Chairman`s Report All aboard for the Congo container!
Please Join us at the next RAWCS meeting May 16th & 17th LEETON, NSW Host District: 9700 RSVP: Secretary Ted Lewis: lewisted@ozemail.com.au Linking Eastern Region Clubs in Districts; 9650, 9670, 9675, 9685, 9700, 9710 Chairman’s Report John Roberson All aboard for the Congo container! May 2015 I would like to thank Deputy Chairman Graham Taylor for conducting the meeting in February. I understand it went well and all had a great weekend at Tamworth. Strategic Review of Projects The ER management meeting resolved that District RAWCS Chairs are asked to carry out a strategic review of all current projects in their Districts to ensure that they meet the Rotary Australia Overseas Aid Fund - RAOAF Criteria. They have been asked to contact all Project Managers to ensure that their projects are sustainable development aid and are NOT considered to be “welfare”. Please be mindful that the National Board is carrying out an internal audit of ALL current projects to ensure that what they have written on the National website meets the RAOAF Criteria. Once the bi-annual Project Manager Reports commence Project Managers will have to provide a written justification for any expenditure for the period of the report. The report will automatically record all expenditure for that period on the report. RAWCS National Meeting RAWCS Rover readers know that our network of Rotarians supports countless worthwhile causes around the world. It’s not often, however, that we have the opportunity to receive a personal ‘thank you’ from a recipient. In March, many of us met Luc Mulimbalimba Masururu, as the 37yr medical doctor and MP from Democratic Republic of Congo visited five Australian states and met with more than 150 Rotary clubs, schools, universities and other organisations to personally thank them for past support of projects in a country that is at the bottom of the UN Human Development Index. Affectionately called “Dr Luc”, this eloquent champion for so many marginalised people in the Congo shared updates on the Mission in Health Care and Development (www.mhcdafrica.org) projects that many Rotary clubs have supported. Dr Luc with donation of Medical Equipment from RAWCS project 47/2009-10 ……… continued page 3 Rotary Australia World Community Service Limited’s AIM is to: “Support Australian Rotarians and Rotary Clubs in assisting The RAWCS National Board meeting and disadvantaged communities with humanitarian aid projects.” annual meeting of Regional Project CoordiOur objective is to: nators was held in Melbourne in April. “Enable Australian Rotarians and Rotary Clubs to undertake Chairman John Roberson’s report continued page 2 humanitarian aid projects.” Visit RAWCS Eastern Region website: www.rawcseastern.org.au/ Visit RAWCS National website: www.rawcs.com.au/ Chairman John Roberson’s report continued from pg 1 RAWCS National Meeting The next RAWCS meeting will be held in beautiful Leeton hosted by District 9700 The following Board decisions were made: RAWCS volunteers will only be accepted if they are 15 years or older at date of departure from now on. From 1st July 2015 the fee to register a project of $50 and a volunteer fee of $10 will cease and be covered by the National service fee of 3% on donations. Date: 16th and 17th May 2015 The website committee to make recommendations to the Board meeting on 24th May to upgrade the website and its functions ASAP after that meeting. We are developing online Team Leader Reports and Project Manager Reports: 1. Team leaders will receive a link to the report 2 days after their return home to filled in online and be able to upload up to 4 photographs. Portions of these reports will be sent to our Promotional Team for possible publication. 2. Project Managers will receive a link to their online report every 6 months, they will need to fill it out online and upload up to 4 photographs if needed. Failure to complete the report could lead to the project being closed. Program: Saturday afternoon - from 2pm Venue: Historic Hydro Hotel, LEETON Volunteer Team Leaders will have the option of having their sponsoring Rotary Club President sign one form for all volunteers on the Team and upload that form. All volunteers will still have to sign that they have read and accept the agreement and code of conduct. John Souter - Rotary Club of Griffith on a joint project with Pittwater Rotary Club in Cambodia. Chris Finkle & Jeff Hurdigen - Rotary Club of Forbes on their project in Vietnam. John Glassford & Fred Lonergan - on the Mt Kenya