This happens every year. The Yuletide holidays leave a massive hole in the world of search engine news. To be blunt, practically nothing major is happening at this time.
In the spirit of the holidays, I wanted to take a look at two of the largest search related philanthropic organizations and ask readers to consider ways to support their work, aside from monetary donations, as neither really needs financial help.
The first is the largest private philanthropic organization in the world, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation . Twelve years ago, Bill Gates decided to use his enormous wealth to fund research into health issues that tend to be pushed aside by other issues that receive more media attention. Research into the myriad of causes of water-borne diarrhea or funding ” Integrated Approaches to Improving Malaria Vector Control”, does not tend to make major headlines in global media. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation focuses its funding on the quiet, unspoken of diseases that actually kill more children Globally than any other cause. The only other entity that supplies more monies for health research and improvement is the World Health Organization, an arm of the United Nations.
The second private philanthropic organization is the Google Foundation . While not as large as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Google focuses its charitable efforts on alleviating the debilitating poverty found in the developing world. The Google Foundation currently has four major projects underway, the most interesting of which is called the Acumen Fund . The Fund focuses on supporting,”…entrepreneurial approaches to developing affordable goods and services for the 4 billion people in the world who live on less than $4 a day.”
While neither Google or Bill and Melinda need financial assistance, the people(s) and projects they work with need your moral support and if possible, cooperation. As Internet entrepreneurs, we have a great deal to offer others. Setting aside some real estate on your website to promote these and other worthwhile foundations will promote awareness. Perhaps 2006 can be the year we truly decide to make poverty as unacceptable as slavery. All it takes is the will and where there is the will, there is a way. Happy Holidays.
Jim Hedger is the SEO Manager of StepForth Search Engine Placement Inc. Based in Victoria, BC, Canada, StepForth is the result of the consolidation of BraveArt Website Management, Promotion Experts, and Phoenix Creative Works, and has provided professional search engine placement and management services since 1997. http://www.stepforth.com/ Tel – 250-385-1190 Toll Free – 877-385-5526 Fax – 250-385-1198
