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CAMBODIA WASHROOM PROJECT

LET'S GRANT PRIVACY AND DIGNITY WHEN UNDERTAKING ABLUTIONS IN CAMBODIA

Tuesday 5^th April, we had Paul Rake as guest speaker from Rotary’s World of Difference. Paul’s presentation was indeed very powerful as he described the many ways WOD was impacting the lives of so many in remote Cambodian areas. Interestingly, World of Difference began as Eyes Wide Open in the Melbourne South Rotary club. Following on from the event, Paul approached us to partner with the Rotary Club of Chadstone East/Malvern to upgrade approximately 45-50 washrooms, including toilets in the Ankor Wat region in Cambodia. The board were in agreement so the next step will be writing the grant for the WASHROOM PROJECT.

Washrooms Project

The Rotary Club of Port Phillip with support from the Rotary Club of Chadstone East Malvern will seek District Grant International support to create approximately 45-50 washroom including toilets in the Ankor Wat region of Cambodia. The final number will be based on the currency exchange rate.

The creation of washrooms is very significant in improving general hygiene, safety and gender equity in Cambodia. The washrooms would be created using the below ground structures of older toilets. A washroom is large enough for women to have privacy when washing themselves and their children. Washrooms also provide secure space lockable door for women to attend to their sanitary needs.

In addition, local villagers will be engaged to perform the construction work thereby enhancing local skills. Each washroom creation will cost about $US285/$Aust 380 (@conversion of 0.75c) for materials and labour.

Rotary Club of Port Phillip will contribute $Aust 2000 and Rotary Club of Chadstone East Malvern will contribute $Aust10000 seeking a grant of $6000 for a total of $Aust 18000. The time frame is to get the grant into District Grant International is a small window hence the haste.

We have sent a Notice of Intent to Foundation Grants and now Alison and I, with Paul’s
support are completing the application form and the letter of participation. I
have copied an email below with photos for you. The email comes from
‘Dunny’ Darrel, a Rotary member of a Queensland club who spends most of the
year in Cambodia with WOD.

Greetings from Cambodia,

There was a touching moment last Friday. We had finished the installation of a toilet and after the handover, where one of the children showed us how well she could wash her hands, her mother became so emotional with gratitude. Her eyes moistened and she struggled with her words ‘Okun ’ - thank you.

It really touched my heart. Was it because:

the family now had a hygienic toilet?
there was now a washroom, a place of privacy for her and her children?
no longer the shame she experienced every day when she was forced to defecate in the open?
someone cared?

I was reminded again of just how much a proper sanitary toilet can change a family’s world.

Okun / thank you for caring.

Darrel

Mac.Robertson Girls' High School Interact Club

Interact clubs organize at least two projects every year, one that helps their school or community and one that promotes international understanding. Rotary club sponsors, along with a teacher, mentor and guide Interactors' as they carry out projects and develop leadership skills. What a delight it was to arrive at Mac Rob last Tuesday to pick up bags and bags and bags of stationery the club had been collecting over the last year.

When I arrived, I was warmly greeted by Chloe and Cherry, the co-presidents, who were in the downstairs foyer with a few of the bags. Their teachers had given the girls time release to get the rest of the bags from an upstairs classroom. Good thing we had our step counters on as it saved a long walk in the afternoon. Our exercise was climbing stairs. Finally, we got them all down to the foyer area and loaded them all onto an assortment of trolleys.

The teacher in charge of Interact this year is Ms Hannah Williams. Hannah has a wonderful, natural rapport with the girls, which is delightful to see. Hannah was very hands on with the shifting of the stationery, and listening to the light hearted banter reinforced for me that our next generation are in great hands.

It was then through the gardens on the grounds and over to the carpark. Some of the other girls saw an opportunity to assist and they jumped right in. Many hands!

It was then just a matter of filling the van with all the bags in preparation for the trip over the West Gate.

