The Gamelan CouncilW – Asia-Pacific Microfinance, Public Health & Development Centre (Gamelan Council) is an international non-government organizationW addressing the microfinanceW, public healthW, and international developmentW needs of communities around the Pacific RimW, making up around 65% of the world's population.
History
The Gamelan Council is an offshoot of the Global Consulting Group (GCG), a non-profit, non-partisan consulting firm focused on supporting international developmentW efforts which has since been disbanded.[1] As GCG's efforts became more geographically focused on the Asia-Pacific region and thematically focused on microfinanceW and public healthW developmental issues, the Gamelan Council formed to focus specifically on these areas.[2]
Areas covered
The Gamelan Council operates in 73 statesW and territoriesW on, near, and around the Pacific RimW, including every jurisdiction with a coastline on the Pacific OceanW and several other, significant population centres adjacent to or closely linked to the Pacific Rim (e.g., IndiaW, NepalW, and PakistanW).
Key activities
The Gamelan Council focuses on three main sets of activities addressing microfinanceW, public healthW, and international developmentW issues. These include (a) research (e.g., conducting targeted studies of trends in the microfinanceW, public healthW, and international developmentW sectors); (b) investment (e.g., raising capital to support successful Asia-Pacific microfinanceW providers and assisting entrepreneurs developing new technologies addressing basic needs throughout the Asia-Pacific region); and (c) education and advice (e.g., developing seminars, providing consulting services to social entrepreneurs, and coordinating conferences on microfinanceW, public healthW, and international developmentW in the Asia-Pacific region).[3]