In June 2006, IHEU was awarded a three year “block grant” of €225,000 from HIVOS for the purpose of funding projects in the developing world. The grant covers the years 2006, 2007 and 2008. IHEU then invited grant proposals through this web site, International Humanist News and by word of mouth. In January 2007, IHEU distributed the first grants to 13 organizations in the developing world. The grants were decided on the basis of IHEU’s published grant criteria.
Approximately 50 grant proposals were received from the developing world. At least 25 of these applications were worthy of funding, but we could only fund 13 organizations with the funds available to us. Even for the 13 successful grant applicants, we had to cut the amounts requested by about one half.
The 2006 grant recipients were:
Libre Pensee (France/worldwide) €345.00
To distribute French version of the IHEU publication IHI to francophone countries specifically in this case for a conference in Yaounde Africa.
Viveka Educational Society (India) €7,000.00
To train teachers in humanism and to expand their existing programs in humanistic education for underprivileged children.
Isaac Newton School (Uganda) €10,000.00
To construct and equip a science laboratory to provide education in science to destitute children.
Social Development Foundation (India) €3,000.00
To promote humanist values in scavenging communities – develop leadership in women and children for defending human rights and dignity – adoption of 4 to 5 villages for the purpose of eliminating scavenging.
Indian Radical Humanist Association and Social Development Foundation (India) €6,000.00
To create a museum as a resource for young persons, science teachers, and media to counteract superstition and promote science understanding.
Kisina Humanist Initiative (Kenya) €3,500.00
The project Wilderness Harvest is aimed at promoting public awareness and understanding of humanism in rural communities in Northern Kenya. Grassroots campaigns will be conducted in twelve districts targeting women, children and the disadvantaged.
Uganda Humanist Association (Uganda) €5,000.00
To build a secondary high school that is based on humanistic values and principles that promote science, human rights, and rationalism. The school will train future humanists leaders in civil society, national governance, and in public institutions.
Growth & development committee (UK/worldwide) €4,000.00
To make available the quarterly IHEU publication International Humanist News to organizations in the developing world.
Nepal Society for Humanism (Nepal) €2,500.00
To raise awareness of humanism among Nepalese people by publishing articles on humanism in both English and Nepali in a quarterly publication.
International Humanist and Ethical Youth Organization (Belgium/Africa) €10,000.00
To conduct humanist leadership workshops in East and West Africa in an effort to develop a grassroots humanist movement among the youth of Africa.
Atheist Centre (India) €5,000.00
To build humanist perspective through educational programs targeting women and youth.
Iraqi Secular Humanists (Iraq) €2,000.00
To establish Al-Razi Humanist Center to house library, present lectures, and show videos to promote humanism in Iraq.
Nigerian humanist movement (Nigeria) €1,800.00
To organize an anti-witchcraft conference.