Rotary District 9570

International Services

AQUABOX AUSTRALIA

Aquabox Australia is a project of the Rotary Club of Eltham and is a variation of the Aquabox project conceived and
developed by the Rotary Club of Wirksworth in the U.K. Originally, the Rotary Club of Eltham invited donors to fill boxes
with humanitarian aid from a long list of items that included clothes, personal items and toys. However, following an agreement with our Government’s aid agency AusAID, a prescriptive list of components is now supplied and packed by the Club before the filled box is sent to AusAID’s holding station in Brisbane. From there, AusAID provide shipment to disaster zones where the boxes can help provide potable water to needy communities.

What is an Aquabox? .

• It is a 78 litre container containing water purification equipment and humanitarian aid.
• It is able to purify 2,000 litres of polluted water.
• Aquabox 30 is a version which contains only water purification equipment (able to purify
33,000 litres of water).

Since 1992 over 85,000 Aquaboxes have been distributed to disaster areas around the world, providing in half a billion litres of potable water. The Rotary Club of Eltham adopted Aquabox as a project in 2001 and since that time boxes have been distributed to disasters in Nepal, Iraq, Cambodia, East Timor, PNG, Niue, Chad, Bangladesh, Colombo, Sri Lanka, Samoa and Philippines. The Club even provided 110 boxes to the fire affected townships in Victoria following “Black Saturday” In the first weeks of October 2009 over 400 Aquaboxes were distributed to disaster affected areas in Samoa and Philipines. The 2009 agreement with AusAID to store and transport Aquaboxes to disaster zones in our region has added extra impetus to the Club’s program. The Club has leased premises in Eltham to enable it to store, pack and prepare boxes for shipment to Brisbane. Donations of computing equipment, storage equipment and, of course, members’ time have given the Club an outstanding facility. However, since an Aquabox costs $480 (Aquabox 30 $750) each shipment of 100 boxes costs over $50,000, the Club continually needs financial support.

Contacts;
Rtn. Peter Roden, Chairman Aquabox Project;
Mobile: 0417385641
P.P. Ian Thomas
Mobile: 0419178679.
Donations to RC Eltham, PO Box 134, Eltham Vic, 3095.
Email: info@aquabox.com.au
Web: www.aquabox.com.au

LEARN GROW

Learn Grow has been developed to make people aware of the food available to them within their region that is more beneficial than introduced crops. It helps people in developing countries learn about and grow the best local food to meet their nutritional needs.
Many local plants are superior to introduced western or monoculture foods. They also thrive because they are adapted to their own local conditions. It is based on the work of Tasmanian Agricultural Scientist, Bruce French, who has developed the world’s most comprehensive data base of edible plants. Over 30 years of work has produced a resource of over 20,000 edible plants, including scientific and common names, photos and drawings, information on how to grow, nutritional infor mation
and how the plants can be prepared and eaten.

Rotary can, through this program, reduce malnutrition, illness, disease and child mortality caused by nutritional deficiencies. The objective is to assist developing communities to Learn about, and Grow, in their own backyards, the best local food plants that match their nutritional needs.

The Rotary Club of Devonport North has introduced this program to the world through Rotary International. In partnership with Food Plants International, a pilot program has been initiated in Solomon Islands. The Learn Grow committee is focused on encouraging Rotary at Club and District level to assist by engaging as partners in programs through fund raising, bringing
external fundraisers onboard, identifying and launching programs within their own target country. It is simple for clubs to incorporate Learn Grow into existing or new aid projects. Rotary can identify the deficiencies in the population and Learn Grow can provide the information. At an individual level , Rotarians can join the proposed Food Plant Solutions Rotarian Action Group (RAG) being developed to support Lear n Grow and become part of the International network supporting the delivery of programs in developing countries throughout the world.

Register on the Learn Grow website: www.learngrow.org Support material in the form of an Information Kit that includes a short promotional DVD on Learn Grow, a 20 minute Power Point Presentation, brochures, samples publications and instructions . The video can be checked out on YouTube:(www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDCgvh2Oelg).

