According to the World Health Organization, Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a diverse group of conditions that are mainly prevalent in tropical areas, where they thrive among people living in impoverished communities. They are caused by a variety of pathogens including viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi and toxins.

1 in 5 people globally is affected by these diseases, meaning over 1.7 billion people primarily living in Africa and Asia. They flourish mainly in rural areas, in conflict zones and hard-to reach-regions. They thrive in areas where access to clean water and sanitation is scarce – worsened by climate change.

Some of them are preventable and inexpensive to treat. Yet, they are ‘neglected’ because they are almost absent from the global health agenda. Neglected tropical diseases have very limited resources and are almost ignored by global funding agencies, even when they are responsible for devastating health, social and economic consequences. They perpetuate a cycle of poor educational outcomes and limited professional opportunities. In addition, they are associated with stigma and social exclusion.

This has to end. And that’s the reason why The END Fund was created in 2012, embodying the African proverb “alone we go faster, but together we go further”.

The END Fund is a leading philanthropic fund solely dedicated to ending neglected tropical diseases to achieve the 2030 World Health Organization elimination goals.

To talk about how collective efforts can have a significant impact on a specific topic, such as NTDs, I am happy to interview Bridie Layden, Senior Director - Investor Relations for the END Fund.

With Bridie, we discuss:

> What is a pooled fund and how does it work?

> What are the best successes and the biggest challenges of this collaborative effort to address together one specific topic?

> How does the END Fund, both as a grant-making organization and a fundraiser, work with its grantees and ensure alignment to deliver impact?

> How to be convincing when pitching potential donors?

For more information about the END Fund, click here.

For more information about the exhibition on NTDs that will be in Geneva in May 2024, click here.

Savez-vous combien représente l’investissement à impact au niveau mondial ? Chaque année, 1 trilliard de dollars est investi par des fonds d’impact, un montant considérable.

En France, d’après FranceInvest, dans son Panorama 2023 de la Finance à Impact, le marché de la finance à impact représente 14,8 milliards d’euros d’actifs et 11,74 milliards de ce capital sont investis dans des organisations à impact, principalement sur le continent européen. Les acteurs français soutiennent particulièrement les organisations à vocation sociale, avec 65 % des véhicules dont l’Objectif de Développement Durable principal a une dominance sociale et 19 % une dominance environnementale.

Vous l’aurez compris, les chiffres autour de l’investissement à impact sont en constante augmentation. Les différentes crises accélèrent largement ce mouvement et font sentir l’urgence, pour tous, de trouver de nouvelles solutions, de nouveaux modes d’action.

Pour parler de ce sujet, j’accueille dans ce podcast, Alban du Rostu, Directeur Général du Fonds du Bien Commun. Le Fonds du Bien Commun rassemble les mondes de l’investissement, de l'entreprenariat et de la philanthropie pour créer et accélérer des projets à impact positif.

Avec Alban, nous échangeons sur:

> Ce qu'est l'investissement à impact?

> En quoi un rapprochement entre la philanthropie et l'investissement à impact pourrait être nécessaire et comment cela peut-il se faire?

> Comment les porteurs de projets peuvent-ils s'inspirer des entrepreneurs?

Pour plus d'informations sur le Fonds du Bien Commun, rdv sur leur site Internet.

Pour visiter les plateformes dont nous parlons dans ce podcast, visitez:

> Les Bienfaiteurs

> RGoods

Have you ever heard of the Gini index or Gini coefficient ? If you haven’t, the Gini index is a synthetic indicator of the level of inequality for a given variable and population. It varies between 0 (perfect equality) and 1 (extreme inequality). Between 0 and 1, the higher the Gini index, the greater the inequality. Inequalities measured in this way can relate to variables such as income, salaries, standard of living, and so. 

According to the World Bank, for economic inequality, the top five countries are: 

1. South Africa - 63%
2. Namibia - 59.1%
3. Suriname - 57.9%
4. Zambia - 57.1%
5. Sao Tome and Principe - 56.3%

My invitee today, the Julius Baer Foundation, decided to focus its work on wealth and education inequalities with interventions in countries with the highest Gini index. 

As they define it, “wealth inequality is the unequal distribution of assets among people and organizations. It encompasses not only the lack of financial resources but also the lack of social capital, which allows an individual to access the networks and opportunities necessary to live a dignified life.”

Wealth inequality is indeed one of the most significant challenges of modern times. It can lead to unequal societies, social instability, violence, unrest, and further societal problems that affect the world at large. 

To discuss this very complex topic, I am happy to interview Laura Hemrika, Chief Executive Officer of the Julius Baer Foundation.

With Laura, we talk about:

• the complex approach to inequalities;
• the impact in terms of synergies created among different stakeholders;
• the necessity of a power shift in the donor-grantee relationship;
• what organizations should pay attention to when working on the topic of inequalities whether directly or indirectly via other topics, such as health, gender, housing, etc.

For more information about the Julius Baer Foundation, please visit its website.