Give2Asia Launches a Latest Catalog of Greatest Needs Projects to Help At-Risk Communities in Asia

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Give2Asia, a US nonprofit encouraging philanthropy to Asia, announces new Greatest Needs projects to help impoverished and at-risk communities. The eight new projects spotlight Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Mongolia, Pakistan and Thailand. Projects tackle such issues as primary education for both boys and girls, women's empowerment, and environmental sustainability.

"Greatest Needs highlight critical issues to help the communities we see struggling," said Mike Rea, president and CEO of Give2Asia. "These projects are one way we connect donors who care about Asia with effective local groups and causes. We want to see all of these projects funded."

New projects are selected based on needs identified by local in-country staff, and several align with the United Nations' Millennium Goals. Monitored by Give2Asia staff, projects that receive funding will be carried out by local, charitable groups in Asia and The Asia Foundation. The new projects include:

    --  Micro-grants for farmers and small businesses rebuilding after the        devastating November cyclone in Bangladesh    --  Career guidance, anti-trafficking counseling, and scholarships for        disadvantaged young women in the rural Kampong Cham Province of        Cambodia    --  Outreach and education helping migrant children and families to reduce        environmental impact in Lanzhou City, China    --  Domestic violence prevention for families, police and community        leaders, a project intended to be modeled across Shaanxi Province,        China    --  Creating a new farm and three greenhouses to bring innovative farming        techniques and youth education to communities in Ladakh, India    --  Entrepreneurial training to increase income for women living in the        poor districts of Bayanzurkh and Songinohairhan, around Ulaanbaatar,        Mongolia    --  10,000 volumes of books for 100 schools serving communities and        disadvantaged girls in rural Pakistan    --  Life-saving surgery for at least 10 Burmese children in Thailand's        migrant camps

Greatest Needs 2007 Results

In the second half of 2007, four contributors funded four Greatest Needs projects, which will be completed in the next 12 months. These include:

    --  Education for young girls in Afghanistan, a project run by The Asia        Foundation    --  Books for schools serving migrant families in Beijing, a project run        by the Beijing Brooks Education Center    --  Education for tsunami orphans in Aceh, a project run by the Institute        for Society Empowerment    --  Clean water and health care in Pakistan's urban slums, a project run        by The Asia Foundation

Visit http://www.give2asia.org/greatestneeds for more information about Greatest Needs.

About Give2Asia

Give2Asia's mission is to facilitate and encourage charitable giving to meet needs in Asia by providing personalized services to donors and recipients. Founded by The Asia Foundation with more than 50 years of grantmaking experience in the Asia-Pacific region, Give2Asia helps overcome the common challenges associated with giving overseas.

     Contact Information     Birger Dahl     Director of Marketing, Give2Asia     465 California Street, Suite 900     San Francisco, CA  94104     (415) 743-3343     bdahl@give2asia.org