By Elaine Vitt
Contributing writer
When Guy Russo, a YPO member since 2006, first heard of Half the Sky Foundation, its champion was one woman who was resolved to do her part to give China’s orphaned children a nurturing life. Today, Russo and his wife, Deanne Bevan, have made Half the Sky their shared life’s passion.
As head of McDonald’s in China, Russo was looking for ways to give back. He happened upon Jenny Bowen, founder of Half the Sky, who showed Russo and Bevan the disturbing situation in which so many of China’s orphans lived.
“We saw that the children had food and shelter, but what they didn’t have was love,” Russo says. “They deserved a better life, hope for the future, to be nurtured, cherished, educated and included in their communities. We wanted to help.”
Next they saw the loving care being given to children by the nannies and teachers of Half the Sky, which already had made inroads with the Chinese government at several welfare institutions. Through its model programs and caregiver training, the organization’s goal is to ensure that each orphaned child has a caring adult in her life and a chance for a bright future.
Russo realized that his usual charitable budget could go a long way to help Half the Sky at perhaps a few orphanages, but that turned out to be just the start. Nine years later, Russo had helped secure millions in donations, enough to support Half the Sky programs at welfare institutions in provinces all over China, and through his international business expertise, he had helped develop a strong, passionate board and governance practices.
“A core goal is to help welfare institutions across the country replicate the programs that Half the Sky demonstrates at its model centers,” Russo says. “What I did not realize was how difficult it is to change an entire system across such a vast landscape. The government is saying ‘We love Half the Sky’ and implementing best practices in one institution, but there might be 30 others in the same province who still need to do more for the children.”
He and Bevan dedicated themselves to helping Bowen raise funds around the world and vowed that if they ever went home to Australia, they would carry Half the Sky with them. What started as a standard philanthropic interest of Russo’s business had grown into their shared life’s work.
In 2009, they did go home, where Russo agreed to lead Kmart Australia in a turnaround and Bevan focused on launching Half the Sky Australia. It took four years to get full registration, but they never wavered. In the process, Russo became global chairman for Half the Sky and deputy chairman for the Australian organization. Bevan became chief executive of Half the Sky Australia. Both serve without compensation.
To date, more than 120,000 children have benefited from Half the Sky’s nurturing programs, and more than 1,500 jobs have been created. Half the Sky Australia has raised enough funds to launch two model children’s centers and family villages, with training bases in Changsha, Hunan Province, and Kunming, Yunnan Province.
Their ultimate goal is to help hold up the sky for all of China’s orphaned children.
“I did not know the power of passion before Half the Sky,” Russo says. “I’m part of its dream to reach every orphaned child and I love it. The thing I would share is that everyone can find a way to give back.”