A Surprise Visitor, Masego Matiko off to Thailand, a Business Meeting & Rotaract.

Last Week  
It was a Social Meeting when we have a chance to talk to each other.  A very welcome guest was the mother of one of our members, Stewart Mutegeki;  Furaha Mutegeki, who is a member of the Rotary Club of Nairobi North in Kenya.

Here is Furaha exchanging club banners with President Jean.

Social Meetings always include a number of jokes but it really does give us a chance to chat and I was lucky enough to be able to chat to Furaha about her Rotary Club.  Rotary is obviously thriving in Kenya and clubs are much bigger than ours.  They also seem to generally feed the clubs from Interact via Rotaract into the Rotary Club itself so there is a constant influx of younger people into Rotary with a history of volunteerism and an understanding of what Rotary is all about.


Now this is something I would really like to have attended but unfortunately was otherwise engaged having to help at the Bedfordview Inner Wheel Annual Christmas Party for the Elderly from four different old age homes.  It's quite exhausting because not only do you have to rush around with bottles of wine but also dance a lot!

The evening was organised by our outgoing Long-term Rotary Exchange Student, Masego Matiko who is off to Thailand in a couple of weeks time.  Here she is with President Elect Ann Hope-Bailie.  The reason I chose this picture is because you can clearly see that Masego is wearing her Rotary Exchange Blazer.

This Week
It's a Business Meeting but it's towards the end of the year and our President is away for two weeks so I imagine it will be more social.
Saturday and Sunday see our last Spar Collections of the year but President Jean has said all that needs to be said about that.

I know that as a Club we do not seem to be considering Rotaract as a possibility but this is what we should know about the changing relationship between Rotaract & Rotary Clubs.

Changes to the Code of Policies relating to Rotaract Clubs— effective 1 July 2020:

• Rotaract clubs will be able to establish a new club with or without a sponsor.
• Rotaract clubs will able to choose other Rotaract clubs as their sponsors.
• Rotaract clubs will be open to all young adults at least 18 years old.
• Rotaract policies will be moved from Chapter V, “Programs,” to a revised Chapter II, “Clubs.”
• The Standard Rotaract Club Constitution and the Recommended Rotaract Club Bylaws will be amended to reflect these policy changes.
• Rotary districts are encouraged to include Rotaractors in every district committee.

Other key decisions:

• Rotaractors will pay per capita dues in the future, but the amount of dues and when we’ll begin collecting them have not been determined.
• The RI president, the RI Board of Directors, and The Rotary Foundation Trustees should consider how Rotaractors might advise them on Rotaract matters.
• Rotary International has set goals for Rotaract to:
  • Increase the number of Rotaractors reported to Rotary by 100 percent by 2022
  • Increase the number of reported Rotaractors who join Rotary clubs by 20 percent by 2022
  • Increase the number of reported Rotaractors to 1 million by 2029

Frequently asked questions

How were these decisions made?

For several years, the Board, Trustees, committees, Rotarians, and Rotaractors around the world have been discussing how to elevate Rotaract and recognize Rotaract clubs as Rotary clubs’ partners in service. Rotaractors have offered their ideas to the Board through RI’s Rotaract Committee, at the annual Rotaract Preconvention, and through online surveys and focus groups — and it was time to take action.

Overwhelmingly, we heard that Rotaract was more than just a program and Rotaractors wanted more flexibility, more products and services, and more recognition from Rotary for the amazing work they’re doing in their clubs, districts, and multidistricts. After the 2019 Council on Legislation voted to officially recognize Rotaract clubs as a membership type, the President appointed the Elevate Rotaract Task Force to discuss how to update Rotaract policies to reflect this new status and create an inclusive, innovative, and flexible membership experience.

Why were these decisions made?

Rotarians and Rotaractors have been discussing the importance of Rotaractors as a part of the Rotary family, as people of action, and as an integral part of our new Action Plan. These important decisions reflect the current trends among Rotaract clubs, elevate Rotaract as a membership type alongside Rotary clubs (unique in its identity, club culture, and member benefits), and encourage greater flexibility, innovation, and diversity within Rotaract.

Do these changes take effect immediately?

No. The changes to the Rotary Code of Policies don’t take effect until 1 July 2020. This gives you time to review and discuss the changes with your club and district. Of course, we know that changes take time to implement, and we encourage clubs and districts to develop plans to update their bylaws and incorporate these changes over time.

