Linking Eastern Region (ER) Clubs in Districts; 9650, 9670, 9675, 9685, 9700, 9710 Visit RAWCS Eastern Region website: hp://www.rawcseastern.org.au/ Visit RAWCS Naonal website: hp://www.rawcs.com.au/ Like Rotary Australia World Community Service Ltd on Facebook Chairman’s Report August 2014 Vale: PDG Larry Jacka The sudden passing on Friday 4 th July of our long me stal- wart and friend PDG Larry Jacka came as a shock to all of us. I would like to extend condolences on behalf of Eastern Region (ER) to Miriam and family. ER was well represented at the service held at Pine Grove, on July 10 th . We will miss Larry’s contribuon to our meengs and the great work that he did over the years in Vanuatu. PDG Harry Durey I would like to thank PDG Harry Durey for his leadership of ER over the last three years. He has introduced a number of changes to our operaon, including the online dona- on facility and the online volunteer registraon facility. He has protected the inter- ests of the Region on the Naonal Board and worked relessly for the objecves of RAWCS Ltd. Harry has been a team player and encouraged new officers in their roles. Rotary Convenon Can I record my thanks to those members of Eastern Region who assisted on the RAWCS Booth at the Rotary Convenon There were a number of people who did an extraordinary amount of duty and we should thank them for their valuable work in talking to interested convenon aendees. It was a really good display of what RAWCS has achieved, our projects and our direc- on for the future. Our thanks goes out to the Pink Umbrella Foundaon for providing the grants to 10 projects and increasing the awareness of the objecves of RAWCS to a much wider audience. The numerous enquiries about RAWCS and our acvies can be partly aributed to the generosity and parcipaon of PP Sue and Rtn. Graham on the booth. New Officers I am pleased to announce that the Management Commiee accepted the nominaon of Sue O’Neill as the Regional Promoons Coordinator. She will be aending the Pro- moons and Website seminar in Melbourne in October. I would also like to welcome PP Theo Glockemann as the RAWCS District Chair of D9675. Online Donaons for all Projects All projects in Western, Central and Eastern Region are now registered for online do- naons. I ask that the District Chairs and Coordinators ensure that all Project Managers are aware of the changes and that all donors move to the new system. It appears to be a smoother process than we ancipated but it will take me for all to accept these changes. Southern and Northern Regions will be all online by 1 st October 2014. Online Volunteer Registraon Since we iniang the facility in April there have been 35 teams in total registered online with a total of 192 volunteers to 15 different countries. PP John Roberson Chairman Eastern Region RAWCS Venue: Hunt’s Comfort Inn, CASULA Host Club: Liverpool West D9675 RSVP: Secretary Ted Lewis: [email protected]Our Program includes a won- derful line-up of fabulous and interesng speakers. Our aſter dinner speaker on Saturday evening will be: Sandra Meihubers Maubara Dental Project Rotarian Dentist Sandra travels to East Timor and Nepal where she con- ducts dental camps. Please join us to hear her inspiring story Saturday evening 16th August.
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Linking Eastern Region (ER) Clubs in Districts; 9650, 9670, 9675, 9685, 9700, 9710
Visit RAWCS Eastern Region website: http://www.rawcseastern.org.au/
Visit RAWCS National website: http://www.rawcs.com.au/
Like Rotary Australia World Community Service Ltd on Facebook
Chairman’s Report August 2014
Vale: PDG Larry Jacka The sudden passing on Friday 4th July of our long time stal-wart and friend PDG Larry Jacka came as a shock to all of us. I would like to extend condolences on behalf of Eastern Region (ER) to Miriam and family. ER was well represented at the service held at Pine Grove, on July 10th. We will miss Larry’s contribution to our meetings and the great work that he did over the years in Vanuatu.
PDG Harry Durey I would like to thank PDG Harry Durey for his leadership of ER over the last three years. He has introduced a number of changes to our operation, including the online dona-tion facility and the online volunteer registration facility. He has protected the inter-ests of the Region on the National Board and worked tirelessly for the objectives of RAWCS Ltd. Harry has been a team player and encouraged new officers in their roles.
Rotary Convention Can I record my thanks to those members of Eastern Region who assisted on the RAWCS Booth at the Rotary Convention There were a number of people who did an extraordinary amount of duty and we should thank them for their valuable work in talking to interested convention attendees. It was a really good display of what RAWCS has achieved, our projects and our direc-tion for the future. Our thanks goes out to the Pink Umbrella Foundation for providing the grants to 10 projects and increasing the awareness of the objectives of RAWCS to a much wider audience. The numerous enquiries about RAWCS and our activities can be partly attributed to the generosity and participation of PP Sue and Rtn. Graham on the booth.
