports the arts, community, education, global issues, and development of nonprofits around the world through a combination of grantmaking, technical assistance, and direct charity. In recent years, the Annenberg Foundation has broadened the scope of its work to include environmental stewardship, social justice, and animal welfare, endeavoring to find solutions to systemic problems in society.
Founded with over a billion dollars in assets, the Annenberg Foundation has the financial resources to run and support a large number of initiatives. Specific examples of its work include Alchemy, a capacity-building and leadership development program for nonprofits in Los Angeles, and Annenberg Learner, which provides free multimedia courses and workshops online for teachers and students around the world. If you are interested in getting involved with this foundation, you can check out its blog posts or sign up to receive periodic updates.
Specific examples of its work include Alchemy, a capacity-building and leadership development program for nonprofits in Los Angeles, and Annenberg Learner, which provides free multimedia courses and workshops online for teachers and students around the world.
At #2 is Vitamin Angels, based in Goleta, California. Founded in 1994 by Howard Schiffer, this organization, in partnership with a network of over 1,600 local nonprofits, strives to create a healthier world by giving vitamins to pregnant women, mothers, and young children at risk of malnutrition. For six consecutive years, Charity Navigator has given Vitamin Angels the highest rating available. To date, this nonprofit has reached over 70 million mothers and children across the globe, in more than seventy countries.
In addition to supplying vitamins and minerals to at-risk populations, this organization also provides tools and resources that educate people on the basics of nutrition. Furthermore, it helps with global deworming efforts to fight against malnutrition, impacting around 27 million children around the world, and gives grants of selected micronutrient commodities to other groups. If you are interested in showing your support for Vitamin Angels, you can make a tax-deductible gift or attend one of its upcoming events.
In the #3 spot is International Relief Teams. Established in 1988 and originally called Southwest Medical Teams, IRT works to diminish the suffering caused by poverty and disasters around the world. Based in San Diego, this organization has received a four-star rating from Charity Navigator for sixteen consecutive years. Since its founding, it has provided around 420 million dollars in humanitarian aid, including food, medicine, and supplies.
Since its founding, it has provided around 420 million dollars in humanitarian aid, including food, medicine, and supplies.
In support of its mission, International Relief Teams stays active in a variety of areas. In the wake of national and international disasters, IRT provides immediate and long-term assistance by mobilizing and deploying skilled volunteers and funding organizations on the ground. Elsewhere, it offers health services, like surgeries and vision care, in remote regions of the world. Those who wish to lend a helping hand to IRT can purchase apparel online or attend one of its events, such as the annual Gifts of Hope Gala.
At #4 is Fistula Foundation. Based in San Jose, this organization was established in 2000 by a group of volunteers dedicated to assisting the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia. Since then, it has expanded considerably, endeavoring to combat the medical condition, often caused by prolonged obstructed labor, worldwide and thus far supporting treatment in thirty-one countries in Africa and Asia. It has also teamed up with several partners, like the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics and Dining for Women.
The Foundation's ambitious goal of ending fistula in a generation focuses on four key areas: reaching all women affected by the condition, building more hospitals, training local doctors and nurses, and providing training and support groups for survivors. To accomplish this, it vets local organizations and offers grants on an invitation-only basis to be sure that reputable and high-quality programs receive funding. If you want to get involved with Fistula Foundation, you can join its Circle of Friends program or even start your own fundraiser.
To accomplish this, it vets local organizations and offers grants on an invitation-only basis to be sure that reputable and high-quality programs receive funding.
Coming in at #5 is Seacology, based in Berkeley. Formed in 1991 by Dr. Paul Cox, this organization takes a unique approach to its work: in exchange for the creation of a forest or a marine reserve, it provides financial support to villages to use for something that benefits the community, such as a health center, a school, or a water clinic. Since its founding, it has assisted on over 300 projects, which collectively have protected around 1.3 million acres.
From its first project building a school in Samoa to more recent efforts in Jamaica and the Philippines, Seacology has collaborated with villages on islands in more than sixty countries to conserve vulnerable ecosystems. In 2015, it launched its largest project yet in Sri Lanka, which aims to protect all of the country's existing mangrove forests. Those who are interested in showing their support for Seacology can check out its "Island Update" newsletter or contribute money to the Save an Acre program.
At #6 is Asante Africa Foundation. With locations in Oakland, Tanzania, and Kenya, this nonprofit is dedicated to empowering young people in East Africa. Inclusive and non-denominational, it has developed and deployed a network of related programs that equip people with the skills, tools, and knowledge required to conquer life's challenges and thrive in the global economy. As of 2018, it has impacted nearly 518,000 individuals.
As of 2018, it has impacted nearly 518,000 individuals.
Asante Africa Foundation focuses its efforts in a variety of fields. It provides leadership, entrepreneurship, and job readiness training, educates girls in areas such as health and finance, improves the level of instruction in classrooms, and gives scholarships to worthy students. Specific examples of its offerings range from the Leadership & Entrepreneurship Incubator, a three-year curriculum that teaches practical skills, to the Classroom Learning Program, which trains educators in the use of technology when teaching. Those who wish to get involved with this foundation can check out its blog or look into attending one of its upcoming events.
Coming in at #7 is the International Community Foundation. Based in National City, this nonprofit strives to increase charitable giving around the world by U.S. donors, with a particular focus on the Baja California peninsula and the Sea of Cortez region in Northwest Mexico. Since its founding in 1990, it has issued nearly 2,000 grants, totaling over 88 million dollars going toward critical work.
In support of its mission, ICF targets four central areas where its community grants can help most: education, health, the environment, and cross-cutting initiatives. To protect the environment, ICF-supported programs work to restore the biodiversity of wildlands, increase the role of local communities in the development of regulations and laws, and improve access to clean, potable water. Some of its special initiatives in this realm include the Waterkeepers of Baja California Fund and the Laguna San Ignacio Conservation Alliance. If you want to get involved with ICF, consider making a donation online or joining its mailing list to receive updates.
If you want to get involved with ICF, consider making a donation online or joining its mailing list to receive updates.
Last but not least, at #8 is The Prem Rawat Foundation, named after an author and public speaker born in India. Based in Los Angeles, TPRF seeks to build a more harmonious world, focusing on the fundamental human needs of food, water, and peace. A nonprofit founded in 2001, it has created a number of programs and initiatives that support its mission, and it receives funding from donors in more than fifty countries.
Championing the values of dignity, peace, and prosperity, The Prem Rawat Foundation has a few core initiatives. The Peace Education Program, for instance, helps participants achieve more meaningful existences, while the Food for People Program provides clean water and nutritious meals for communities in India, Nepal, and Ghana. TPRF also engages in humanitarian aid, providing grants for organizations across the globe, reaching people in forty countries. Those who wish to learn more about The Prem Rawat Foundation can connect with its social media profiles or look into available opportunities for volunteering.
