The Arts, Conservation, Social Meeting and the Rotary Year Ahead

Rotary Arts Festival
President Neville has said all that there is to say so I won't repeat it.  Instead, just to show that there is more to the Festival than looking at or buying paintings, here's one of the workshops in progress.

Last Week
Chris Piears, an Honorary Ranger of SA Parks spoke to us passionately about his interest in wildlife conservation and in particular the work he has done with the Big Five.  He intended focusing on Leopard conservation because, much to my surprise, leopards are much more endangered that I thought but downloading the video turned out to be a bit of a problem.

It didn't matter at all because he had many interesting and entertaining things to say as you can see the by the level of concentration on the faces of visiting DG Nominee Jankees Sligcher and President Neville.

What was particularly interesting and unusual was that both of his sons have followed him into the business of conservation.


Marianne Soal was inducted as a member of our club the week before but she successfully ran away before she could be photographed.  This week we nailed her to the floor so here she is with President Neville.

This Week
It will be more of a Social Meeting than a Business Meeting as 10 of us are away at Discon.

This Coming Year
You will have noticed, I hope, that I have put on a couple of items for July and the DG's Visit at the beginning of August.

On Friday 15th July  we have been invited to join New Dawn for a Dinner and Port Tasting at Cheese Gourmet in Linden.  This is what Jo Dick of Cheese Gourmet has to say:

I have managed to organize Mike Neebe from Axe Hill to do 3 port tasting as well as a white and red wine. We did this pairing recently and it was very successful. We will match five cheeses with these varietals.

I would like to suggest we do the port/wine and cheese tasting as the starter, a "cheats" cassoulet made with Peter James-Smith's Toulouse sausages and an Eaton Mess as a dessert.

Date 15/7/16 at 18h30 for 19h00 start
R250 per head
Mike will have some wine and port for sale on the evening
We will send round a circular at the beginning of July after this busy month has come to an end.

Club Assembly Saturday 30th July 9,00 to 12,00 Wanderers
This is a very important meeting as you, as club members, must tell the Board what you expect of us for the coming Rotary year.
I have asked the various Directors to make a Powerpoint presentation of their possible plans for the year for you to discuss and decide what we should go ahead with, scrap or anything else that you would like us to look at.  This meeting will set the tone for the year and we will have a similar one at the end of January.
We will have lunch at Chariots afterwards so please invite your partners to come and join us.

DG's Visit Friday 5th August
DG Grant Daly will be visiting us for the morning of the 5th culminating in our usual lunch.  We are the only club he will visit.  We have already begun to sort out the details and please do your best to attend.  It's early in the year but that has distinct advantages as we will be able to talk about our plans without having to show whether they are a success or not!  No doubt there will be a meeting with the Anns but he hasn't even been inducted as DG yet and we will hear in due course.

RAVINDRAN MOVES AUDIENCE WITH PERSONAL STORY

RI President K.R. Ravindran shares a personal story of triumph over polio at the closing session of the 107th Rotary convention.

Photo Credit: SJ Cho

RI President K.R. Ravindran closed the convention in Korea on Wednesday, 1 June, with a poignant story about his mother's fight to survive polio at age 30.

When Ravindran was 11 years old in his native Sri Lanka, his mother awoke one day feeling weak and short of breath. Sitting down to rest, she found herself unable to move. The polio virus had quickly invaded her nervous system, resulting in paralysis.

She was placed in an iron lung at the hospital to enable her to breathe, and was told that her chances of walking, or even surviving without a ventilator, were slim. But most Sri Lankan hospitals were not equipped with ventilators in 1963.

Ravindran's grandfather, a Rotary member, hosted a club committee meeting in his living room the evening after his daughter was rushed to the hospital. Rather than simply offer consolation, his fellow members went to work, using their business acumen and professional connections to find a ventilator.

One of the members was a bank manager who called a government minister to facilitate a quick international transfer of funds. Another member, a manager at SwissAir, arranged to have a ventilator flown in. The next day, it arrived at the hospital.

"There was so much red tape at the time in Sri Lanka, but somehow, those Rotarians made it all fall away," Ravindran told the packed audience at the KINTEX Convention Center in Goyang city.