climb and projects in Africa. John Roberson & Barry Silburn - the role of Project Managers & Team Leaders Saturday evening 6:30pm The date of the working with children check (WWCC) and Medicals be recorded by the website so that they automatically appear (if valid) when a volunteers enters details for a second Team. Venue: Historic Hydro Hotel, LEETON Featuring Entertainment from Riverina Men's Choir A Team Leader/Project Inspection Checklist & Finalisation Report be available on the volunteer website for all Team Leaders to print off and take with them. To be used to formally hand over a project on completion to the local Nationals who will be responsible for the project from then on. our Key Note Speaker will be: Robyn Murray Rotary Club of Orange Daybreak on “Nepal Friendship Project” - Community Development and Training - Maidi, Dhading District, NEPAL All Manuals and Project Application Forms are to be progressively updated to reflect recent changes. Presentation of Pink Umbrella Foundation Grants Sunday morning - from 9:00 am General Meeting: featuring “Have your say” Financial Reports from National to Project Managers We have finally received our first automated reports to all project Managers. They contain the opening balance for the period, all transactions during the period and the closing balance for the period. As this is the first report many Project Managers will have seen we may have made some mistakes. They may be either way! If Project Managers and their committees do not agree with the balance presented please contact Belinda Griffen at the RAWCS National Office with documented evidence to prove the difference and all efforts will be made to rectify the discrepancy. RAWCS Secretiart: Belinda Griffen belinda.griffen@rawcs.org.au – (02) 8833-8317 everyone gets a go to talk about their project or special interest area. Hope to see you there - YOU ARE INVITED RSVP: Secretary Ted Lewis: lewisted@ozemail.com.au Check out LEETON! If you are planning to arrive Friday, some "toursity" visits will be arranged for anyone interested on Saturday morning. Contact Alan Chesworth for details: alchessie151@bigpond.com John Roberson RAWCS Eastern Region Chairman 2 All aboard for the Congo container! Kudos Thanks to RC Berrima District’s (RCBD) experienced team of John Macpherson, Frank Rodrigues and Barry Barford and Brian Wallis of RC South Nowra for coordinating the shipping logistics, and to RAWCS’ Medical Aid for Oceania (project 48/2012-13) for underwriting the shipping costs. These will be reimbursed from donations, partially from generous Rotarians who attended the March District 9685 and 9670 conferences. Dr Luc also Continued from page 1… Track the container! extends his appreciation to Miriam Jacka and her team of forklift exDr Luc asked for continued support, The container is now on board a outlining his 2015 projects, which ship, scheduled to arrive Singapore perts at the DIK Warehouse, and to Ramsay Health Care (RHC) hospitals range from building a children’s 1 May; depart Singapore 12 May; home to fighting malnutrition arrive Dar es Salaam 27 May. If you for providing the major medical items. Hospital staff organised the through MHCD’s nutrition centre would like to track the container's following: Albury (a blood frig), and providing bicycles for women progress go to http:// Nowra (theatre lights), Bowral accustomed to carrying heavy loads. www.vesselfinder.com/, type the Below: Luc with bicycle recipient (infusion sets and chairs), Hunters vessel name OOCL Houston into Hill (suction devices, theatre instruthe search engine and it will give you the ship's position, course and ments, lockers and instrument washing unit) and Berkley Vale ETA next port. After 12 May enter ship's name Kota Nebula for details (anaesthetic machines). “RHC is the major player with RCBD in Project of the trans-shipped leg from Sin48,” notes John. gapore to Dar es Salaam. From Tanzania the container will go Congo container still needs support overland to Burundi, where Dr Luc Help cover the remaining container has arranged for it to be trucked to expenses (approx. $10,000) by makMHCD just across the border in ing an online donation to RAWCS Congo. Project 48/2012-13 Medical Aid for Another big project Dr Luc flagged Oceania. with Rotarians was filling a 40 foot https://donations.rawcs.com.au/ container donated by Royal Wolf Default.aspx? with such useful items as medical ProjectID=670&ReturnTo=4 equipment, Wrap with Love blandesignate Congo Container and mention kets, Days for Girls kits, and even your Rotary Club. new shoes. Many donors and volunteers responded, facilitated by Rotary Hunters Hill member Lucy Hobgood-Brown and Rotary Raymond Terrace members Jacky and Bruce Gendre. At the Rotary Donations in Kind Warehouse in Minchinbury, teams of volunteers including Rotaract members from Sydney University and Macquarie University were coordinated by the “king and queen Above: sorting and boxing of the container”, Jacky and Bruce Below: packing the container Above: Dr Luc with donation of an Oxygen Gendre (below). Concentrator from project 47/2009-10 Anxious to bring a solution to healthcare problems Dr Luc founded Mission in Health Care and Development (M.H.C.D.) in 2005. 