International Service with a Focus

Orphanages in Vietnam, Ukraine and Mexico; hospital equipment in Paraguay; support for victims of rape in The Congo; a school roof in Kathmandu; a limb clinic in Dhanbad India; water wells in Haiti; a school in Afghanistan. These are just a few of the international causes our club has supported in recent years. But if someone were to ask what is the main focus of international support for the Dundas Valley Sunrise Rotary Club we would not have an answer at this time. Today's presentation by Ralph Montesanto suggested that the club should continue supporting causes brought forward by its members but could also support a specific cause such as health/water or literacy/eduation that is within the scope offered by the Canadian Rotary Collaboration for International Development (CRCID), an organization that uses Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) funds combined with Rotary Club and Rotary Foundation monies. Programs must comply with the poverty reduction goals and objectives established by the government and administration of the host country and must address gender equality and environmental sustainability. Four host countries are in Africa: Kenya (water and sanitation in the Rift Valley); South Africa (support for orphans and their caregivers due to HIV/AIDS); Uganda (support families lead by a child whose parents have died from HIV/AIDS); Cameroon (training for poor regarding food production or vocational skills leading to self employment). Four host countries are in Central America: Honduras (health, education and literacy for children of the dump and the working poor); El Salvador (improving school facilities for the poor and ensuring the children get into school); Belize (using Canadian teachers to train a cohort of teachers who train their colleagues in Language Arts, Science and Math); Guatemala (building or renewing school infrastructure and providing teacher support along with food and water to assist the poor to be in school. Ralph closed by suggesting that CRCID is just one avenue the club could explore to arrive at a focus for the next few years of international service support.