Ravindran's mother spent a year-and-a-half in a hospital bed, but her condition gradually improved. She eventually left the hospital walking -- with a walker, but upright, on her own two feet.

"Fifty-three years ago, my mother's life was perhaps one of the very first to be saved from polio by Rotarians," Ravindran said. "We have saved millions of lives since then.

"Tonight, I stand before you as her son, and your president, to say that soon -- perhaps not in years but in months -- Rotary will give a gift that will endure forever: a world without polio."

At the convention's general session the day before, Rebecca Martin, director of the Center for Global Health at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, had described how close we are to polio eradication. Earlier that day, Rotary released an additional $35 million in grants to support global efforts to end the crippling disease.

This year's convention, one of the largest in Rotary history, attracted more than 43,000 attendees from over 150 countries. Ravindran, in his final speech to members as their president, emphasized what it really means to be a Rotarian.

"There are people on this planet whose lives are better now because you traversed this earth," he said. "And it doesn't matter if they know that or not. It doesn't matter if they even know your name or not. What really matters is that your work touched lives; that it left people healthier, happier, better than they were before."

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT YEAR

Following Ravindran's remarks, members of Ravindran's Rotary Club of Colombo, Sri Lanka, and RI President-elect John Germ's Rotary Club of Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA, took the stage to exchange club banners, a tradition that unofficially marks the changing of the guard.

Germ told the audience that Rotary is about to begin the most progressive year in its history.

"You told us that we need to change and become more flexible so that Rotary service will be attractive to younger members, recent retirees, and working people," Germ said. "You spoke with clarity, and groundbreaking legislation was passed this year at the Council on Legislation.

"Clubs now have the opportunity to be who they want to be, but at the same time remain true to our core. I'm pleased to share with you that Rotarians all over the world are responding with great excitement."

Art Festival Again.....Peace, Conversations with the Big Five, Induction Dinner & Altruism.

It's Still Rotary Arts Festival Time

The Wednesday Press Launch
Here is chief judge of the Rotary Portrait Competition, Stefan Hundt, Curator of the Sanlam Art Collection and the other three judges.  Next, with Stefan and President Neville, is the winner, Cathy Verheul.  

Joan Sainsbury and President Neville also said their bit whilst we were plied with champagne by Moet et Chandon.

Here are the 5 Finalists' Paintings:

President Neville officially opens the Art Exhibition

The Thursday Opening

Most of the Club was at the opening which was a bit like a crowd attempting to get into a rugby stadium.  

The food vanished like melting snow, the wine flowed and a good time was had by all.  

What was more to the point, a lot of paintings were sold!

Friday

Some how or other we managed to fit in a Rotary Meeting as well and we had a fascinating talk by Jake Kurtzer, a former Rotary Peace Fellow who is currently consulting for the International Red Cross in Pretoria.  His presentation centred on what constituted "Peace", not only as an absence of conflict but also as  a positive influence on the World stage.

One of our prospective Peace Scholars, Cherrie Olivier, attended the talk.

This Week

Our speaker is Chris Piears with a talk entitled Conversations of the Big Five.



Chris is Human Resources Manager at Protea Technology and he was previously with Tsogo Sun.  He has a long-term interest in wildlife conservation.  He is an Honorary Ranger of SA National Parks and has very successfully negotiated a number of sponsorship deals on their behalf.

 Induction Dinner 24th June
Les Short is handling the bookings and I'm not sure what the numbers are at this stage.  It is important that you do book even if you don't pay at the same time.
We have worked on last year's attendance figures and we don't want to mislead Bryanston Country Club where numbers are concerned as it could be to our financial disadvantage.

ALTRUISM: INDIVIDUAL SERVING

Illustration by Dave Cutler

The sun rises on a new school day. In rural Ganguli, India, 450 students climb aboard school buses. Five years ago they couldn’t have gone to school because the distance from their village was too far to walk.

In San Agustín, Ecuador, students used to attend classes in the town morgue when it rained, because their school had no roof. Since 2012, hundreds of children there have learned to read and write in a real classroom.