Where can we find the policies about Rotaract?

Starting 1 July 2020, the Rotary Code of Policies, in Chapter II, “Clubs,” will have an updated Article 12 titled “Rotaract Clubs.” The policies related to Rotaract that are now in Chapter V, “Programs,” under Article 41.040, will be removed as of 1 July 2020.

Can I review the changes before they take effect?

Yes, you can review the revised policies now. Discuss the changes with your club and district leaders. If you have questions, write to rotaract@rotary.org.

When do we have to update our Rotaract constitution and bylaws?

The Standard Rotaract Club Constitution will also be updated on 1 July 2020, and only the RI Board can amend it. The Standard Rotaract Club Constitution automatically applies to all active Rotaract clubs. The Recommended Rotaract Club Bylaws will also be updated at the same time, and clubs are encouraged to customize them to meet their needs.

Why was the upper age limit for Rotaract membership removed?

Rotaract clubs are still intended for younger professionals. Removing the upper age limit of Rotaract membership allows people to choose the club experience they prefer, regardless of their age. Under the current policy, Rotaractors are often required to leave Rotaract before they’re invited to join a Rotary club or before they feel ready to join one. So, instead, they leave the family of Rotary.

Restricting Rotaract membership to people age 30 or under is perceived differently in different regions. In some places, members are likely to feel that the age limit should be raised. In others, they want it lowered. After careful consideration, the Elevate Rotaract Task Force and the Board decided that it was important to give Rotaractors the flexibility to decide for themselves when they’re ready to leave Rotaract. The majority of Rotaractors we surveyed believed that removing the age limit would either improve or not change their club experience, and they said they would still pursue joining a Rotary club in the future.

Will Rotaractors still be encouraged to become Rotarians?

Yes, of course! Rotaractors will still be encouraged to join Rotary clubs that offer the club experience they want at any time. Rotary clubs should continue to partner regularly with Rotaractors at meetings and events and on service projects. Inviting a Rotaractor to join the Rotary club will be a natural step when the time is right. Remember that Rotaractors can join a Rotary club while they are still active members of Rotaract clubs, or they can start their own Rotary clubs.

Will Rotary clubs still be able to sponsor Rotaract clubs?

Yes, starting 1 July 2020, Rotaract clubs can be sponsored by a Rotary club or clubs or another Rotaract club, or they can organize themselves without a sponsor. This will give clubs greater flexibility to choose the sponsor relationship that best meets their needs and allows for collaboration.

Will Rotaract clubs be able to sponsor other Rotaract clubs?

Yes, starting 1 July 2020, Rotaract clubs can be sponsored by another Rotaract club. This gives clubs more flexibility to find the best sponsor relationship to support their needs. Community-based Rotaract clubs will be encouraged to sponsor university-based Rotaract clubs.

Dr Agatha Banga, a Social Meeting, Awards and the Rotary Club of Dar es Salaam Oyster Bay....staring new clubs in Tanzania.

Last Week
Agatha Banga gave us much food for thought when it came to the latest communication systems where medical health is concerned and her experience and advice may be invaluable when we manage to get our Cervical Cancer Project off the ground.

Robert Jacobs

She made the point that everyone has or has access to a cell phone throughout the continent and what a useful tool this has been for prenatal care in remote areas.......as long as there is a signal.
Agatha posed the question as to why Rotary isn't involved in this particular field.  She and her husband Robert Jacobs are members of the Rotary Club of Northcliff and Vaughan Russel, from Northcliff, brought a friend, Ray Leppan.

Ray Leppan and Vaughan Russel

Lester Connock Bursary for Post-graduate Nurses
This year it has been awarded to Base Baloyi who's field of research is the effect of hospitalisation on children.  There has been a great deal of work done on adults but nothing on children as they aren't usually asked!

Vocational Service Awards
The Vocational Service Awards go to James Delaney for his work at returning The Wilds to being a secure walker friendly place and to Dorothy Ann Gould for her work amongst homeless people and how she has created a better life for them both physically and culturally. 

I will write a lot more about all of them when we come to present the awards officially.

This Week
It's a Social Meeting followed by a Board Meeting.  That means a Business Meeting next week.