Major fund raisers are through the sale of a CD of Edible Plants of Tasmania, and a DVD of Food Plants of Australia and a Developing World Meal event for Rotary clubs. Rotarians travelling to developing countries are invited to take photos of food plants, whether growing or in markets, and forward these to Bruce French and the Rotary Club of Devonport North. Learn Grow is a program that helps people in developing countries overcome malnutrition and address food security

Contact: Rotary Club of Devonport North
PO Box 363, DEVONPORT, 7310, Tasmania, Australia
info@learngrow.org
www.learngrow.org

OPERATION CLEFT

Operation Cleft Australia is committed to improving the life prospects of the children of Bangladesh by providing free reconstructive surgery to repair cleft lips and palates There are around 300,000 people in Bangladesh with an untreated cleft lip and/or palate
and another 3,000 to 4,000 babies born with this affliction each year With the support of more than 350 Rotary Clubs in 22 Districts in Australia plus 5 international clubs, Operation Cleft has changed the lives of more than 4,500 children. The Operation Cleft model is simple and cost effective. Local surgeons in Bangladesh performing cleft operations in local hospitals. The average cost of each operation is around $AUD250.00. Where else in the world could you change someone’s life so dramatically and permanently for such a small amount?

Operation Cleft is now part way through a five year strategy that includes:

• Funding a minimum of 1,000 surgical procedures a year.
• Expansion of our speech therapy services.
• Support of the in-country project team and administration structure.
• Ongoing training of surgeons, speech therapists and community health workers
Help us give the children of Bangladesh “A Smile for Life”

For information contact the District Chair:
PP lawrie Beacham email or

www.operationcleft.org.au

ROTARY AUSTRALIA WORLD COMMUNITY SERVICE (RAWCS)

Before 1987 the various world community service activities in Australia operated independently of one another, each with its own co-ordinating body and limited overall cohesion. At that time, it became obvious that an umbrella organisation would prove to provide more benefits. The main RAWCS activities are Project Volunteers (FAIM), Safe Water Save Lives (SWSL), Rotarians Against Malaria (RAM), Donations in Kind (DIK) and Project Funding.

RAWCS operates out of five regions. Northern, Eastern Southern Central and Western. The regions accept responsibility for projects of their choice from the projects available and then recruit teams from the districts and clubs of the area. Clubs and individual Rotarians may gain the benefits of lower airfares, national insurance and tax deducibility for their own projects by contacting their district Rotary Australia World Community Service chairman, who will seek approval for their projects.

Contact District Chair
PDG Terry Daley email

DONATIONS IN KIND (DIK)

Donations in Kind in Australia grew out of the desire of returning FAIM team members from the Solomon Islands Schools project to continue to offer material support to the schools and communities had been operating. The need to co-ordinate the gathering, storage and dispatch of goods was obvious and the organisation known as DIK was set up under the supervision and support of FAIM. DIK now operates nationwide and has sent surplus school and library materials, medical equipment, tools, typewriters, sewing machines, computers etc., throughout the Pacific, to Asia and even to Africa and Russia. DIK has flourished with the support of the Australian Armed Forces and the help of trucking and shipping companies and airlines. Funding is required to assist with the shipping of goods, which are generally sent by the container load. Visiting Rotarians from overseas, returned FAIM and other volunteers as well
as overseas business contacts are all sources of information as to the need for items in developing countries. The nearest Rotary club in the recipient area must be involved and all customs and quarantine regulations must be adhered to. Goods should not be collected until a need has been established, as storage on a large scale is difficult. The district co-ordinator for DIK or RAWCS will be able to give much helpful advice and perhaps assist with transport arrangements.