3 Mera School - Kharakhola Village, NEPAL Rotary Club of Port Macquarie Sunrise D9650 RAWCS project number # 54-2011/12 Project Manager: Kerrie Wood The next step is to expand the initial objectives by Increasing the living standard of the Kharikhola community through the implementation of an environmental conservation and sustainable development programme. We aim to introduce a system of bio-organic toilets at the school this will provide a cleaner and more hygienic toileting program for the children and staff at the Mera School. If implemented and maintained correctly, the process will provide the self -sustaining cycle we are working towards. The waste product is processed and the slurry used as fertilizer in the recently constructed Greenhouse. The methane byproduct can be harnessed as energy for cooking. Benefits to the community – Local people assisting in the construction, builds skill within the community. Local maintenance – provides work opportunity. Cleaner environment. Increased education relating to health & hygiene, leading to reduction in illness i.e. gut infection & diarrhoea. Reductions in deforestation. Biogas production for cooking – reduces respiratory and eye infections as families cook in a smoke free, cleaner environment. Bio-slurry is produced and used as fertiliser for greenhouse crops – results in other areas has seen a 3 fold increase in food production. Increased food production providing greater opportunity for small business to develop. Due to the altitude of Kharikhola - we will need to partner with a Nepalese organisation – Biogas Nepal. www.bspnepal.org.np BSP- Nepal have a history of success at this elevation. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade - DFAT are in the process of changing their registration of travellers and will no longer accept bulk registrations. They require every traveller to go online and register themselves. Very soon they are moving to a username and password system for all travellers so that travellers can log in while on their trip and amend their travel plans and contact details. RAWCS has subsequently changed our volunteer website to reflect this change and the Regional Coordinator can no longer submit a bulk registration. We have placed on our site a recommendation to each volunteer to log in to www.smartraveller.gov.com individually to register with DFAT. Deputy Project Manager All projects can now have a Deputy Project Manager whose details appear on the website so that a project can have two people available for public contact. The Deputy Project Manager will receive copies of all receipts issued for donations as well as the Project Manager. We have stated that the Deputy Project Manager must be a member of the committee running the project and they can be a NonRotarian. It is suggested that the Treasurer of the project is the person most likely to benefit from the notifications. It is still a requirement that the Project Manager must be an active member of the sponsoring Rotary Club. I encourage all Project Managers to submit their Deputy Project Manager details. We need their name, Rotary Prefix (Rtn, P, PP, PDG) and contact details to the National Projects Coordinator to add them to the website PP John Roberson, RAWCS Eastern Region Chairman Working with Children Check RAWCS requires all NSW overseas volunteers aged 18 years & over to be registered with the new working with children. For more information follow this link: https://wwccheck.ccyp.nsw.gov.au/ Applicants/Application# It is a simple process. It requires completing the online application and then an identity check at your local RTA. It is important process for Rotarians and volunteers working with children locally or overseas to complete. RAWCS National is looking at a standard approach that is legal in all States for RAWCS Overseas Volunteers. 