A few trips back and forth from the foyer to the carpark saw everything placed in the van and ready to go but not before a quick photo shoot.

Rotary Donations in Kind West Footscray is a volunteer-based recycling facility, part of Rotary’s Donations in Kind Network, a project of Rotary Australia World Community Service, (RAWCS.) DIK collects and redistributes goods, principally donated by companies, hospitals and educational institutions.

With Donations in Kind, Rotary has developed a highly effective business model that is unique in this field. Run 100% by volunteers there is no wage bill, and nothing is spent on advertising. The resulting low operating costs are something that most not-for-profit organisations can only dream about.

DIK offers volunteering opportunities for Rotarians and members of the public. We have organised for the club to spend an evening packing on Tuesday 16^th August. We will have pizza and a glass of wine or soft drink.

It’s a highlight efficient recycling operation that provides free goods and material to people in need throughout the world.

Pam and Bob were thrilled to see the donations from the Interact Club roll in. We unpacked it all and the good news is that this week, a container will be packed and ready to be shipped over to Timor Leste, where girls and boys across many villages will have much needed supplies to assist in their learning. Now that in anybody’s language is a win-win! Thank you Interact team. We are very proud of you all.

Impact

IMPACT CHARITY

Kathy Kaplan OAM, has spent the better part of her professional life working in the fields of educational management and fundraising. She now runs a charity as a volunteer to make a difference to Victorian women and children fleeing extreme violence in Victoria.

Impact makes a difference to Victorian women and children fleeing extreme violence at home. Family Violence, or abuse, is when someone behaves abusively towards a family member. It is part of a pattern of behaviour that controls or dominates a person and causes them to fear for their own or others’ safety and wellbeing.

Most people use the terms Family and Domestic Abuse or Violence synonymously. Most judiciaries consider, when the abuse is perpetrated by close family members or 'trusted' others, to also falls under this definition.

Visit www.impactforwomen.org.au for more information.

IMPACT held a special opening of their new warehouse in Sandringham, and I attended along with around 100 people for the event. And what an event! They had a choir, a guitarist, violinist, and keyboard player. There was lots of police personnel present as they have such a close relationship with IMPACT.

Bendigo Bank have supported IMPACT with a van for their use. Fantastic!

The entertainment was just delightful and keeping in mind the beautiful weather, it was a joy to listen to the various performances. But it wasn’t all light hearted. The stories told of survivors was harrowing to listen to and there were certainly many people grabbing tissues as we stood and wept. Domestic violence is insidious.

After the official cutting of the ribbon, we were escorted through the new facility, and it was my pleasure to have Margot Hillel as my guide. Margot has years of academic leadership and governance experience in both higher education and not-for profit organisations and is an excellent mentor.

In the foyer, either side of the doors are rows and rows of women’s and children’s red shoes and sadly every pair represents a life lost. It is gut wrenching to see.

The Grand Prix Woolies voucher of $150 was donated to Alan Samuel to go towards the refreshments for all their volunteers after each shift.

In the warehouse were rows of red bags ready to go to those in need. That was a sight to see. A sign of hope for a better future for far too many.

Impact are always looking for volunteers so please consider

Club Number 18335 District 9800
ABN 338 868 798 33

Date Of Incorporation February 16 1989
POSTAL PO Box 3040 Murrumbeena Vic 3163

Date Of Charter February 16, 1952
PUBLIC OFFICER & SECRETARY Sue Foley

Club Number 18335 District 9800 ABN 338 868 798 33

Date Of Incorporation February 16 1989POSTAL PO Box 3040 Murrumbeena Vic 3163

Date Of Charter February 16, 1952 PUBLIC OFFICER & SECRETARY Sue Foley

Club Number 18335 District 9800
ABN 338 868 798 33

Date Of Incorporation February 16 1989
POSTAL PO Box 3040 Murrumbeena Vic 3163

Date Of Charter February 16, 1952
PUBLIC OFFICER & SECRETARY Sue Foley