According to an article published in the Financial Times (access requires free registration) Bill Gates has posted a memo critical of the way the Foundation has been working, including a criticism of excessive traveling.
Source: Chronicles of philanthropy and The Financial Times (September 30)
"Addressed to those working in global health, the Foundation’s largest activity, it began bluntly: “I am asking for us to start over the 2009 budgeting process ... The current budget process has not worked and if we went ahead with it we would be spending on the wrong things and in the wrong ways.”
It went on to critique the minutiae of planned grants, the ways budgets had been drawn up, and whole swathes of existing structure, priorities and strategy.
Mr Gates put vaccines among his top interests, reflecting his belief that they are the most effective way to reduce the burden of disease.
He was scathing of large travel grants for meetings: “rich people flying around to talk to other rich people”. And his conclusion was clear: “Our net effect should be to save years of life for well under $100, so, if we waste even $500,000, we are wasting 5,000 years of life.”
According to data provided by IDRC, travel expenses related to the ATSA grants (funded by the Gates Foundation) reached (from April 1 2007 to June 24, 2009) CAD 648.461 = $606.617
How much was really necessary? How much could have been replaced and saved by using free internet technology (like skype or similar programs)?
Old man, are your really sure IDRC money spent on travelling means the staff of IDRC and not necessary. As an African working in Africa facing potential tobacco epidemic, IDRC has been a great partner and very stringent at the use of money. However, of all the travels they have sponsored, they have empowered, trained and supported visibility of many poor African NGO's. they have built networks and developed knowledge capacities of the people. My advice is linking every decision by Bill Gates or others to institutions you have grudges with will not help matters. IDRC is doing a great an commendable work not only in tobacco control, but in building research capacities of our universities. We should be able to draw a line between facts and myths. Your attempt to link IDRC to the alleged Gates memo remains a fallacy!
Kondwani
Malawi
Posted by: kondwani munthali | October 01, 2009 at 06:34 AM