Contact:
District RAWCS Chairman
PDG Terry Daley email

PROJECT VOLUNTEERS

Project Volunteers is the name now given to the well-established FAIM Program. FAIM, as it was previously known, relates to the Fourth Object of Rotary and was coined by District 265 Past Governor Keith Hopper. The first team of 47 Rotarians and families, well endowed in vocational skills, went to Indonesia in 1964 on a goodwill mission with work as the meeting point. The concept volunteers going to a developing country to provide facilities and skills training became so successful that in 1971 FAIM became a national organisation. Major projects undertaken by Project Volunteers have been the supervising and building of some 90 schools after Cyclone Namu in the Solomon Islands, the recent health facilities and library along the Kokoda Track, and the Aitape tsunami reconstructions in Papau New Guinea. Rotary clubs can support Project Volunteers by encouraging volunteers and members to
become supporters by making tax-deductible donations. Volunteers are needed on a continuous basis. Some 300 Rotarians and friends a year go to live and work with the indigenous of the Pacific region and beyond. The concept of spending time in a developing country and coming in contact with people from differing traditions, cultures, food and the like are exciting challenges for Rotarians.
Many projects encourage volunteers to welcome their partners in sharing in this rewarding experience.

Contact:
District RAWCS Chairman
PDG Terry Daley email

ROTARIANS AGAINST MALARIA (RAM)

RAM objective is: “The prevention of mortality, and a reduction in morbidity and social and economic loss caused by malaria through a progressive
improvement and strengthening of local and national capabilities in malariacontrol.”Malaria is one of the world's foremost killer diseases. Approximately one third
of the world's population is at risk of the disease and the annual death toll has been assessed to be in the region of 1 to 2 ½ million.Malaria also imposes a heavy economic burden on the endemic countries. Workers are often too ill to function normally at their jobs; mothers are repeatedly sick so that child care suffers and children experience frequent disruption to their schooling.

The African Continent, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, remains the most affected area, along with countries such as Indonesia, Timor Leste, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Until a satisfactory vaccine is achieved the most effective precaution to prevent the spread of infection is to encourage residents (and travellers) to sleep under mosquito nets. The provision of long lasting insecticide treated bed nets (LLIN) is the best way a club can assist in this significant humanitarian campaign. RAM continues to promote Adopt A Village (AAV) - a co-operative endeavour enabling clubs, districts, individuals, and businesses to donate funds which will be allocated to the provision of LLINs to all inhabitants within a specific village. Bed netting has proved highly effective with an earlier major pilot project in the Solomon Islands. At commencement of the project infection rates exceeded 300 per thousand population per year. Bed netting has reduced this figure, in some areas to 20 per thousand population per year. In addition to bed netting, other programs involving education, research, the provision of microscopes, clearing swamps and breeding grounds, spraying and providing rapid diagnostic kits can be undertaken. All can be considered for Rotary Foundation Matching Grant support.

In Australia, tax deductibility is available for donations from individuals and businesses – cheque should be made out to Rotary Overseas Aid Fund (RAM).
With the Government of Vanuatu taking responsibility for distribution of bed nets, the New Zealand-based RAM has now entered a new phase i.e. to provide support to communities to reduce the risk of malaria through provision of clean water and removal of hazards that attract mosquitoes.
Remember, "IF YOU DON'T GET BITTEN, YOU WON'T GET MALARIA".

Additional information can be obtained at these websites:
www.ramaustralia.org or
www.ram.com.pg or www.ramguadalcanal.com.sb
Contact District RAM Co-Ordinator
Rod Medew email

SAFE WATER SAVE LIVES (SWSL)

Safe Water Save Lives originated in District 981. John Van Der Haar of the Rotary Club of Ringwood, Vic., returning from a trip to the island of Flores, was concerned by the plight of the local people who spent six months of the year faced with desperate water shortages while for the other half of the year there was abundant rainfall. John was able to make use of his knowledge of swimming pool construction to design a transportable and reusable framework which with a little training, allowed villagers to construct a concrete water-tank in one day, using mainly material available locally. As one half of the people of the world do not have ready access to safe drinking water, water-related diseases may claim as many as 25 million lives a year, there is a huge need to
be met.

