How some international Philanthropies in health were named ?

Index Home

Earliest faith based charities

Philanthropy is often related to religion. Before 1900s church was a base for most international charities. These derived their name from a saint. For instance, St John of God who worked for the ill lived between 1495 and 1550. In his name his followers set-up an order of brothers of mercy. Today, this charity-based order works alongside Catholic Church and is more than 400 years old. Similarly St Vincent Paul society was established in 1833. It gets its name from a catholic saint, who lived between 1581 and 1690.

On the other hand, some protestant charities got their name from their stated purpose. The Salvation army set up in 1865 could be on a path to redemption. Similarly protestant women, who helped in health-care delivery (or deaconesses) set up their order with same name in 1874. These charities, engaged in health-care and often crossed their borders with either marching armies, colonialists, or evangelists.

First international non-faith philanthropy, named after its symbol

Red Cross is inarguably a first non-faith based voluntary philanthropy. In 1863, its founders met in Geneva to create a neutral organisation, to evacuate war-injured. Switzerland was neutral in all European wars. It’s flag (White cross on a red-background), inspired Red-cross (red-cross on a white background). Hence, a symbol gave an organisation its name. This symbol and name, was however marred by faith. Cross was christian, so Ottomans and other Islamic countries choose “Red Crescent”. Later first Jewish state of Israel, chose red-star. Briefly, Persian monarchy also had a red-lion. Despite plurality, purpose of all these organisations remains singular.

Please see above slide-show on Red-cross philately. (A detailed red-cross philately blog here)

Chicago, birthplace of two leading philanthropy clubs of today

Two successful business clubs of early 1900s, lead non-government philanthropy today. First is Rotary and second is Lion. Both of them have Chicago as its birthplace. Both have more than 1.4 million members, and district or city club-units. They began as exclusive, male-only organisations. Women could become independent members only after 1987. While engaged in health-care charities, both are private service-clubs with restrictions to its membership to elite and wealthy.

Rotarians

On 23 Feb 1905, four businessmen and friends – Paul Harris, Gustav Loehr, Silvester Schiele, and Hiram Shorey formed a club. Since they held their meetings, by rotation in each other’s offices – They gave themselves a name – Rotarians. More city-clubs came up in next five years, so they collectively formed a “National Association of Rotary clubs” in 1910. Two years later a club came up in Canada, and later in Europe. In 1922, organisation adopted its current name – “Rotary international“. While Rotary was engaged in various health-charities. Its big health-care moment came in 1985, when it launched its Polio-plus program. Please see below a Rotary philately slide-show. (A detailed blog on polio eradication here)

Lions

William Perry Woods, a surgeon in Indiana (US) had formed a secretive, luncheon society in 1911. He called it Royal order of Lions. This had a limited growth in next five years, and was already towards a decline, and loosing direction. Meanwhile, Melvin Jones, an insurance attorney in Chicago, aspired to form a large philanthropy. He discussed his ideas within business circle of Chicago, and on 7th June 1917, called a meeting of various like-minded people. Woods proposed the name Lion’s club, became its first president. Melvin was its first secretary. Organisation went international in 1920. Inspired by Helen Keller in 1925, Lion International, devoted itself to the care of the blind and hearing impaired. Today, one of its leading healthcare charity is SightFirst, engaged in prevention of blindness.

CARE – An acronym named thrice

Europe was devastated in Second World War. In 1945, about 22 smaller charities in the US formed a consortium, to help war disrupted, food-deficit families in Europe. In order to distribute food-rations, they formed an umbrella – “Cooperative for American Remittances to Europe” or CARE. Later, in 1949 they expanded their mission of food security to Latin America, and Asia. They renamed themselves as “Cooperative for American Remittances to Everywhere”, retaining the acronym CARE. A few years later, the organisation expanded its role, funding base, and reach. It was also engaged by US Government for medical relief and peace missions in Columbia. They renamed themselves again in 1957. Now CARE was “Cooperation for American Relief Everywhere”. In 1975, organisation went international as Care-International. Today, it is a confederation of about 20 national CARE organisations.

Doctors Without Borders (Medecins sans Frontieres)

In 1960, Nigeria gained independence from the British. Within a few years, ancient ethnic devisions resurfaced and a bitter Nigerian Civil war was fought between 1968-1970. While a concurrent Vietnam war gained global attention, Nigerian war and its consequences for the civilian population were also devastating. Amidst economic blockades, artificial famines, and malnutrition, in 1971 a group of French doctors and journalists formed “Medecins sans Frontieres (MSF)”. The name represents its organisational goal. Red-cross, a larger and older voluntary organisation engaged in reducing war-casualties, works through national red-cross associations. MSF seeks to work, where nations are weak, national boundaries are blurred or traditional systems are less effective.

MSF (translated to Doctors Without Borders in English), started in 1971 with a Red-cross as its logo. As the “original” red-cross objected, red-cross became white, and later red-and-white. History tells us that cross is not so neutral. A new MSF logo since 1994, is a human figure, half-red-half-white.

What’s in a name ? Is it merely an identifier, or more of a cultural indicator. What’s in a logo or a symbol ? Is it also a mere identifier, or embodies all your aspirations. Organisations with simplest of the names (such as rotary) or simplest of the symbols (red-cross) have led, because of their perseverance, rather than a name. We still keep worrying about names and symbols, probably to satisfy curious historians. They probably are the only ones who will keep on digging – What was it in the past, and what is it now. Philanthropy, will however continue to live on, despite them.