Rotary Africa December 2017 - Website

ROTARY AFRICAEstablished 1927 • A member of the Rotary World Magazine Press • December 2017
www.rotaryafrica.com
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4 ♦ Rotary Africa ♦ December 2017
Editor Sarah van Heerden
Administration Sharon Robertson
Chairman Gerald Sieberhagen
Directors Greg Cryer
Andy Gray
Peter Hugo
Natty Moodley
Annemarie Mostert
Publisher Rotary in Africa
Reg. No. 71/04840/08
(incorp.associationnotfor
gain)
PBO No: 18/13/13/3091
RegisteredattheGPOasa
newspaper
Design & Layout Rotary in Africa
Printers Colour Planet, Pinetown
Advertising Sharon Robertson
Sarah van Heerden
Tariff card on request at
Subscriptions Sharon Robertson
(digital)
Contributions rotaryafrica@mweb.co.za
Distribution Rotary Districts 9210,
9211, 9212, 9220, 9350,
9370 and 9400
(Southern and Eastern
Africa)
Contact Rotary Africa
P.O. Box 563
Westville
3630
South Africa
Telephone 0027 (31) 267 1848
Fax 0027 (31) 267 1849
Email rotaryafrica@mweb.co.za
Website www.rotaryafrica.com
The Rotary Emblem, Rotary International, Rotary,
Rotary Club and Rotarian are trademarks of Rotary
International and are used under licence. The views
expressed herein are not necessarily those of Rotary
Africa,RotaryInternationalorTheRotaryFoundation.
MEET OUR TEAM
FromtheEditor
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Rotary Africa magazine on Facebook
It is nearly Christmas and once again, I am nowhere near
being mentally prepared for the onslaught of family, friends
and strategically placed toy advertisements.
However, I do love the Christmas season and am possibly one
of the few people who really does not mind when the decorations
go up early. Sure, in stores it might be to sell goods, but I prefer
to go against the grain of negativity and believe there are people
out there, such as myself, who see the decorations and feel a
little spark of excitement as they are reminded of the approaching
season.
What I love about it is that I have so many friends of other
religions who although they don’t celebrate it for religious reasons,
choose to celebrate Christmas in honour of the underlying
messages of humility, joy, peace and family.
It is a great time to take stock of the year gone by and to start to
dream of what the year ahead holds.
Here, I could launch my almost automatic reminder of those less
fortunate than us, but I don’t really think I need to. Instead, I want
to ask everyone to take note of the ugliness that is surfacing in our
communities and to spread some joy to counter it this Christmas.
What do I mean? Let’s be kind and lead by example. Kindness
and laughter are two of the most contagious things on the planet.
Let me give you an example.
The town I live in has a Facebook page and there has been
a lot of nasty negativity on the page. The community is divided
and often waging online wars. Eventually someone said, “enough!”
and posted an open invitation to the entire community to attend a
meeting at his home. About 12 people arrived. Twelve very different
people; of different races and religions and genders. We all sat
down, had coffee and biscuits and talked honestly and openly, as
we would around a camp fire, about contentious issues within the
community and our country.
It was a great evening and everyone learned a lot about each
other, but the most important thing that I realised there was that at
the root of most misunderstandings was unkindness. People tend
to get upset, generalise and use their ‘freedom of speech’. In doing
so, they don’t bother to speak kindly and as a result, the relevant
message they are trying to share is lost. You can share an issue
of importance or worry without causing offence, just speak kindly
and reasonably. If the person you are trying to share with does not
feel as if they are under attack or being blamed, they will listen and
probably agree. Don’t ridicule, don’t dismiss and never speak to
anyone as if you are better than them.
We all know the words you use and how you use them can hurt
but many people choose not to care. That is sad. So this Christmas,
why not undertake a mini peace project, invite a cross section of
people to have coffee and speak about various concerns as if you
are friends – kindly – and you know what? You will soon become
friendly.
I often think how brilliant it would be if we had an instrument
which could help people check their words before they speak them.
Imagine if we could measure everything we think, say or do…
Merry Christmas!