Rotary Club of Dar es Salaam Oyster Bay, Tanzania

Chartered: 2009

Original membership: 24

Membership: 64

Cultural crossroads: Dar es Salaam, a seaport whose Arabic name means “abode of peace,” is a cosmopolitan city, home to more than 4 million people of many faiths from all over the world. The Rotary Club of Dar es Salaam Oyster Bay illustrates the joys of such coexistence: Members represent nearly 20 nationalities and bring a mélange of viewpoints. The club has a track record of success and an agenda that is packed with projects.

Club innovation: To expand Rotary’s reach in the city, the Oyster Bay club sponsored not one new club, but five, including an e-club. At the four new location-based clubs, evening meetings without meals allow more people to fit Rotary into their schedules at a reduced cost (about $230 a year compared with $600 for the parent club). To immediately infuse the new clubs with the concept of service, each was required to undertake projects during its provisional term.

Shah and Bhatt at a club event

Vexed by the dwindling number of Rotarians in her country, Sharmila Bhatt took a top-down approach to attracting new members during her year as district governor in 2018-19. “District 9211 consists of Tanzania and Uganda, and growth for many years was solely coming from Uganda,” notes Bhatt. “Tanzania was a sleeping giant, full of potential. We appointed movers and shakers as district governor special representatives, held two membership seminars, and increased our training sessions.”

Inspired by the district team training seminar, Vikash Shah, then incoming president of the Oyster Bay club, conceived a bold plan. “I came up with the idea of forming five new Rotary clubs,” he says. “Why not? Dar is a big city and there were still people here who had not heard of Rotary. My target would be those people. My club members thought I was crazy but were ready to accept my proposal.”

Bhatt lauds Shah’s acumen at fundraising and persuading club members to share his vision. “He simply had big goals,” she says. Shah delegated four Rotarians to helm four new clubs, and tasked himself with stewardship of an e-club.

In January, Rotary International approved the Rotary clubs of Dar es Salaam City, Dar es Salaam Mbezi Beach, and Dar es Salaam Sunset, the last with a remarkable first class of 43 members. The Rotary Club of Dar es Salaam Peninsula and the Rotary E-Club of Masaki were chartered in June. While “they’ve got the same kind of dynamics and vibrancy” as Oyster Bay, Shah says, each club offers a unique take on the Rotary experience. And in keeping with the idea of bringing more people from underrepresented groups into Rotary, he notes that all of the inaugural presidents were women.

To ensure that all the Rotary bases were covered, the club also sponsored a Rotaract club at St. Joseph University in Tanzania, an Interact club at Miono High School, and a Rotary Community Corps in Muungano, an impoverished area with infrastructure needs. There the club aims to focus on maternal health.

The Oyster Bay club hosts annual goat races as a fun fundraiser

The new clubs have delivered goods to a facility that serves children with cancer (Sunset) and have done projects at a primary school (Mbezi Beach).

“In a fairly short time, we were able to renovate a kindergarten classroom and provide water filters to the primary school,” says Mbezi Beach club member George Lwakatare. His club, like all the others sponsored by the Rotary Club of Dar es Salaam Oyster Bay, is bringing in new Rotarians and delivering results.

Cyber Security, a Container for Baragwanath, Health Care for the Underserved and how Rotary helped a Person with Mental Health Issues.

Last Week

I seem to be missing Rotary a lot these last few weeks just through circumstances but Cyber Security was the issue and Adrian, son of Richard Tonkin being the speaker.  Many thanks to Ann Hope-Baillie for taking notes:

"The browsers that I recommend are Chrome, Firefox or Microsoft Edge. I suggest that you switch on two factor authentication for your 
Google account to make it much, much more secure. Ditch those old web mail sevices like MWeb and Telkom as soon as is possible.

I would like to stress the point that your Online banking passwords should always be unique and not used anywhere else. It's a good idea to learn what your bank recommends regarding online safety and try incorporate the suggested practices.

I use NordVPN as my VPN service provider, although there are a few other good ones you could try, such as TunnelBear or Express VPN. Tom's Guide has an updated list and I trust their opinions. You should select a provider that can secure your mobile devices as well."

Never enter personal information in an email message when you don’t know the recipient.

Never enter personal information on a website provided as a link in an email message.

Never include personal information in an Internet forum, discussion group, or newsgroup message.

Never use the same password for all your electronic business.

Never divulge personal information to others over an instant message connection.

