We established The Green Children Foundation March 7, 2006 and received its approval by the Internal Revenue Service, as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization on June 21, 2007. (Proof of 501(c)(3) status).
The Green Children Foundation was established to support microcredit, education and healthcare for the poor.
Background
In February 2006, we traveled to Bangladesh to learn more about the amazing work of Professor Muhammad Yunus and Grameen Bank. In addition to learning about Grameen's microcredit programs Prof. Yunus spoke to us about the incredible problem of cataracts in Bangladesh.
There are currently 1.6 million people who have been forced into premature blindness. Each year, an additional 200,000 people join this growing number.
Grameen Bank has established Grameen Health Care Trust, which has started a program building Eye Hospitals in order to help solve these serious problems. Cataracts can be cured with a simple operation which costs as little as $25. This operation changes the direction of someone's life, allowing them to continue using microcredit, support their families and keep their children in education.
The importance of education was another subject that Prof. Yunus addressed and he spoke about the vision of Grameen Shikkha/Education which is another company in the family of Grameen companies.
Established in 1997 it's main objective is to promote mass education in rural areas and provide financial support in the form of loans and grants to poor students. The support Grameen Shikkha provides promotes general development and improves the living standards of poor women and children towards an illiterate and poverty free society.
The idea of establishing The Green Children Foundation was born during our first visit to Bangladesh. However, we became so fascinated that we returned to Bangladesh in June to shoot a music video to celebrate the work of Prof. Yunus and Grameen Bank. The song we wrote is entitled 'Hear Me Now'.
2007 sales and donations
Our 'Hear Me Now' campaign continued into the beginning of 2007.
Donations and sales in 2007 totaled $380,000.
No administrative or other costs have been deducted from the money received.
These funds have not yet been distributed, but will be sent to Grameen Healthcare Trust in their entirety in April 2008. These funds will go towards a second eye hospital in rural Bangladesh.
The opening of the first Grameen Green Children eye hospital will take place on the 12th of May, 2008.
We plan to continue raising funds towards the second eye hospital in Bangladesh, and other future projects.
We are proud to be working with Prof. Yunus, and have committed to continue supporting his work through The Green Children Foundation.
To all of you who have supported our campaign and The Green Children Foundation - Thank you so much.
Milla Sunde and Tom Bevan
Founders of The Green Children Foundation.
View Financial Documents
2006 Annual Report and Financial information