Quietly orchestrating these and other projects was Vasanth Prabhu, a member of the Rotary Club of Central Chester County (Lionville), Pa. When he was growing up in India, education was not free, and he saw how hard his father worked to pay for schooling for eight children. Understanding how school can change a person’s life keeps Prabhu working to provide education to those with no access to it, he says.

“I feel that everyone is a diamond in the rough,” he says. “But it must be cut and polished to show its brilliance.” So instead of spending his money on luxuries, he is using it to bring out that brilliance.

There are three ways we can deal with enormous problems and our emotional responses to them. We can let them overcome us until we feel too paralyzed to act. We can bury our heads in the sand. Or we can act. And when we help others, we often find that we benefit as well.

“Taking action allows me to exercise passion,” Prabhu says, “to give it a good place to go.”

James Doty, director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University, wrote Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon’s Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart. “We’re adapted to recognize suffering and pain; for us to respond is hard-wired into our brain’s pleasure centers,” says Doty. “We receive oxytocin or dopamine bursts that result in increased blood flow to our reward centers. In short, we feel good when we help.”

Caring for others brings other benefits, too. “When we engage in activities that help, it also results in lowering our blood pressure and heart rate,” he notes. Research shows that it can help us live longer. And the good deeds we do can inspire others.

On the flip side, Doty says, “People can create mistrust or fear by implying that another group is threatening our safety. When that happens, fear or anxiety makes us want to withdraw into our own group and not care for others. Hormones are released that are detrimental to long-term health. But generally speaking, most people will be kind and compassionate to other people.”

For years, Peggy Callahan has told stories that are hard to hear. A documentary producer covering social justice issues, she’s also a co-founder of two nonprofits working to help people who are enslaved or caught in human trafficking. But perhaps paradoxically, her difficult work brings her happiness, and, thanks to neuroscience research, she understands why. “When you do an act of good, you get a neurotransmitter ‘drop’ in your brain that makes you happy,” she says. And there’s a multiplier effect: “Someone who witnesses that act also experiences that, and remembering that act makes it happen all over again.” She wondered how she could leverage that.

The result was Anonymous Good, a virtual community and website where people post stories or photos of acts of kindness they’ve carried out, observed, or received. For each act posted, website sponsors make a donation to feed the hungry, free people who are enslaved, plant a tree for cleaner air, or dig a well for clean water.

“One act of good is much more than simply one act of good,” says Callahan. “It’s part of a much bigger force.”

Like Prabhu and Callahan, P.J. Maddox – a member of the Rotary Club of Dunn Loring-Merrifield, Va. – has felt the joy of tackling issues that seem too big to face. Rotary projects she has supported include funding a nurse-led clinic in war-ravaged rural Nicaragua. She has also mentored and made a Youth Exchange trip possible for a student otherwise unable to participate because of hardships at home.

“Some problems are so complicated and huge, it could be easy to say, ‘Why bother?’” Maddox says. “But in addition to Rotary’s power of collective talents to make something happen, I realized that the outcome of these projects wouldn’t have been what they were if I wasn’t there. I realized that a single human being can change the world.”

As the sun sets around the globe – as students in India head back home on the school bus, as pupils in Ecuador close their books for the day, and as people in many places are well-fed, free, and happy – the world looks a little different. Because one individual extended a hand, there are people newly ready to change the world tomorrow.

Carol Hart Metzker is the author of Facing the Monster: How One Person Can Fight Child Slavery and a member of the E-Club of One World D5240.

Rotary Arts Festival Kick Off, Penny Metcalf, Jake Kurtzner & the RI Convention.

It's Rotary Arts Festival Time!

Last Week

What a fascinating talk by Penny Metcalf on teaching anyone, from deaf children to ordinary adults how to pronounce words correctly in a system that has been adapted for English, Afrikaans, Zulu and, by special request, one of the languages of Uganda!  It was an interesting story of how she had stumbled upon the method by accident whilst trying to teach a child to read and then realised that he was following her scribbles of mouth shapes, not the letters. 

This Week

Our speaker is Rotary Peace Scholar Jake Kurtzer.

Jake Kurtzer is currently working as a consultant in Pretoria, SA, advising organizations like the International Committee of the Red Cross and several South African think tanks. Previously, Jake served as the Head of Public and Congressional Affairs for the Washington Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), representing the ICRC to a broad spectrum of audiences in the United States and Canada, including the US Congress and leading civil society organizations.