IAN RISELEY
President, Rotary International
Message from the
RI PRESIDENT
upfront
Speeches & news from RI President Ian Riseley
www.rotary.org/office-president
Dear Fellow Rotarians,
Seventy-two years ago, the United Nations was
founded “to save succeeding generations from the
scourge of war … [and] to practice tolerance and
live together in peace with one another as good
neighbours.” Despite those worthy aspirations and
generations of investment in achieving them, the
“scourge of war” is still with us: Last year, more than
102 000 people died in 49 armed conflicts around
the world. Some of those conflicts were in their
fifth decade or beyond. Terrorism, intolerance and
extremism; the refugee crisis and environmental
degradation are now global challenges.
Collectively, we seem further than ever from
achieving the goals that were set with such ambition
and optimism in 1945. Yet hope endures, as long as
there are people willing to work for a more peaceful
future – not only through their governments but also
beside them and beside each other. Today, Rotary is
better placed than ever to have a real and lasting impact
for peace: through our peace-focused programmes,
such as Rotary Peace Fellows, and through every area
of our service. Water, sanitation, health, education and
economic development are all interrelated and part of
the complex interactions that can lead to conflict – or
avert it. To best leverage our service in all these areas
and to maximise their impact for peace, it is essential
to understand these interactions and plan our service
accordingly.
For these reasons, we have scheduled a series of
six presidential peacebuilding conferences between
February and June in Canada, Lebanon, the UK,
Australia, Italy and the United States.These conferences
will focus not on peace but on peacebuilding: We will
share ways that we can work to build peace through
the service of our Rotary clubs and districts. Five of the
one-day conferences will illuminate the connections
between peace and another area of focus. The first
conference, in Vancouver, will explore the link between
peace and another sphere of great concern to us in
Rotary: environmental sustainability.
You can view the full schedule and register online at
www.rotary.org/presidential-conferences.
The goals are simple: to help Rotarians find new
ways to advance peace through their service, to learn
from experts and to strengthen our abilities to build
peace. It is my hope and belief that these conferences
will help us move closer to a more peaceful world,
through Rotary: Making a Difference.

The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the
ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in
particular, to encourage and foster:
First. The development of acquaintance as an
opportunity for service;
Second. High ethical standards in business and
professions; the recognition of the worthiness of
all useful occupations; and the dignifying of each
Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to serve
society;
Third. The application of the ideal of service in each
Rotarian’s personal, business, and community
life;
Fourth. The advancement of international
understanding, goodwill, and peace through a
world fellowship of business and professional
persons united in the ideal of service.
Of the things we think, say or do:
1) Is it the TRUTH?
2) Is it FAIR to all concerned?
3) Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER
FRIENDSHIPS?
4) Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
Object of Rotary
The Four-Way Test
what you should know
Paul Netzel
FOUNDATION TRUSTEE CHAIR
FOUNDATION TRUSTEE CHAIR’S
MESSAGE
Learn more about Rotary at:
www.rotary.org
ROTARY
Members:
1 236 554
Clubs:
35 533
ROTARACT
Members:
235 497
Clubs:
10 239
INTERACT
Members:
499 123
Clubs:
21 701
RCC
Members:
210 500
Corps:
9 452
ROTARY
AT A
GLANCEAs of 31 May
Share your ideas for new partnerships
with me at paul.netzel@rotary.org
This month my focus is on the purpose and power
of partnerships. We have a history of partnerships at
all levels of Rotary. We partner member to member,
club to club and district to district, all finding support
from the wide variety of The Rotary Foundation’s
programmes, projects and grants. How powerful this
continues to be!
But only in the last several decades have we paid
much attention to the idea of partnering with organisations
outside of Rotary. Most would agree this change led
to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, which has
accomplished so much through each partner sharing its
expertise and working together with a common purpose.
This public-private partnership for global health is on
the verge of eradicating an infectious disease affecting
humans for only the second time in history.
Simply put, partners agree to cooperate in advancing
mutual goals. In so doing, they accomplish much more
than one entity can alone. We now understand that to
maximise our impact, Rotary must establish innovative
partnerships, not just at all levels within our organisation,
but outside of Rotary as well.
Our second major partnership initiative was the Rotary
Peace Centres programme. In just over a decade, our
peace centres have trained more than 1 100 individuals.
Through this programme, Rotary Peace Fellows develop
the skills they need to serve as leaders and catalysts for
peace and conflict resolution both in their communities
and around the globe.
Thanks to the ongoing work of the Joint Committee on
Partnerships, which includes RI directors and Foundation
trustees, the number of Rotary partnerships continues to
grow. The Partnerships page at Rotary.org (see About
Rotary, then choose Partners) has a tremendous amount
of information. Please take a few minutes and explore
the page. Make sure to scroll all the way down to learn
more about the partners and – most importantly – how
your club or district can get involved.
As we head toward 2018 and consider which New
Year’s resolutions we will make, dream big about the
service opportunities waiting for us with our dedicated
partners.
Make 2018 the year to take advantage of all that
Rotary offers and see how much more productive and
effective we can be using the power of partnerships.
Best wishes to you for a very happy new year.