New Officers I am pleased to announce that the Management Committee accepted the nomination of Sue O’Neill as the Regional Promotions Coordinator. She will be attending the Pro-motions and Website seminar in Melbourne in October. I would also like to welcome PP Theo Glockemann as the RAWCS District Chair of D9675.
Online Donations for all Projects All projects in Western, Central and Eastern Region are now registered for online do-nations. I ask that the District Chairs and Coordinators ensure that all Project Managers are aware of the changes and that all donors move to the new system. It appears to be a smoother process than we anticipated but it will take time for all to accept these changes. Southern and Northern Regions will be all online by 1st October 2014. Online Volunteer Registration Since we initiating the facility in April there have been 35 teams in total registered online with a total of 192 volunteers to 15 different countries.
Our Program includes a won-derful line-up of fabulous and interesting speakers. Our after dinner speaker on Saturday evening will be:
Sandra Meihubers Maubara Dental Project
Rotarian Dentist Sandra travels to East Timor and Nepal where she con-ducts dental camps. Please join us to hear her inspiring story Saturday evening 16th August.
Did you check out the RAWCS stand at the Sydney Convention!!
Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS) Ltd had two adjacent booths at the Syd-ney RI Convention 31st May to 4th June 2014 in the House of Friendship. We have a constant stream of interest in our work. A great result. Well Done to all who participated!
Pink Umbrella Foundation initiated a successful grant program to generate more interest in RAWCS through increased attendance at the Eastern Region Meet-ings. Pink Umbrella Foundation will continue the grants and donate six $1,000 grants to registered RAWCS projects for the nest six Eastern Region Meetings (one in each District). Five grants are com-petitive and the sixth selected by a lucky draw. Crite-ria includes recipients attending the ER General Meet-ing to receive a grant and have a project website or facebook page.
More info on the RAWCS website:
http://www.rawcseastern.org.au/
Good Luck!
Above: Sam Martin visiting from Papua New Guinea and Eastern Region Vice Chairman Graham Taylor
RAWCS project volunteers now register online.
There have been a few suggestions made to improve the new system and a lot of people have make compli-mentary remarks. It appears that once volunteers have used the facility and seen exactly how it works they ap-preciate how it can improve the process and reduce the paperwork. One problem that has been observed is the volunteer fee of $10 per head and the payment to the Regional Treasurer. There is some resistance to its imposition due to the fact that we no longer give tax deductibility to volunteer expenses. We do still give Insurance cover-age. If the National Treasurer can assure us we have sufficient funds to run RAWCS Ltd. I would be in favour of ceasing the $10 fee on volunteers. Action: The National Board has ruled that they will not consider it until 1st July 2015. How do you initiate a RAWCS Team? A volunteer Team can only be initiated by a current RAWCS Project Manager or the Team Leader, by contacting their re-spective Regional Project Coordinator.
What does the Team Leader or Project Manager have to supply to the Regional Coordinator to initi-ate the Team? They are required to give the following information to the Regional Project Coordinator:
The RAWCS project number.
A very brief reason for the team - what the team will ac-tually be doing in ten words. (This is used in the notifi-cation to the District Governors and DFAT for the Smart traveller bulk registration of the team)
The Team Leaders passport details.
The Team Leaders unique email address.
The anticipated departure date.
The Regional Coordinator then initiates the team by en-tering the Team Leader details on the Volunteer Facility website. When the Regional Coordinator saves the Team Leader details an email is sent to the Team Leader inviting them to enter their details and add Team members.
PP John Roberson Eastern Region Chairman
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Donations In Kind provides humanitarian
aid through provision of donated goods. Recently Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS) Chairman PDG John McLaren initiated a meeting of the Regional Chairs of Donations in Kind (DIK) to review and enhance this valuable program.
The meeting high-lighted the intrinsic value DIK is, not only to RAWCS but indeed to all Rotary Clubs in fulfilling their ideals in providing humanitarian aid to others. How-ever, like all programs there is a time to review and re-evaluate and this was the purpose of the meeting.
Discussions were held regarding warehousing facilities, safety of volunteers, OH&S and risk management, poli-cies and procedures, national management, central stock listings, on-line standard documentation, funding, corporate partnerships, legal obligations, assets and un-derstanding of foreign policies. Broadly speaking the meeting realised the need to enhance the existing poli-cies and procedures for consistency, greater coordina-tion and collaboration nationally as a resource for Rotary Clubs in collating and distributing valuable and usable donated goods for use in their local and off shore com-munity programs.