Prior to joining the ICRC, Jake served as the Congressional Advocate at Refugees International (RI), a humanitarian advocacy organization based in Washington DC. In this capacity, Jake conducted extensive field missions to conflict areas assessing the humanitarian needs of displaced civilians and represented RI on Capitol Hill, advocating on behalf of refugees around the world. Previously, Jake worked as a legislative assistant to Congressman Robert Wexler of Florida covering domestic and foreign policy issues. 

Jake earned an M.A. in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, where he studied as a Rotary Foundation World Peace Fellow. He also holds a B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Maryland, College Park, with a citation in religious studies, and is an alumnus of the College Park Scholars Public Leadership program.

International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is the body of law that seeks to regulate conduct during situations of armed conflict. IHL, rooted in the Geneva Conventions, has evolved significantly since its original codification in Switzerland in the 19th Century. Today, however, IHL faces multiple challenges. One one side, the number and nature of actors in armed conflict has dramatically changed, with small non-state affiliated armed groups causing massive humanitarian suffering. On the other, technological changes pose a unique challenge to a system of law that seeks to govern human behavior. In this session, we will discuss both of these challenges, and move to a conversation about the efforts underway to ensure that basic standards and norms are adhered to in contemporary armed conflict. The session will look at the role non-government organizations like Rotary can play in the perpetuation of the ideals of the Geneva Conventions, in order to continue to minimize the humanitarian consequences of armed conflict. 

Induction Dinner 24th June

Many thanks to those who have sent me their special dietary requirements.  I imagine that's the lot!

If not, please let me know as soon as possible.

 One of the 43 000 attendees is Juanette McCrindle from the  Rotary Club of Rosebank Johannesburg!

UN CHIEF BAN KI-MOON OPENS KOREA CONVENTION

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon indicates that we are “This Close” to ending polio because of Rotary’s great work, during the opening session of the Rotary Convention in Korea on Sunday, 29 May.

Photo Credit: SJ Cho

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was among the first to welcome Rotary members and friends to the 107th Rotary Convention, heralded as one of the largest-ever gatherings of Rotarians and the most multicultural assembly of nonprofit leaders in Korea.

He offered a message of gratitude: “Rotarians do remarkable work around the world,” Ban told the thousands of attendees gathered at KINTEX, the Korea International Exhibition and Convention Center in Goyang city, on the outskirts of Seoul. “You help the United Nations reach our goals, and you help the world understand the United Nations.”

He described Allan Albert, the former Rotary president who, 70 years ago this month, participated in discussions that led to the formation of the UN, as “a passionate defender of human understanding who called for people to be real factors in real peace. Together we are working to realize this vision.”

Ban, the Korean national who has led the UN and its ambitious development agenda since 2007, thanked Rotary for its leadership and commitment to humanitarian causes. He highlighted Rotary’s contributions to the fight against polio, in both funding and advocacy.

“The United Nations is proud to be a partner in ending this debilitating disease,” he said, referring to UNICEF’s role in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. “We must keep up the fight. Please continue to raise your voices, hold your governments accountable, and campaign hard.”

The opening session on Sunday morning was infused with local flavor: drummers, dancers, and martial artists warmed up the crowd with K-pop and tae kwon do before the formal remarks began.

PAUL HARRIS MAKES A SURPRISE APPEARANCE

An animated hologram of Rotary founder Paul Harris joined RI President K.R. Ravindran on stage. After telling Harris about Rotary’s progress, Ravindran greeted attendees and reflected on his term as Rotary president, including a recent decision by the Council on Legislation to grant clubs more flexibility and autonomy.

“The traditional Rotary model, of weekly meetings and meals, may not be a viable proposition to the professionals of all ages we most need to attract,” Ravindran said. “Your Council made more progressive changes to our constitution than any Council in history — with an eye to a future in which the business of Rotary will be conducted on a level more ambitious than ever before.”

Special guests included prime ministers Hwang Kyo-ahn of South Korea, and Ranil Wickremesinghe of Ravindran’s native Sri Lanka.

