Project Two

In April of 2022, members of our club participated in a Friendship Exchange to Zambia. While there they visited many potential projects in Lusaka, Livingstone and the Copperbelt region. On their return to Canada, they reviewed the projects with the International Service Committee who voted to support two of them.

 

The first project is the De Santo School for the Deaf in Livingstone, a basic education and literacy project. The school wanted to add a workshop which would provide the older students with work-life skills that would allow them to support themselves in the future.

 

This project was totally funded by our club. The school is now in the process of contracting its construction in conjunction with the Rotary Club of Livingstone who oversee and manage the account.

 

Project Three

The second Zambia project is the renovation of the Children’s Ward at the Roan Antelope General Hospital in Luanshya, a Maternal and Child Health project.

Luanshya Newsline - 30 June 2023 closes with the Rotary Club of Luanshya's President Dr. Julie Lamsis-Kruger cutting the ribbon to the newly commissioned and refurbished Roan Antelope General Hospital Children's Ward. Established in 1935, this hospital has continually served the Mining Community of Luanshya District as well as the residents of Masaiti District and Mpongwe District. Today, the hospital caters for more than 500,000+ individuals, young and old. Conditions at the hospital were appalling. A year ago, following a walk through with fellow Rotarians Peter Burrell and Carol Cartier staying at the club during a Rotary Friendship Exchange, a decision was made to help renovate. As a result and in partnership with the Rotary Club of Kingston, Canada (D7040) and friends, the clubs took on the challenge, raised $44,000 in grant funds and embarked on this much needed facelift and infrastructure upgrade. The pediatric physician and nursing staff commented that: "This is an entirely new segment of our hospital which exudes calm among our young patients. The children will not want to go home." The entirety of the Children's Ward was renovated, from sleeping quarters, to isolation room, sluice room, toilets, baths, storerooms, linen closets, kitchen, and much more. Additionally, fresh water and sanitation with a water tower and tank now provides a consistent, clean supply of water to the facility. The project was completed in only 8 weeks! What a wonderful conclusion to a successful year. All it took was a little "IMAGINATION"

Project Four

Kenya: Tenderfoot School, a Basic Education and Literacy Project

 

This project lis being ed by Bill Gray of the Cataraqui Club. TheTender Foot School in Nairobi began in 1996 with one rented room and ten students at Kangemi. Today it has two plots and buildings at both locations.

 

Last month, the Government of Kenya gave approval for Tender Foot School to become a Junior Secondary School in addition to grades kindergarten to Grade 6. A very exciting development!

 

They are now building and furnishing the final five classrooms with the help of a $70,000 USD grant.

 

Project Five

Nepal: Warm Clothes Project

 

We have a 20-year history with Nepal. Projects we have supported are:

• the building of a school,
• providing scholarships for students,
• supporting the purchase of locally produced water filters,
• helping with the building of irrigation ponds,
• supporting financial literacy in High Schools,
• helping to purchase an ambulance for a kidney dialysis clinic,
• development of a back-pack program in Shree Public School,
• a menstrual hygiene program and
• supporting Sanskriti Farms.

We have also been involved with a Fruit and Nut tree project which helped create resilient agriculture and economic development through a sustainable farming model. This project integrated solutions to socio-economic and environmental challenges facing rural Nepali communities.

 

Fruits and Nuts are easy to grow and require less water. Some of the goals of this project include:

• engaging youth in fruit and nut tree farming;
• increasing organic vegetable production for improved food security and income generation after the COVID19 Pandemic;
• diversifying diets  to improve nutrition in the local community;
• contributing to public health especially the health of mothers and children and
• strengthening the natural environment by planting fruit trees that do not require pesticides and that will prevent soil erosion.

 

This year we helped with a Warm Clothes Project in partnership with the Rotary Club of Kathmandu Height

 

Most of the community school students are from poor farming backgrounds. The families are unable to support their basic needs. Many students drop out of school for various reasons. Winter is difficult and cold for these students. This project helped provide warm sweaters and hats for 250 primary students in this community.

 

 

Project Six

Tanzania: Jotham

 

Our club is supporting a student in Tanzania. This is an educational scholarship program to empower vulnerable children through education sponsorship. It takes place at the Timothy Massawe School on the south-western slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. 

 

Our commitment is for a full Primary school sponsorship meaning until standard 7 in Tanzania.

 

They have a student:teacher ratio of 25:1 which is much better than the national norm.

 

As sponsors, we will receive pictures, report cards, etc. It will be fun to support and follow young Jotham’s schooling over the next 7 years.

 

Project Seven

Uganda: a malaria disease and prevention project

 

Malaria is epidemic in 95% of Uganda, with some of the highest malaria transmission intensities reported in the world.

 

Areas in Northern Kampala have many people living in slums with very high levels of poverty, unemployment, violence, prostitution, poor environment sanitation, floods, stagnant water and filthy ground because of its swampy terrain.

 

The aim of this project is to: 

 

 

• distribute mosquito nets, reusable sanitary pads, antimalarial medicine,
• organize community clean ups,
• advocate for better hygiene and sanitation through good garbage management,
• cut down grass, unblock trenches, plant trees that are mosquito repellant,
• fumigate homes and mosquito breeding places.

Project Eight

India: a Water and Sanitation project

 

Our club is the International Partner for this sanitation and hygiene in a girl’s secondary school in Vandavasi. The project has been accepted by TRF and money is being submitted.

 

Rotary Youth Exchange Scholarships

Every year, Kingston Rotary clubs select students from the Kingston area to study for a year abroad. High school students are chosen based on their grades, general knowledge of Canada and world affairs, speaking ability, and aspirations. Rotarians, or friends of Rotarians, in a foreign country host them for 3 to 4 months at a time. The host Rotary club provides room and board and a small monthly allowance. In return, Kingston Rotarians and friends host incoming students for the year.

​Our club has participated in this program every year since the early 1980s and our outbound students have gone to countries such as Brazil, Ecuador, France, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Hungary, Turkey, Russia, Spain, Czech Republic, Japan, Germany, India, Mexico, Slovakia and Thailand. They attend high school, continuing their learning, but they also learn the local language, returning fluent. They have made life-long friends, not only through their hosts but also with other exchange students whom they meet during the year.

​Students (between the ages of 15 and 18-1/2) apply in the Fall. For more information, visit the District 7040 Youth Exchange website.