A new position of National Manager was seen as being important to the future of DIK and PDG Keith Roffey was appointed and accepted this role. Along with Keith, each Regional Chair has willingly accepted the chal-lenge in reviewing various aspects of DIK with the main focus being to fur-ther establish and upgrade existing procedures as re-quired by todays ever changing needs.
The meeting attendees have every confidence that the outcome will strategically reposition Donations In Kind to be a greater resource for all Rotary Clubs in providing knowledge and expertise to what has become a rather complicated process in the transportation of these goods.
Clubs can now expect to hear more on how DIK can assist them with a stream-lined process in achieving their goals. For more information contact Eastern Region DIK co-ordinatoer Miriam Jacka or National Manger PDG Keith Roffey [email protected]
Saturday Afternoon will feature great speakers talking about inspiring RAWCS projects. If you have an interest in learning more about overseas human-itarian work come along and see what other Rotari-ans and their Clubs are doing.
The line up is as follows:
Cambodia Vision Project
Teams of professionals travel to Cambodia annual-ly to carry out cataract operations to restore sight for the poor people of Cambodia.
Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Liverpool West
Alive Medical Services, Uganda Alive Medical services offers free compassionate, comprehensive care to over 11,000 HIV+ clients in Kampala.
Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Woy Woy
Low Power Consuming Computers Sustainable computers operating on 12 volts & so-lar power for schools without power supply. Work-ing with TAFE NSW.
Sponsored by the Rotary Club of North Ryde
Ranfurly Book-Aid Pallets of books are sent to schools & libraries for RAWCS projects and other organisations in Pacific Region.
RAWCS will require all overseas volunteers aged over 18 years 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.
making childbirth safe Maternity Africa is a locally registered non-profit charity in Tanzania and Ethiopia. It was founded in both coun-tries to help fill gaps in local maternity health care infra-structures, primarily with the aim to prevent obstetric fis-tula but also to prevent wom-en and their children dying in labour.
What is obstetric fistula? About one in 20 women any-where in the world will suffer obstructed labour during the delivery of their child - simp-ly, the baby is too large or the mother too small for a normal birth to occur. This can be easily recognised in labour and the labouring woman can receive medical help to assist the birth or sometimes have a caesarean section. However, in the de-veloping world most women do not have access to such medical help and they can re-main in labour at home for days. Often she will die, but if she survives, the child inside her almost always dies and eventually she will expel her dead fetus. During the long labour the tissues of her bladder, rectum and birth canal are severely damaged, die, and slough away leaving a large hole or fistula, between the bladder and birth canal and sometimes also the rectum and birth canal too. She will be leaking urine and faeces continually. Shame, divorce, be-coming an outcast, depression and even suicide result.
What Maternity Africa does - we * Provide treatment of obstetric fistula - free for obstetric fistula patients in Tanzania. * Support fistula services and train fistula surgeons in Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, Ethiopia, Madagascar and Sierra Leone.
Prevention of obstetric fistula Prevention is achievable as is evident in the developed world. Obstetric fistula used to be common in America and Europe until all women had access to medical help in labour when needed. Prevention of this condition requires there are adequate health professionals, health facilities and reasonable access to them
There is an enormous need for volunteer midwives and obstetricians to come and help on the ground. If you are interested in helping in this way. Please contact Dr. Andrew Browning (Honorary member Kincumber Rotary) [email protected] Or Dr. Grace Maano (Rotary e-club of Greater Sydney) [email protected]
Save the Date We hope to see you at our November RAWCS meeting Date: November 2014 Venue: Leura, Blue Mountains, Host District: D9685
making smiles possible Slightly larger than Tasmania, Bangladesh is a developing country with 140 million peo-ple. Lack of education, knowledge and resources are the primary rea-sons why basic plastic surgical patients like cleft lip palate, burn reconstruction and hand injuries go untreated. Deformed facial structures keep children from attending school or adults from finding a job. “Aussi Bangla Smile” - a voluntary medical team performs surgical procedures free of charge for patients. Some adults but mostly children.
The first visit to Bangladesh was in October 2007. Further visits occurred in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014. Aim of visits:
To perform surgical procedures free of charge
for patients including cleft lip and palate, burns, hand deformities and injuries – totalling 80-100 patients per visit.
To enhance the
training of local sur-geons, anaesthetists and local nursing staff