Hwang, who was the charter president of the Rotary Club of Seoul before he served as minister of justice, spoke about Rotary’s history and presence in South Korea, now the fourth-strongest Rotary country in terms of membership and one of the strongest supporters of The Rotary Foundation, per capita.

“Ours is a nation built on the ruins of war,” he said. “Our recovery from those dark days has been called a miracle, but it is the kind of miracle that Rotary knows well: of many hands working together to achieve a common goal that could not have been achieved alone.”

Wickremesinghe described polio’s unlikely exit from his own war-torn nation 20 years ago. He also gave a government official’s perspective on the interplay between government and service organizations such as Rotary.

“A Rotary club provides a country with something that every community in every country needs.” He said it complements the government’s work “by offering a way for people who want to make a difference in their community to do it for themselves, together, without having to run for office first.”

WALK FOR PEACE

In the days and weeks before the convention kicked off, an estimated 43,000 attendees from 160 countries arrived in Seoul, announcing their presence with a parade through the city center on Saturday.

Several thousand participants, many clad in the traditional attire of their home countries, gathered in front of city hall to join in the 3K Walk for Peace. The route to Gwanghwamun Square led participants past the “Rotary Way” photography exhibit featuring images of Rotary service, set against the mountainous backdrop of Bukhansan National Park in the distance.

Sue and Jim Dunlop, members of the Rotary Club of Geelong East, Victoria, were proud to represent Australia at the walk. Before they arrived in Seoul, the Dunlops explored the Korean countryside on one of the Host Organization Committee tours, sampling local fare and mingling with fellow members.

Sue said she savored the vibrant multicultural atmosphere that filled Gwanghwamun Square on Saturday. Her musings about the 3K Walk for Peace could have applied just as easily to the convention itself: “If events like this could happen all the time, in every city around the world, wouldn’t it be wonderful?”

Business but not as usual, Artists, Blanket Drive, Anns, District Assembly, Penny Metcalf and the RI Convention in Seoul.

Last Week
It was a Business Meeting under trying circumstances as Wanderers shunted us into the room off the bar with constant traffic and non Rotary tables.  This is the second time this has happened recently.
I don't know what notice we are given but if we had had a guest speaker with a presentation we would have had to postpone the speaker meeting.
I do understand that revenue comes before our meeting where Wanderers are concerned but........

We did have two artists from the Festival present but we were not able to concentrate on them and their art to the degree that we normally would have done.  Here are Anne Maggs and Laurel Holmes.  The one in glasses is Richard Tonkin.  The top trophy that scouts compete for in the Western Cape is the Tonkin Trophy.....any connection?

District Assembly

PJS, David Bradshaw , Kevin Wolhuter & Mike Lamb

Four of us attended the District Assembly at Kyalami Country Club and we were the only people who stayed for lunch....it says a lot for Rosebank's sociability!  Only Kevin isn't wearing a Rosebank shirt because he was doing the District Treasurer report back.  He made the point that District budgets for a balance of nil at the end of the financial year and as there was a small surplus for 2015/16 then he has budgeted to clear it for the coming financial year.
Those of you who have attended District Assemblies in the past will remember what time-wasting meaningless meetings they used to be.  I haven't been for a few years and it was a pleasant surprise, informative as to the District's plans for 2016/17, there was ample opportunity to ask questions of the various committee chairmen and it ran to time.

Super Group & The Blanket Drive

Thank you to everyone for taking time out on a very cold & rainy Saturday to help us hand out blankets to the less fortunate in Alexandra Township.  Super Group managed to purchase and hand out 900 blankets, to those in need,  within our local communities. 

This was the 4^th Blanket Run with the Rebel Troops Bike Club and Super Group is proud of its partnership with this special group of people.

 

Thank you to Jane Lagaay and the other Super Group CEO’s for making this annual event possible.  Thank you also to the Rotary Club of Rosebank who supplied the blankets to us.

The Anns' Bridge Drive

The Anns held another very successful Bridge Drive on Wednesday 18th May and raised R20 664 for our educational projects. President Shirley and all the Anns would like to thank all the Rotarians who supported this fund-raising effort with prizes and by playing in the event.

Your support of us is always greatly appreciated, thank you.