SWSL, as an activity of RAWCS, has expanded its approach to the provision of water and now encompasses the provision of water catchment, reticulation and the construction of a variety of tanks. Clubs are encouraged to provide members for SWSL training teams and financial support for the water projects. Of recent years these projects have been considered under the Project Volunteers program.

Contact:
District RAWCS Chairman
PDG Terry Daley email

THE RANFURLY LIBRARY SERVICE

Ranfurly is a book-aid charity dedicated to the world campaign against illiteracy in the English language. First promoted in Australia in 1986 by the Rotary Club of Sydney, it is now supported by Rotary throughout the eastern states of Australia. Since it began its operations, Ranfurly has shipped just over 3 million books to such diverse places as Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Thursday Island, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Western Samoa as well as some Australian Aboriginal communities. All the books collected are donated by private and state primary and secondary schools, public and community libraries and private individuals. Collections of the books and their delivery to the Ranfurly headquarters in the grounds of the Rozelle Hospital in Leichhardt is
coordinated in many instances by members of Rotary Clubs in metropolitan Sydney, country NSW as well as interstate. A lot of the important work of sorting and classifying the books is done by an enthusiastic group of ladies, many of them members of Inner Wheel, who meet on alternate Monday mornings. The heavier work of receiving the books, packing them and loading them for delivery to our shippers at the Botany Bay container terminal is done by a dedicated team of Rotarians, ex-Rotarians, Probians and other volunteers who are on duty every Thursday, from 8am to about 2:30pm at Building 296, The Rozelle Hospital, Balmain Road, Leichhardt.

There is a never-ending need for books in PNG and the SW Pacific area and to meet that demand we require a constant supply of good quality used books, particularly Infants/Primary, as well as cash donations to cover freight costs. All donations over $2 are tax deductible. We also need reliable contacts overseas who would be prepared to receive a shipment of books, cover any costs after delivery of the books to the nearest port and arrange distribution of the books to needy schools and communities. Finally we need willing volunteers to help our ageing workforce - you choose - collecting and delivering, sorting, packing - a few hours a week, or a fortnight, or whenever you can. We, and those who receive the books, would be immensely grateful for your involvement.

If you can assist in any way whatsoever please contact:
Dr Barry Moscrop
Ranfurly Library Service Inc.
P0 Box 1159, Rozelle, NSW 2039
Phone (02) 9692 8460 • Fax (02) 9692 8760 • Mob 0414 876 273
Email: bmoscrop@aapt.net.au

ROTARY FRIENDSHIP EXCHANGE

Rotary Friendship Exchange is a visitation program for Rotarians and their families. The program allows Rotarians the opportunity to experience another culture at first-hand in the homes of Rotarians in other countries. Exchanges are reciprocal and last any time from a few days to several weeks. Its purpose is the advancement of international understanding, goodwill and peace through people-to-people contact across national boundaries. There are two types of Friendship Exchange. The first is club to club in which individual Rotarians, accompanied by family members, spend a few days in the home of a Rotarian in
another country. The second is a district-to-district program in which four to six Rotary couples visit several communities in the host District for up to one month. Rotary International encourages Districts to consider arranging uni-vocational exchanges where feasible. These takes place when host and guest Rotarians are of the same vocation and offers many opportunities for interchanges of ideas and interests across the professional domain. Friendship exchanges are co-ordinated by a District Friendship Exchange committee and both types of programs are financed by the Rotarians themselves. A District chairman is responsible for initiating and co-ordinating both the out-going and incoming teams. A listing of all district chairmen across the Rotary world is available to facilitate
the setting up of programs. There is no mandatory method of planning an exchange itinerary. It is suggested that a balance of tourist activities, social gatherings. Rotary events, time with hosts and free time, all be considered at pre-trip planning meetings. Prior to leaving home visiting teams should be sent an orientation package of information covering such things as maps, tour planning, hosting information, special events, weather conditions and suggestions for appropriate clothing. Travel mode and costs while in the host country should be agreed upon before departure. Exchanges of this type lend themselves well
to publicity both within the Rotary world and beyond. On return, participants should make themselves available to address club meetings and be
available to advise others on the advantages of this valuable program.