Never buy from an online store that doesn’t offer a secure, encrypted connection when you’re prompted for your personal information and credit card number.

Never download a file from a site you don’t trust.

Never allow a stranger to connect to your PC.

Lots of NEVERS!!! It is all about your name and contact details and your passwords!!!

The container refurbishment is on the way for the Baragwanath Palliative Care Unit...here's the team who are getting it done.

This Week

Dr Agatha Banga is going to talk about "The evolving role of technology in reaching the medically underserved – where is Rotary?"

Banga is a pediatric surgeon who works at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital. Her day starts in the hospital wards at 5:00 am where she visits her patients and leaves instructions for the day. She then does a handover meeting with consultants, registrars and medical offices to discuss the progress of patients overnight, theatre cases, and any emergency cases.

Banga is usually in theatre by 8:00 am almost every single day. On the days she is not operating, she attends to over 100 patients at the clinic. The Zimabawean native splits her time treating patients at the Chris Hani Baragwanath hospital, Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, and until recently, the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital. 

“Surgery is not anything like Grey’s Anatomy, it’s more like a rollercoaster ride. You need to be more attentive, like essential things you need to do for patients such as take blood and do drips. Those are the things that ensure that your patients are ready for theatre and that your patients will do well after theatre,” Banga said.

Much like the Grey’s Anatomy character Meredith Grey, Banga makes her own scrub caps herself which she wears when operating on patients. She added, “It’s my way of being myself in the job that I have”.

As a medical student, Banga wanted to specialise as a paediatrician. She then took time off from clinical medicine and studied public health at the University of Cape Town as a Mandela Rhodes Scholar in 2015.

“At that time, I realised I discovered that surgery is a public health intervention and I looked at how many paediatricians are out there versus paediatric surgeons. Children are not little adults, and we actually need paediatric surgeons and not general surgeons to manage children,” Banga said.

A Fresh Start

At this year’s Rotary International Convention in Hamburg, Germany, Chris Wells won over a general session audience with a combination of high-energy showmanship and a serious message about mental health, drawn from his experience. A few years after graduating from college in 2011, Wells found himself depressed. “I’d felt a bit crap for months and months and months,” remembers Wells, now 29. “I was bored, negative all the time, stuck, not really doing anything. It was getting scary.”

Then two things happened that would change his life. First, a friend persuaded him to see a psychiatrist. Second, another friend introduced him to Jim Davies, a member of the Rotary Club of Market Harborough, who encouraged Wells to get involved with Rotary and suggested starting a Rotaract club. “I had no idea what to expect, but I was willing to try anything to not feel like this anymore,” Wells says.

Wells dived right into Rotary, helping found the Rotaract Club of Market Harborough in 2015. Soon the new Market Harborough Rotaractors were participating in a canned-food drive for local food banks, holding regular pub quiz fundraisers, and creating a support group for young stroke patients.

The club also held a night of comedy and music to raise money for a young man who had been accepted to a prestigious course at the National Youth Theatre in London but who couldn’t afford the fees. “I was like, ‘Right, we’ll have a Christmas concert in the middle of June, just to confuse everyone,’” Wells says cheerfully. “We raised more than enough money.”

The Market Harborough Rotaractors’ enthusiasm has proved contagious: Several new Rotaract clubs have been formed in the district.Meanwhile, with continuing professional help, Wells’ mental health has improved. “As soon as I had a purpose that wasn’t my own, life was a bit easier,” he says. As he said in his speech at the convention: “Rotary isn’t the cure for depression, and people suffering from it shouldn’t feel shy about seeking out medical and professional help. … But for me, Rotaract truly aided in filling in some of those dark and empty spaces inside.”

White Informal Settlements, the Springboks, the Spar Collection and a Canada/South Africa Link

Last Week
I wasn't at the meeting so many thanks to David Bradshaw.

President Jean with Leon & Wilma Cronje of DieBoere Gemeenskap Transvaal

Wilma explained that the person who normally does the presentations for them is currently in Zimbabwe but she will do her best.

They are providing assistance to poor white communities in the East and West Rand and Pretoria. Many of these communities  are situated on farms and they pay to stay there, in old sheds, old caravans and various

Les Short isn't sure that the Boks will win.

makeshift accommodation.

The Boere Gemeenskap Transvaal was officially established in 2015 but Leon & Wilma have been working to help street and homeless people since 2013.