4 Projects Registered National figures as at 9th April We have a total of 455 current projects. Since 1st July 2014 we have registered 66 new projects – 13 Rotary Australia Benevolent Society - RABS and 53 Rotary Australia Oversea Aid Fund - RAOAF. REGION Northern Southern Eastern Western Central RAOAF 67 126 169 40 23 RABS 6 6 8 2 1 Total 73 132 177 42 24 National TOTAL 6 431 1 24 7 455 Projects holding Fundraisers Projects that hold fundraisers and wish to take donations and give tax deductible receipts can keep a spreadsheet with all the details of donors required on the online donation site and sit down at a later date and enter the details online for each donor. Donations can all be banked into the Rotary Club account. The email address used should be yours – the person taking donations and responsible for issuing receipts. You will receive a transaction ID number for each donor and you can list that on the spreadsheet to send to Belinda with a Club cheque to cover all donations. If you have recorded email addresses then you can forward the receipts to the donors email addresses. If they do not have an email address then you will have to print and mail the receipts to donors. Online Volunteer Registration Since 1st July 2014 and up until 9th April 2015 we have registered 601 volunteers on 106 teams travelling to 25 different countries. It is easier for all if donors do the online donation themselves. Nominations for the Prestigious LEN AVARD Award Before the end of the Rotary year nominations will be called for the RAWCS Eastern Region LEN AVARD Award. Online Volunteer The Eastern Region (ER) online Registration The "Len Avard" award is an annual award given to the RAWCS Rotarian judged to be the RAWCS “Rotarian of the Year” within Eastern Region. This is a most prestigious RAWCS award and has included volunteers and RAWCS administration Rotarians. volunteer system has been online for 12 months having begun in April 2014. This system has seen tremendous change to the amount of time spent processing volunteer applications, the storage of data and notifications to the stake RAWCS notifies key stakeholders. Those being holders for you including DFAT, ACE Insurance, Club Presidents and District Club Presidents both Governors both in ER & in Eastern Region and the visiting countries, DFAT the visiting countries, and ACE Insurance. District Governors again both in Eastern Region and the visiting countries. In the main, users of the system have been very proactive and positive in their approach to using the system. The user’s guide can be of great benefit to assist when using the online system for the first time. The stand out issue of confusion for volunteers is the downloading, uploading and emailing of forms and the Working with Children document. With time we hope we stream line the system even further making it as user friendly as possible. Previous awardees include:- Ron Marcus, Jack Elliott, Ron Wynn, Bill Walker, Ron Sommers, Lou Brown, Sue O’Neill and many more worthy recipients. You are welcomed and encouraged to nominate a RAWCS volunteer for this Award. Submissions should be a written nomination limited to one A4 page. Nominations need to be CONFIDENTIAL. Please take time in researching your nominated Rotarian. Morph - (Graham Morphett) gc.morphett@gmail.com 5 Community Empowerment UGANDA Rotary Club of Woy Woy NTT Small Grants Project INDONESIA RAWCS project number #24-2011-12 RAWCS project number #36-2014-15 Project Manager: Sue O’Neill Project Manager: Chris Curtis (pictured) As part of our project we engaged a volunteer to set up a sewing group at Alive Medical Services in Kampala, Uganda. The volunteer Danielle is an experienced project manager in developing countries. Danielle worked with a group of woman to set up a sewing workshop and develop a business and marketing plan. We provided the seed capital with the plan for the project to ultimately become selfsustaining. The NTT Indonesian Small Grants project is a grant system to assist farmers and rural schools in southeast Indonesia. The target region is the Indonesian province of Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) where most projects are conducted on the island of Flores and in West Timor. Kupang, the capital is 800km from Darwin. Small Grants are limited to about $600 and are given to traditional groups formed by small farmers and their families as well as groups of school staff and parents. The local people are responsible for originating, planning and completing each project. Grant funds are usually used for the purchase of raw materials, seed