06:30, 26 July 2024
Words by Abi Scaife, Staff Writer, London
We love to see people using their status for good - and nobody does that quite like Adar Poonawalla.
The son of Cyrus Poonawalla, Adar is the CEO of Serum Institute of India, an Indian biotechnology and biopharmaceuticals company, and a well-known philanthropist.
He has been featured in Forbes Asia and GQ for his philanthropic efforts and even won the Humanitarian Endeavour Award in the Hall of Fame Awards.
His website describes him as ‘committed to health for all’; and that doesn’t just include those who are able to pay for it. To that end, Adar is also a board member of the GAVI Alliance, a public-private global health partnership with the goal of increasing access to immunisation in poor countries.
GAVI helps to immunise almost half of the world’s children, negotiates bulk prices for vaccines, and has prevented over 13 million deaths worldwide through vaccination initiatives.
In 2012, alongside his wife, Natasha, Adar founded the Villoo Poonawalla Charitable Foundation, which launched to improve lives by increasing education, healthcare, safe water, and sanitation. The Foundation was launched in memory of the late Mrs. Villoo Poonawalla, and supported people throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, amongst other things.
Like Adar’s work with GAVI and the Serum Institute of India, much of the Foundation’s work revolves around vaccines as healthcare, helping to provide those in need, or those without access, with much needed vaccinations.
Today, the Villoo Poonawalla Charitable Foundation has eight schools, educating over 10,000 children, as well as the Villoo Poonawalla Memorial Hospital.
Natasha Poonwalla, chair-person of of the Villoo Poonawalla Foundation, said of the hospital: “Villoo Poonawalla Foundation was established with an earnest desire to strive towards enhancing the lives of communities around us. With a primary focus on critical issues such as health, sanitation and education, we hope to positively reach out to the underprivileged sections of our society.”
“Our commitment has remained unwavering and consistent throughout the years and Villoo Poonawalla Hospital is another small step towards taking our communities to a healthier future.”
Adar Poonawalla also began his own Clean City Initiative back in 2015 with the sole purpose of improving the environment and waste management in the city of Pune, India.
The initiative, funded by Adar, uses state-of-the-art waste management to clean up the streets of Pune sustainably, helping to improve the appearance and health of the city and making it more environmentally friendly. They even have a brilliant machine that fills in potholes, to make the roads safer to drive.
Through his role as CEO of the Serum Institute of India, Adar has embarked on several other initiatives to improve the world we live in. They provide free primary healthcare to the rural community using Mobile Medical Units, supply free and subsidised vaccines to those in need, and even support and rehabilitate leprosy patients.
The Serum Institute of India also has a brilliant pilot plant providing 2 million litres of drinking water per day, with the hope to increase that to 10 million litres. This drinking water is provided to those who cannot otherwise access clean water, providing an incredible service to those in need.
Smiley News loves to promote the work of philanthropists because it is proof that, when you have a platform, and privilege, you can make a difference in the world. It’s great to see someone who has had such success in for-profit endeavours turn that talent to the not-for-profit sector.
At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.
The Fore. This charity is transforming lives and society by turbo-charging exceptional small charities and social enterprises. Support them here.
The Brother’s Trust. This charity is run by Tom Holland’s family, aiming to shine a light on charities where generous donations can be used to maximum effect. Find out more.
The Henry Smith Charity. This is a grant giving charity that aims to use its resources to help people and communities in the UK. Learn more here.