There are no medical facilities in the White Squatter camps and  the lack of transport exacerbates the situation.

These people(they are currently assisting around a 1000 men, women & children) are desperate for food and clothing, they get no assistance from the Government. The BGT will happily collect goods that can be  donated to these poor people, be it food, clothes, toys etc.

Wilma stated that they are not racist at all ,they are just trying to help th, Cyber Security andeir Volk, who have been forgotten and neglected.

It was again collection time at Spar in Norwood.  I was on the Saturday 9:00 till 11:00 shift and it was very different to normal as most of the shoppers were wearing Springbok jerseys and buying chips or beer and obviously only had one thing on their mind which didn't include us.  Fortunately some people were generous...even some wearing Springbok jerseys...but we weren't as successful as last month.  Costa Qually followed us with the 11:00 shift...when we left the car

park was almost empty!

I took a selfie with Judy Powell and here are our two leopard helpers from W\Alexandra handing out leaflets....one amongst the flowers and the other in the street.

President Jean was more conventional with Mark Franklin, Pam Donaldson and Tutty Faber as wellas the two Leopards from Alexandra.

 This Week

The Tonkin Clan will be telling us after a recent experience in the club.about security on the Internet which is very appropriate.

Internet security is a branch of computer security specifically related to not only Internet, often involving browser security and the World Wide Web, but also network security as it applies to other applications or operating systems as a whole. Its objective is to establish rules and measures to use against attacks over the Internet.^[1] The Internet represents an insecure channel for exchanging information, which leads to a high risk of intrusion or fraud, such as phishing, online viruses, trojans, worms and more.

Many methods are used to protect the transfer of data, including encryption and from-the-ground-up engineering. The current focus is on prevention as much as on real time protection against well known and new threats.

Thirteen Years ago Magdalen Leung made a promise to an orphan boy in South Africa

Magdalen Leung, foundation chair of the Rotary Club of Richmond Sunset (Vancouver, Canada – RID 5040) and a long-term Richmond resident, had been working in the village as a volunteer, helping with the school in Refilwe.

As she was about to leave, the students ran out of the classroom to hug her goodbye, but one little boy named Success approached her and asked, “Mrs Leung, are you gonna come back, or you will never see us again, just like other people did?”

The memory of that question still stings.

“So I made a promise to these kids,” Leung said, choking back tears. “I told them I would return to the village each year as long as you need me.”

Leung has kept that promise. Every year she has returned, bringing supplies and other volunteers with her.

In March 2013, she took a group of Hugh Boyd students to help build a school, work with the orphans and develop a greater appreciation of what it means to be of service to your community.

Since her initial visit, some of the young students have grown into well-educated individuals with a range of opportunities.

“One boy from the village told me if I were not here, he would never have had the chance to learn how to read or write, and he might have ended up as a farmer for the rest of his life,” said Leung.

Even at her most busy times working as a realtor and raising a family, Leung has never thought about quitting volunteerism.

“What I do might be a drop in the ocean, but with more people joining the team, we can make a difference in their lives,” said Leung.

And if one charitable project isn’t enough, for the past five years Leung has been actively involved with Gift of Life Global, which raises money to fund surgeries for children with congenital heart disease in China.

Leung went to China last year to visit An Jing, a seven-year-old girl who needed heart surgery, but was shocked to learn the Rotary was still $5,000 short of what was needed to pay for the operation the girl urgently required.

Leung recalls telling the doctor, “Please go ahead.” She then borrowed some money from her husband, and luckily some friends chipped in for the donation.

Leung returned to the hospital two days later to check on An Jing, and the surgeon introduced her to the girl by explaining, “The lady flew from Canada to China to save your life.”

“The girl asked the surgeon, ‘could you please teach me how to say I love you and thank you in English,’ and then she said these words back to me,” Leung continued, “just by seeing the happiness in people’s eyes, how could I stop volunteering? ”

Today, Leung is one of 22 members of Rotary Club of Richmond Sunset who volunteers globally.

“The principle of the Rotary club is fostering world peace and understanding. You will become more tolerant, compassionate, caring, and plain loving towards one another by giving back to society,” said Leung.

Rotary Club of Richmond Sunset will celebrate its 20th anniversary on July 6 at Vancouver Airport Marriott Hotel.