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Corporation News
CONTACT:
Joe Voeller (212) 573-5128
The Ford Foundation
Five
Foundations Commit $10 Million for Commemorative Grants to South
Africa
Special fund celebrates tenth anniversary of South
Africa’s democracy
New York, NY – April 19, 2004. The Ford, Kellogg
and Mott foundations, the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the
Rockefeller Brothers Fund today announced a commitment of a total
of $10 million for a special fund for grants commemorating the tenth
anniversary of South Africa’s democracy and its impact on
the social and economic development of southern Africa. The fund
will supplement the foundations’ current grant making in the
country.
The
commemorative grants will support efforts to strengthen democratic
institutions and encourage public debate about the experiences and
advances since South Africa’s first democratic elections ten
years ago. The five foundations will identify projects for special
funding to address the spread of HIV/AIDS, strengthen the role of
NGOs in South Africa’s democracy, help close the economic
gap between disadvantaged and more advantaged groups, and other
initiatives to be defined.
“South
Africa’s transition to a democratic society with a strong
constitution and respect for civil and human rights represents a
powerful example for the world,” said Susan V. Berresford,
president of the Ford Foundation. “The special fund celebrates
this achievement while also supporting efforts to address specific
challenges going forward.”
“The
Kellogg Foundation is delighted to partner with other foundations
to acknowledge the maturing of democracy in South Africa and other
countries in the region,” said William Richardson, president
and CEO of the Kellogg Foundation.
The
participating foundations have been making grants in southern Africa
for decades. Their funding has supported projects to strengthen
education, human rights, governance and civil society organizations
and to promote cultural programs, economic opportunities, rural
development and sound environmental policies.
"Carnegie
Corporation has a long history of working in South Africa and currently
is focused on strengthening higher education institutions,”
said Vartan Gregorian, president of the Carnegie Corporation of
New York. “At this ten-year juncture, it is most important
that we bolster the impressive work of the country’s new leaders
as they tackle perhaps the most difficult social and institutional
issues to date.”
Mott
Foundation president William S. White said: "We are pleased
to have this opportunity to help celebrate ten years of democracy
in South Africa. The country's historic achievements in the past
decade have been remarkable. We recognize that challenges remain,
and we are committed to helping address those in the years ahead."
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