The Wealthy Invitation (Archived)

On the 4^th of February 1998, Alfred Man donated 100 million dollars to the University of Southern California, and another 100 million dollars to the University of California in Los Angeles to build an Institute of Biochemistry.

Those two donations are considered one of the biggest 20 donations to be offered for universities in American history according to an evaluation by higher education magazine. To present a donation with that magnitude is not a regular or normal step, even if ‘Walter Annenberg’ an American Jew, donated 120 million dollars to Pennsylvania state university in 1993, and another 120 million dollars to the University of Southern California, where American universities and public sector institutes continue to confirm that, they are in need for such donations to compensate the lack of governmental funds for them.

Alfred man is the founder and CEO of two companies in the fields of medical technology, one of them is (Minimed) which is considered the biggest company to build insulin injections for diabetes patients.

When the 27 years old ‘Man’ was asked about the purpose of those donations, he said: it is time for me to contribute something back to my community.

He also confirmed his intention to donate most of his wealth to support universities and educational institutes, instead of leaving his wealth to 6 of his children, explaining the reason to why he did this, by saying: I don’t want them to inherit, relay and be comfortable with this money, which will make them sit away from work and accomplishment.

‘Man’ explains that his role model towards those donations was ‘Walter Annenberg’ who established a charity educational institute in 1981 in MIT university to fund biochemical studies, although being faced with opposition from the university itself, in fear of losing control over hiring tutors and teachers, as well as the quality of studies and researches, this has pushed one of the wealthy guru’s to say: “they make it even harder to donate money than to earn it”, but the relation between business men and universities has largely developed from Mid-eighties of the last century, establishing laws, procedures and committees that facilitate and encourages the wealthy to contribute in supporting the progress of civilization and education in America. A big part of this support goes to prove what America is witnessing as progress.

In our Arab communities, there is that who can present even bigger support than the previously mentioned, even if they do not honor what the society needs to become role models.

We realize when we say that, recognition and reward is bound to happen, but we also realize that benefiting communities by recognizing those people, is considered the best benefit of all, since recognition and reward would revive this honorary act between the rich and wealthy, to which is considered human nature, we cannot strip or deprive people from their humanity.

This article is even written in recognition to ‘Sheikh Saleh al Rajhi’ and an invitation to others who are rich and wealthy to follow his lead. Sheikh Saleh decided to establish a charitable trust fund worth of 500 million dollars, this donation in fact, is bigger than any donation we’ve seen or heard about in America, those kinds of trust fund are ongoing fund till God knows when, and our purpose to recognizing him to set a fine example and revive charitable trust fund initiatives between the rich and wealthy, in order to donate some of their living money, and hopefully develop the concept of charitable trust funds to include successful institutes, companies, factories, hospitals, universities, schools and so on…