Contact:District
PP Rod Kamholtz email

ROTARY EDUCATION AND DOCTORS IN NEW GUINEA

In Australia, we share a doctor with only 400 other people. But the average doctor in PNG must serve over 7,900 people. The ratio is as bad as that in Rwanda, Ethiopia, Malawi, Niger and Mozambique. In the North Fly District of Western Province, PNG, the ratio is 8,500 people per doctor. In the South Fly District, 40,000 people have no doctor at all; in the Middle Fly District it’s 66,000. Total expenditure on health in PNG was just $53 per capita in 2006, compared to $3,232
in Australia. To make matters worse, around 10,000 refugees live in Western Province. They are not recognised by the PNG government, so they are refused even the limited official aid. PNG’s rural health services are deteriorating. Many facilities have been closed down, and those that remain are difficult to access. Patients, health workers and supplies must negotiate raging rivers, muddy roads and rugged mountains. Communicable diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, pneumonia, diarrhoeal diseases, meningitis and HIV / AIDS account for about half of all deaths in PNG. In 2006, 15,000 children under 5 died in the Pacific region. 14,000 of them were in PNG. Of every 1,000 children born, 73 will die before age five. Another 54 won’t even survive their infancy. For every 100,000 live births, 470 young mothers die. In Australia the number is 4.

Help us fight the killers and cripplers
How can your Rotary club help?
Support is needed to implement a 3-pronged strategy:

1. Deploy volunteer (ADI) doctors to remote communities.
2. Run treatment and control programs on malaria, elephantiasis and leprosy.
3. Educate and train health workers.

This Project will run in conjunction with Australian Doctors International and Rotary projects. Club support in the form of donations and volunteers is required.
The projects will be registered with RAWCS for tax deductibility. Sections of the project will be eligible for Matching Grants.

Contacts:
Lyn Moore (Manly Sunrise) • Ph: 02 9939 0038 • 0414 456 321
lynn.moore@axiom-marketing.com.au
Christine McCormack (Dee Why Warringah) • Ph: 02 9972 2534 • 0408 619 756
brookvalebd@bigpond.com

ROTARY INTERNATIONAL HOME EXCHANGE FELLOWSHIP

Though this program is a listed Recreational & Vocational Fellowship program it is open to every Rotarian wishing to avail him/herself of its benefits. The fellowship program is online at the website www.RotaryHomeExchange.com. Applications for membership must be completed on the internet where as much descriptive information may be detailed as a person may think will help arrange an exchange. This may also include as many coloured photographs of the home, the family or the geographical area as are desired. The application fee is detailed thereon.

Once contact is made, it is up to the individual Rotarians to organise the details. Houses, cars, boats and in some places, servants are considered as relevant aspects of the exchange. As only Rotarians are eligible for the program, there is an appreciated level of
trust between both parties as to the respect for each other's property. The site is operated by a commercial home exchange organisation with ‘Firewalls’ in place to protect the Rotary operation. These ‘walls’ may be breached should the member take advantage of a free offer to access the commercial pages and consider an exchange therein. Potential members should be aware of this fact.

To register for the program and so be included in the current exchange booklet, prospective members should complete the application form prior to 31 October of each year. This ensures all current entries being available in the express delivered booklet the following February. Countries currently available and in demand are USA, Canada, UK, South Africa and India, with potential to visit any country within the Rotary family should members establish the contacts.

This program has been operating successfully since 1977 and has a large archive of reports from truly satisfied exchangees with the benefits of free quality home accommodation, transport provisions, the opportunity to become involved in the local community and the like.

