Almost nine months ago, precisely on 15th of January the Ford Foundation complete 90 years old. So this post is a tribute to this important organisation. It would be good if the billionaries of nowadays can be inspire from Henry Ford and make something to help the human rights, democracy, justice and economic and political inclusion This post is a summary of two articles. The first was published at https://www.fordfoundation.org/news-and-stories/stories/a-living-legacy-of-social-justice-at-a-global-scale/. The second was published athttps://www.fordfoundation.org/about/about-the-ford-foundation/a-history-of-social-justice/ford-foundation-at-90/. The third was published at https://www.fordfoundation.org/our-work-around-the-world/brazil/
In 1936, the Ford Foundation began as a modest. local endeavor in Detroit. This year, as mark our 90th anniversary, we look back on a journey that has seen a family trust evolve into a global catalyst for change. In 1949, the Ford Foundation was on the brink of a radical evolution. The bequests of Henry Ford and his son, Edsel Ford, had transformed the foundation into the largest in the world. Harnessing the potential of that endowment meant Ford would have to transition from a Detroit-focused charity to a large international philanthropy. To focus its giving, the foundation commissioned a blue-ribbon panel to determine how best to achieve its mission of advancing human welfare. "Basic to human welfare...is a belief in the inherent worth of the individual, in the intrinsic value of human life," they wrote. Only by advancing human dignity, the panel advised, could Ford fulfill s global vision of social justice. It began in the 1950s, when many countries around the world had won their independence and require a new generation of leadership to guide their democracies. In 1952, we established our first non-U.S. office in India, before rapidly expanding to Indonesia, Nigeria, Egypt, Brazil, Kenya, and Mexico. Building state capacity meant more than effective public administration. True dignity required a nation to be self-sufficient when it came to feeding its population, so Ford funded agricultural development programs and research institutions across the world. This work, in partnership with the Rockfeller Foundation and the U.S. government, spurred the Green Revolution, helping strengthen global food security. By the 1970s, we realized that supporting institutions was necessary but not sufficient. To keep justice moving, we knew we needed to invest in individuals who can shape insitutions for the better. These initiatives were paired with targeted support for individuals on the frontlines of specific crises. In Bangladesh, this meant supporting Yunus and the establishment of the Grameen Bank, Nobel prize-winning work in offering small loans to low-income households. And across Latin America, we funded the documentation of human rights abuses and fostered inquiry during periods of dictatorship. This work signaled a new era in Ford's international work in the 1980s and 1990s: the strengthening of civil society. This included nurturing the emergent field of international human rights, including grants to groups like Human Rights First and Human Rights Watch. It included investing in local civil society. By investing in these groups, we were investing in the defenders of democracy, empowering individuals to hold their own institutions accountable. As Ford celebrates its 90th anniversary this year, our long legacy of international work proves that durable progress begins on the ground. Yet a new era heralds new challenges, from the role of AI and its impact on labor and land to the fraying of the international order that has been the foundation for so much peace and progress. We'll address these challenges the way we always have: by helping to build the institutions that serve as a bedrock for human welfare and progress. By supporting the individuals whose courage drives history forward. And by rooting all of our work in a fundamental belief in people-powered solutions.
Since our inception in 1936, the Ford Foundation's work has touched the lives of countless people across the globe. Throughout our history, Ford has helped shape work that has become part of the global civic fabric: strengthening education and opportunity, supporting rights and representation for historically excluded groups, investing in culture and creativity, and helping build enduring institutions. Our story is rooted in a steadfast belief in the dignity of all people and the freedom to achieve our full potential.
Deep-rooted discrimination lies at the heart of inequalities in Brazil, limiting millions of people's full inclusion in key institutions. To realize a more equitable country, Brazil must acknowledge that profound, longstanding discrimination has allowed inequality to thrive and then move boldly to confront it. Around the world, billions of people are excluded from full participation in the economic and political systems that shape their lives. When so many lack access to engage with their government and influence the decisions that affect their lives, policies fail to address their needs, favoring instead those with power and resources and deepening inequality. We believe that meaningful, civic engagement is an antidote to inequality, with rich potential to empower underrepresented communities that have too often been excluded. Across the globe, we work to protect and help civic spaces thrive to ensure all people have the opportunity to raise their voices and hold governments to account.
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