International Service

COVID-19 had a clear impact on the Club’s fundraising ability during this year and so understanding this, we deliberately back-end loaded our contributions to the latter part of the year so that we could prioritise our support if required. As it turned out, funds raised through the Deb Ball enabled us to not only fund everything that we had planned to, but we were also able to secure an additional $500 with Board approval to enable us to support those suffering in the Ukraine.

 

Touched by the plight of the women and children suffering in Afghanistan following the takeover by the Taliban in that country, the Committee provided $100 towards Mahboba’s Promise which is a non-profit organisation founded by Mahboba Rawi (herself an Afghan refugee and now an Australian citizen) which supports Afghan immigrant widows and orphans in need.

 

This school began in 1996 in the Kangemi slum and our support for it started back in 2002 when former Club member and DG, the late Ray Adams began the program. His son, Greg took over the role of administrator in 2013 and transferred to join our Club in September 2021.  The community and the school have been affected by HIV/AIDS, many children are homeless, orphaned or have only one parent and COVID-19 has naturally also had an impact causing the school to close.

There are approximately 100 students whose parent/carer is unable to pay the school fees and the cost to sponsor a single child for a year is $295.  Hence we have continued our annual sponsorship of two children by donating $590 in February, which will allow children to receive food, clothing and an education.

 

Having supported our former Club member, the late Alfred (Greg) Gregory (mountaineer and photographer on the 1953 ascent of Mt. Everest) for many years now, we were determined to maintain our commitment this year. Our annual donation of $1,000 to the Australian Himalayan Foundation provides education materials for schools attended by Sherpa children in Nepal. The Foundation concentrates on the poor and remote foothills, below the Everest region of Solu Khumbo, elevating living standards through better education, improved health care and environmental sustainability. Greg’s wife, Mrs. Sue Gregory, reports to the club each year and kept us up to date with ARH activities at the meeting she attended on 29^th March, at which we presented her with the Club’s cheque. The AHF is a registered Australian NGO with no political or religious affiliations and is a member of the Australian Council for International Development having accreditation status with the Australian Government Overseas Aid Program (DFAT). It reaches over 250 schools and 50,000 kids emphasising teacher training and quality education.

 

Our committee continued our tradition of supporting this essential international initiative and donated $500 in May.

 

Malaria continues to be a massive problem in the poorer nations resulting in poverty and poor education. The World Health Organisation estimates that 210 million cases cause 445,000 deaths annually, mainly affecting under five year-olds. In East Timor, the scourge has almost been eliminated, but in neighbouring West Timor it is rife, and people have been fleeing to East Timor for treatment. The Bill Gates Foundation has prepared a plan to eradicate the disease by 2040.

 

Gloria Hargreaves has worked tirelessly with RAM for many years now and so the Club was determined to support her to the tune of $500 which was paid in April and very much appreciated.

 

Operation Toilets Australia (OTA) was initiated by Rotary Club of Box Hill Central club member Mark Balla who, after a trip to India, became concerned about the impact that a lack of hygienic toilets in schools had on the education and lives of adolescent girls. The project aims to build toilet facilities of solid brick construction with sustainable sanitation connection to many schools in India and to date has reached over 30,000 children. Understanding the profound impact that educating girls can have on Indian villages, we donated $500 in May.

 

Spending at Ritchie’s’ IGA has continued to drop over recent years, but we still donated $200 this year enabling purchase of one wheelchair. This worldwide initiative significantly improves the lives of disabled children and their families impacted by injuries from land. The wheelchairs are built for rough terrain and tailored to suit local conditions. The chairs raise the children off the ground where they are often confined, giving them mobility and easing the burden for personal carers.