Contact:
www.rotaryhomeexchange.com

ROTARY OCEANIA MEDICAL AID FOR CHILDREN (ROMAC)

ROMAC began, like many other worthwhile humanitarian activities, as the idea of one person, a Rotarian from Bendigo in Victoria. In 1985, as
part of an outreach team of volunteer surgeons and backup staff which went to Fiji to treat local children with cleft lips or palates, he found that there were many seriously ill children who were simply too sick to be treated by their own or visiting surgeons. It soon became apparent that this was a problem throughout the developing countries of SE Asia and the South Pacific. These ‘forgotten children’ had life-threatening conditions, or were so severely disfigured by accident or congenital disorders that they were often kept hidden from society. ROMAC, a significant Rotary program, was born when Rotary Clubs in Victoria began sponsoring some of these children to be brought to Australia for treatment by some of our most eminent surgeons who generously volunteered their skills to transform these young lives.

The idea grew so that by 2001, up to 25 children were being treated each year in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. Every Rotary District in Australia agreed to ROMAC being recognised by Rotary International as a ‘multi-District program’. Shortly thereafter the New Zealand Rotarians joined in, so now all 29 Rotary districts throughout Australia and New Zealand are involved in the program. Now recognised throughout the region as Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children, ROMAC uses the skills of numerous (volunteer) surgeons in many fields of activity to transform, and often save, the lives of up to 50 children each year in all the major cities of Australia and New Zealand. Well over 300 children from more than 20 countries have benefited from treatment they
couldn’t otherwise have received, all due to the generosity of Rotarians who give of their time and resources to raise funds, our sponsors and host families, and the wonderful work of the surgeons and surgical teams in nearly all the major paediatric and specialist hospitals in the region.

Contact District Chair
PP Del Rowley OAM email
website is romac.org.au

SHELTERBOX AUSTRALIA

Providing immediate global humanitarian relief when disasters occur - the ShelterBox program has provided shelter, warmth and dignity to over 800,000 people in 57 countries in the last nine years. The vision of Rotarian Tom Henderson, this remarkable program was developed by Tom with enthusiastic support from his fellow members of the Rotary Club of Helston-Lizard in Cornwall, England.
It functions as a Trust in the UK and is a project in Australia of the Rotary Club of Endeavour Hills in District 9820, Victoria. Rotary clubs and Rotarians in the USA, Canada, France, Germany, Denmark, New Zealand and Switzerland also administer ShelterBox, with the support Rotarians and corporate citizens across the globe. A ShelterBox contains a family tent, blankets, cooker and ancillary equipment sufficient to house up to ten people.

The cost of a ShelterBox is $1,200 (NZ$1,500) and donations since 2004 when the program began in Australia have come from Rotarians, clubs, organisations and members of the public. They have now exceeded a staggering $7m in this country and show no signs of slowing. Each ShelterBox is individually numbered and the donor’s name appears within the box, and on the ShelterBox website that also shows where it was deployed. Further information about this remarkable humanitarian program, initated, organised and supported by Rotarians worldwide is available at:


Conatct District Chair
Judith Edwards email

Web: www.shelterboxaustralia.org.au

VILLAGE AID PROGRAM

For those looking for a broadly based, multifaceted project, the Village Aide Program may be just the thing. This Philippines located program looks to the welfare, educational, health and resources of needy communities aiming to provide support through practical, hands on commitments by visiting volunteer teams. Volunteers, professional, trades people, and those with enthusiasm but
perhaps less skills are also welcome. There is work for medical professionals, construction teams, administrators and just “gophers”,
often all coming together to provide much needed local services. Teams usually spend two weeks on a project and can be of male and/or female members.

To date projects undertaken include the provision of meals to drought and flood victims along with a well established breakfast program for school children; medical missions for both major and minor surgery; design and construction of schools and water systems; dispensing spectacles to sight impaired and medicines to the sick ; provision of low cost housing and rebuilding of
dilapidated public amenities.

The VAP is looking for teachers, doctors, nurses, builders, administrators, accountants and anyone who has time to spare. Financial support is also most welcome. This is a project conducted under RAWCS guidelines with the associated support mechanisms
.
Contact:.
PDG Bill Little (Chairman)
Ph:02 9728 1679 • Email: litlebil@bigpond.net.au
More information is available on www.vap.ph