Liz Short

Bridge Drive Convenor

Induction Dinner
Let Les Short know about your attendance as soon as possible.  I will send round a request for special dietary requirements next week.

This Week

Penny Metcalf, one of our Vocational Service awardees, is our speaker this week. Penny is a Speech & Hearing therapist and for many years she has assisted children from disadvantaged communities.

She has developed her own method of therapy for those with impaired speech which enables them to communicate effectively.
I won't give the game away as I have seen her talk on this subject many time only to say that is such a simple approach that you wonder why no-one thought of it before.




Rotary Convention
Juanette McCrindle is winging her way to Seoul for the RI Convention.  Fantastic that we have a representative there!

FOLLOW OUR FULL CONVENTION COVERAGE

More than 42,000 Rotary members from over 100 countries will come together in Korea to celebrate Rotary.

Photo Credit: Photo by Rotary International/Alyce Henson

Korea is playing host to Rotary's largest event of the year, its annual convention. More than 42,000 Rotary members from over 100 countries will come together this month to celebrate service, exchange ideas, and relax among friends at unforgettable concerts and social events. The convention runs from 28 May to 1 June.

Attendees will hear from renowned experts in areas of peace, global health, and human rights.

Our full coverage will include photos, videos, a live blog, and social media pages

WORLD WATER SUMMIT

Immediately before the convention, the Water and Sanitation Rotarian Action Group will host its annual World Water Summit on 27 May, focusing on sustainable strategies for bringing water, sanitation, and hygiene to all communities around the world. The event will feature speeches from experts in the field, including Gary White of Water.org and Sanjay Wijesekera, Chief of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene for UNICEF.

3K WALK FOR PEACE

Attendees, wearing the traditional garb of their home countries, will walk in solidarity for a more peaceful world in the 3K Walk for Peace on 28 May. The event will be complemented by the Rotary Way exhibit, featuring photographs of 111 years of Rotary service.

CONVENTION SPEAKERS

Speakers from 29 May to 1 June include:

• Rosie Batty, family violence activist and 2015 Australian of the Year
• Gary Haugen, CEO of International Justice Mission
• Gary Knell, president and CEO of National Geographic Society
• Willie John McBride, former rugby star
• Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe

Follow our full coverage

Business, Blanket Drive, Pollution, Artists and what Rotoractors can do.

This Week
It's a Business Meeting.

District Assembly
Three of us will be representing the club this coming Saturday.

Blanket Drive

Cesare Vidulich organised the Highlands North Interactors for a blanket drive at Norwood Mall last Saturday and they raised over R4 000.  Well done!  They will be at it again this Saturday, 21st, so if there are a couple of Rotarians who can assist please let Cesare know.  Guess who we caught shopping?



No, Jean Bernardo is not really a happy shopper, she is secretly counting the money.



Congratulations to the interactors on their smartness and their politeness.  They are are credit to their school and great ambassadors for Rotary.

Last Week

Graham Fox & Rodney Genricks peddling their wares

We had one of those environmental scaremongering talks about the water situation in South Africa and the high rates of pollution.  Like most clubs there are always a couple of foolhardy members who swim every day of the year and they immediately decided to take the Jukskei of the list in future.  I'm not sure I agree because the huge amount of detergent means that you don't have to bath for a month after a quick dip...just don't open your mouth.
The whole object of the talk was to sell us tablets to feed the loo....and presumably to try to get Rotary to sell tablets on their behalf.  Apparently these purifying tablets are made in the USA.  I did rather wonder what the profit margin is.

The meeting was brightened by two more artists from our Arts Festival, Claire Weston and Helen Wallace Day.

Helen focuses on life in Africa in acrylic or oils and has received a number of commissions for her work from both private and corporate clients.  She also works in interior design.

Claire is a graduate of the Foundation School of Art and has decided to become a full-time artist.  She's the one on the right.

My Rotary
A couple more people have registered, maybe enough to ensure a Presidential Citation this year.  It's just over half the club now.  We must all be on by next Rotary Year.....in 6 weeks time.  There are still Board Members who have not registered.  Please react quickly because I will list the names at some point.  There is no excuse not to register.