stock, agricultural training, school furniture and similar items. Typical projects are libraries, field days and farm training, water tanks, wells and ablution blocks, which the members of the group construct themselves. Rotary Club of Lane Cove The woman who choose the name “KISAKYE” which means GRACE for the project are producing “Super Kits” that contain high-quality, reusable menstruation products. The kit includes enough materials for an entire menstrual cycle and because the pads are made from cloth they can be washed and re-used for up to 3 years! The project aims to economically empower the woman and restore their dignity by providing a small income. Additionally, by creating a reusable and hygienic menstrual product the group is helping local women’s ability to manage their own health and hygiene. Currently school girls miss up to a quarter of the school year and women miss out on work, choosing to stay home rather than risk embarrassing situations in public. These hand-made sanitary pads are effective, comfortable, cost-saving, and environmentally friendly. Providing girls and women affordable access to sanitary pads offers them a healthy way to manage their menstruation without interrupting school or work. The cost per super kit is $8 including a small amount for the KISAKYE woman. The KISAKYE group will be looking at other saleable items to produce. Projects for support are chosen from the projects available from the service provider (The Nusa Tenggara Association) and are regularly monitored as well as inspected twice yearly. NTT is one of the poorest parts of Indonesia and has a population of about 6 million. Rainfall is irregular and the land is often unsuitable for the digging of wells. Child malnutrition and mortality are high due to the lack of clean drinking water, sanitation and health facilities. Chris Curtis (Project Manager) Rotary Club of Lane Cove D9685 Sue O’Neill (Project Manager) Rotary Club of Woy Woy D9685 6 Smart Villages Sustainability Project, Siem Reap Province, CAMBODIA Rotary Club of Pittwater What DIK is all about... Donations In Kind (DIK) provides humanitarian aid through provision of donated goods. The objectives of Donations in Kind are: To receive requests for aid goods from Rotary Clubs and aid organisations in developing countries. To receive goods from within Australia, from Rotary Clubs, schools, hospitals and other organisations for distribution to developing countries. To match the goods received with the requests for aid goods and ensure that all goods are dispatched to appropriate areas of need. To maintain records, facilitate customs declarations and transport arrangements. To assist Clubs to dispatch aid goods direct to recipient Rotary Clubs or aid organisations. To maintain the quality of the goods dispatched. To minimise the cost of transport. To maintain a close liaison with the Rotary Clubs and aid organisations at the receiving end so as to have an appreciation of their requirements and to minimise any problems that they may encounter. RAWCS project number # 82-2013/14 Project Manager: Tony James (pictured) The project aim is to turn around the plight of 4 remote villages in Cambodia from poverty and despair to self sustainability over 4 years using a proven model by "Build your Future Today" (BFT). The project is partnering with local Cambodian NGO called Build your Future Today (BFT). BFT trialled a 4 year project to transform an extremely poor village to self sustainability. It has a holistic approach addressing health, education food sustainability and clean year round water. It was funded mostly by an individual Rotarian. The project was a great success. So much so, that it became the blueprint and is now being used on a neighbouring village and, subject to donations will continue to spread to many other villages. BFT is dedicated to providing Cambodian people with the right intellectual and economic tools to be self sufficient. BFT’s vision is built upon two beliefs: Knowledge is Hope and Peace is Development Eastern Region has been given notice we will be required to vacate the DIK warehouse at Minchinbury by December 2017. It was agreed by the Manage- ment Committee that the Region should search for a suitable premises to relocate and that the relocation take place as soon as we can organise for it to occur. We will relocate before we are expected to vacate if we find a suitable site. Education is key to developing economic stability and personal well-being. The goal is to help people living below poverty line to attain a better standard of