65 Years Young, Discon & Polio Plus

The Rotary Club of Rosebank Johannesburg

65 Years Old Last Weekend

And a very social meeting it was last week.  

Discon

We had a good turn out at Discon despite our contingent never thinking they would get there.....just another two hours to go!

Les Gilets Jaunes

This is what Ann Hope-Bailie had to say about it:

I was quite apprehensive about attending my first Rotary District Conference – I needn’t have been at all!! It was great fun getting to know new Rotarians and hearing about Club projects etc. I came home so PROUD to be associated with Rotary. We had wonderful speakers such as Gift of the Givers – once you hear what they do and understand more of the logistics involved, it is mind boggling. One feels that we should be shouting from the roof tops more and not being silent on the good that is done by Rotary. They are already planning the next 2 Discons – hope I will be able to go….

Les Gilets Jaunes déguisé

Kevin Wolhuter is an old stager...he is also the District Treasurer so is there in a dual capacity:

This Discon was as always, well-organized and worthwhile. The surroundings were lovely and the speakers were very interesting and knowledgeable. The staff were super-efficient and obliging and the food was really good. There was a lot of camaraderie and interaction amongst the Rotarians and old friends had a good time catching up with each other. The Peace and Reconciliation breakaway was inspiring but unfortunately some of us had to leave early as we had to catch the bus back to our accommodation at Hermansdal. Staying so far away from the conference venue was a bit isolating even though the chalets we stayed in were lovely.               

Liz enjoyed the  Anne's breakaway where one of the speakers described her harrowing journey to the Arctic while a second speaker discussed the heartwarming work done by a shelter for abused women and children. All in all, a very successful Discon.

At the Teddybears' Picnic

Our Incoming President

This Week

It's a Business Meeting with the Board Meeting taking place beforehand....and this will affect us:

Rotary exchange rates

Please note: As of 1 July 2019, Rotary International exchange rates will be based on the prevailing market rate as of the first of each month. As a result, the future rates will no longer be publicized to Rotary members prior to the effective date. The change is the best way to ensure a true exchange rate to all our members worldwide. 

EVANSTON, Ill. (June 10, 2019) — Rotary is giving US$100 million in grants to support the global effort to end polio, a vaccine-preventable disease that once paralyzed hundreds of thousands of children each year.

The funding comes as Rotary and its partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) address the final—and most pressing—challenges to ending poliovirus transmission, and as Nigeria approaches three years without any reported cases of wild poliovirus, bringing the Africa region closer to polio-free status.

“We have the wild poliovirus cornered in the smallest geographic area in history, and now there are just two countries that continue to report cases of the wild virus,” said Michael K. McGovern, chair of Rotary’s International PolioPlus Committee. “As we work with our partners to apply innovative new strategies to reach more children, and embrace lessons learned thus far, Rotary is doubling down on our commitment to end polio for good. I’m optimistic that the end of polio is within our grasp, but we must remain vigilant in rallying global political and financial support as we push towards a polio-free world.”

While there were only 33 cases of wild poliovirus reported in 2018, the last mile of eradication has proven to be the most difficult. Barriers to eradication--like weak health systems, insecurity, and mobile and remote populations--must be overcome. As long as a single child has polio, all children are at risk, which underscores the need for continued funding and commitment to eradication.

To support polio eradication efforts in endemic countries, Rotary is allocating half the funds it announced today to: Afghanistan ($16.3 million), Nigeria ($10.2 million), and Pakistan ($25.2million). Additional funding will support efforts to keep vulnerable countries polio-free:

• Chad ($102,395)
• Democratic Republic of the Congo ($9.5 million)
• Ethiopia ($2.6 million)
• Iraq ($6 million)
• Kenya ($6.3 million)
• Mali ($1.2 million)
• Somalia ($1.4 million)
• South Sudan ($1.2 million)
• Syria ($1.7 million)
• Yemen ($2.1 million)

The World Health Organization (WHO) will receive $1.3 million to conduct

research, and will also receive support for surveillance activities in its Africa ($10.9 million) and Eastern Mediterranean ($4 million) Regions.

Rotary has committed to raising $50 million a year to be matched 2-to-1 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, amounting to $150 million for polio eradication annually.