ROTARACT OUTSTANDING PROJECT AWARD RECOGNIZES INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS

Members of the Rotaract Club of Bugolobi, Uganda, participate in their annual 1000 Smiles project, which has been recognized as the 2016 Rotaract Outstanding Project Award winner.

Photo Credit: Photo courtesy of the Rotaract Club of Bugolobi

Though they were a long way from home, members of the Rotaract Club of Bugolobi, Uganda, felt confident they could tackle problems in rural Kanabulemu during their annual 1000 Smiles project.

Their original plan focused on curtailing the spread of HIV/AIDS. It's in the Rakai District, where the first case of AIDS in Uganda was uncovered in 1982 and about 12 percent of the population has been infected with HIV in recent years. But the Rotaractors discovered that problems in the village extended far beyond the disease.

"The community lacked water, the school was in a sorry state, and the medical center was in an even sorrier state, especially the maternity ward," says Anitah Munkudane, president of the Bugolobi club. "The condition was worse than we had imagined."

The Rotaractors still weren't prepared for what they found when they launched the project with the Uganda Health Marketing Group. They expected to treat 700 at the medical camp in Kanabulemu. More than 1,000 patients came.

Volunteers, including Rotaractors from other clubs and members of the club's sponsor, the Rotary Club of Bugolobi, provided comprehensive medical exams, dental screenings, medication, birth control, and more. And the troubled maternity ward? It got new mattresses to make childbirth more comfortable.

They presented benches and desks to the Keyebe Primary School and school supplies and uniforms to its pupils, many of whom are orphans. The team also helped install a borehole to bring much-needed water to the village.

For all of its exemplary work on the 1000 Smiles Kanabulemu Edition project, the Rotaract Club of Bugolobi was named the International Winner of the Rotaract Outstanding Project Award. Members will be honored at the Korea convention in June and will receive $500 to apply to a future project. The club will use it to help women suffering from fistula, says Munkudane.

REGIONAL WINNERS

Rotaract Outstanding Project Awards recognized other clubs for projects -- one in each of six regions and an international multidistrict project -- for their excellent humanitarian work.

International multidistrict project: Twelve Rotaract clubs from five districts in Turkey and Russia for the Just Like You With an (+1) Extra! project. Members collaborated with the Down Syndrome Association to organize training for children and adults with Down syndrome. Participants learned how to apply effective communication and cooperation strategies to improve their daily lives and hone job skills.

Asia Pacific: The Rotaract Club of Metro Cebu-CIT Chapter in the Philippines for Project WASHEd-UP, which transformed the lives of kids at Tagatay Elementary School in a remote area in the Philippines. Club members constructed a tank to safely store rainwater, taught the importance of hygiene and sanitation, and treated students who had skin infections and intestinal parasites.

South Asia: The Rotaract Club of The Caduceus in Maharashtra, India, for the Jana Swasthya Project. Members established a digital disease surveillance system to study epidemiological trends. Harnessing the power of mobile technology, they replaced a paper data-tracking system, allowing government officials and experts to access live data with a few clicks.

Europe, Middle East, Central Asia: The Rotaract Club of Istanbul-Dolmabahçe in Turkey for Still Child! Rotaractors organized conferences in rural areas, where local experts, psychologists, and doctors educated residents about how underage girls who are married are, statistically, undereducated and prone to medical and psychological problems.

Sub-Saharan Africa: The Rotaract Club of Lagune de Cotonou in Benin for Notre Bibliotheque. Rotaractors and Rotary members converted an abandoned building into a library for the nearly 400 children who attend Zogbadjè Primary Public School. Not only did Rotaractors design, fundraise, and implement construction plans, they stocked the new library with more than 500 books.

Latin America: The Rotaract Club of Nova Geração Itabaiana in Brazil for Projeto Sergipe. Rotaractors enrolled 100 students in literacy and professional development courses. The club developed a network of community partners and volunteers that donated meeting space for classes and lectures, developed training based on volunteers' professional expertise, and distributed educational materials and resources to students.

United States, Canada, and Caribbean: The Rotaract Club of Birmingham, Alabama, USA, for Ready 2 Succeed. The project  matches high school juniors and seniors with Rotaract mentors to better prepare students for college. Over 75 percent of the program's participants, many first-generation college students, have enrolled in college programs.