living, while strengthening their growth for ongoing development. Pink Umbrella Foundation initiated a grant program to generate more interest in RAWCS through increased attendance at the Eastern Region Meetings. Miriam Jacka our Eastern Region DIK co-ordinator is Pink Umbrella Foundation will continue the grants and donate six $1,000 grants to registered RAWCS or RABS working on a relocation plan. If anyone has ideas on projects for the next four Eastern Region a replacement site we would like to hear from you. Meetings. Five grants are competitive and the sixth selected by a lucky draw. CriteContacts for Eastern Region DIK are DIK co-ordinatoer ria includes recipients attending the Miriam Jacka miriam.jacka@gmail.com RAWCS Eastern Region Meeting to reor National DIK Manger PDG Keith Roffey ceive the grant and submit a short sumnational.dik@rawcs.org.au mary on the project. 7 Editor’s Comment Humanitarian Medical Missions PHILLIPINES Welcome to another RAWCS Rover! There is so much news this quarter. RAWCS is building comprehensive frameworks to allow Rotarians and Rotary Clubs to undertake humanitarian Aid projects overseas and in Australia. It is an exciting journey as we transition to more automated systems and streamlined guidelines. When you read about some of the projects you can’t help but be inspired. Opportunities for volunteering are enormous, if you are interested in volunteering check out the project listings on the RAWCS website for more information: www.rawcseastern.org.au/ All Rotarians are welcome to attend the RAWCS meetings. If you can make it we would love to see you there. It is a great chance to hear about some wonderful Rotary work undertaken and meet some inspiring Rotarians. RAWCS is all about ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Rotary Club of Penrith RAWCS project number #79-2013-14 Project Manager: Dr. Amabel Harding (pictured) The project will conduct annual medical missions so that disadvantaged Filipinos can access medical care. The project will help equip rural health units so that they can effectively assist their local communities. In May a medical-surgical-dental mission will travel to Leyte, Philippines in an area that was hit by Typhoon Haiyan and also Typhoon Ruby. The surgical mission will be conducted at Leyte Provincial Hospital and the medical and dental consultations and minor surgeries will be conducted in the Municipal Hall of Tanaun. Some education classes to target chronic issues will be conducted. New medical equipment has been donated from DAK foundation, including an oxygen concentrator, vital signs machine, suction machine and Foetal Dopplers (pictured). Yours in Rotary Service, Chairman: John Roberson Secretary: Ted Lewis Treasurer: Jack Elliott Immediate Past Chairman: Harry Durey Vice Chairman: Graham Taylor Assistant Secretary: Ron Marcus Volunteer Co-Ordinator: Karen Wyers Project Registration Co-Ordinator: Lloyd Chatfield Project Report Co-Ordinator: John Glass Benevolent Society Co-Ordinator: Alan Chesworth DIK: Miriam Jacka Ranfurly Co-Ordinator: Graham Morphett R.A.M. Co-Ordinator: David Pearson RAWCS Rover Editor: Sue O’Neill Training: Barry Silburn Promotion Co-Ordinator: Sue O’Neill Webmaster: Brian Goldstraw District 9650 District 9670 District 9675 District 9685 District 9700 District 9710 PP Sue O’Neill Rotary Club of WOY WOY D9685 PS. If you have an inspiring project or any RAWCS or RABS news we would welcome a report to include in a future RAWCS Rover. Please email me at sue_oneill@hotmail.com Looking for a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) RAWCS Overseas Aid Fund is a Deductible Gift Recipient so is able to offer tax deductible donations to support organisations with worthy projects outside Australia. Rotary Australia Benevolent Society (RABS) can provide a similar service within Australia. Our Rotary Australia Overseas Aid Fund ABN: 21 388 376 554 holds the following registrations which will enable it to accept tax deductible donations and grants from all sources in Australia including business corporations and not-for-profit organisations. Deductible Gift Recipient Tax Concession Charity Income Tax Exempt Fund www.rawcs.org.au or talk to your District RAWCS offi cer. All RAWCS and RABS projects in all Regions are now registered for online donations. Bob Neich Brian Coffey Lloyd Chatfield Theo Glockermann Alan Chesworth Brian Goldstraw 8 We hope to see you at our RAWCS Meeting August 29th & 30th 2015 Location: Goulburn, Host District: D9710
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