DINING OUT
2018 RI Convention
As one of the most multicultural cities in the world,
Toronto has almost as many cuisines as it does
languages. You’ll want to sample some of them
when you attend the 2018 Rotary International
Convention from 23 to 27 June.
There are great options for those who love Italian
food (Little Italy), Greek cuisine (Greektown), Indian
fare (Little India) and Chinese food (Chinatown). In
the Little Portugal neighbourhood, diners go to Alex
Rei dos Leitões for churrasco (grilled meat) or to Nova
Era Bakery for pastel de nata (egg custard tart). In
Koreatown, try Buk Chang Dong Soon Tofu, which
serves dishes based on the traditional Korean staple
sundubu jjigae (tofu stew). In Kensington Market,
Jumbo Empanadas has Chilean empanadas and
humitas (corn, onion and basil wrapped in corn leaves
and steamed).
Even the hamburger is getting creative makeovers in
Toronto. At Richmond Station, the Station Burger comes
in a milk bun with beet chutney. At the Burger’s Priest,
the Vatican City is a double cheeseburger between two
grilled cheese sandwiches.
And if you like your meal with a view, nothing beats
360 Restaurant, a revolving dining room that sits 1 151
feet above street level in the CN Tower.
Register for the convention by 15 December for the
best rate. Go to riconvention.org.

It is said that the most precious gift you can give is
time. When you give of your time, you give a little of
yourself and your life to someone else. Time in the
service of others is what defines all Rotarians.
This is especially true during the Christmas season
when so many of our members are involved in staging
some really large events.
For many months leading up to Christmas, our
members spend an enormous amount of time planning
and preparing spectacular celebrations to make many
people very happy. Many of our members give freely of
their time and service to bring joy and laughter to both
young and old.
As you may know, the definition of service is evolving
in Rotary and the long-standing focus on “attendance”
is being challenged by the realities of work and life that
demand our time and force us to prioritise our attention.
As our membership evolves with the ever changing
world in which we live and work, we need to be
responsive and flexible with how we define time and
service in Rotary.
For me, service can mean different things — some
participate on committees identifying the philanthropic
projects worthy of our support, while others come out
to our events and parties to lend a helping hand or take
part in sweat equity trips in faraway places.
There are dedicated members who just do the
many activities that make things happen at our clubs;
This December, don’t forget:
SPEND TIME HAVING FUN!PDG Andrew Jaeger, Rotary Coordinator, Zone 20A South
Christine, Daniel and I would like to thank everyone for their love, warmth, support and commitment to our
common goals.

such as finding great speakers for meetings, writing
articles, promoting our brand on social media, selling
tickets or organising fun fellowship events. There are
also those who promote the principles of Rotary in their
professions and vocations. All manner of service is
worthy and valuable.
The world needs Rotary, now more than ever before,
and our singular mission is to improve the lives of
people and to create a better world. In whatever way
you choose to serve Rotary, I sincerely thank you for
your on-going commitment to your community, your
club and our members.
In this special holiday season, I hope you take the
time to reflect on the many blessings of your life and the
privilege to be of service to others.
Having said this, December used to be Family
Month on the Rotary Calendar and although it has been
changed, it is still worth recognising and remembering
that Rotary is also about having fun. Despite all the
chaos in the world around us, it is fitting to celebrate
family in the festive season! Let us make giving time
to our families a priority this month and have as much
fun as we can. There is something magical about family
and the holidays.
Let us appreciate and enjoy our spouses and
children who play such a vital role in Rotary too. Rotary
clubs benefit immensely when they achieve a balanced
interaction between Rotarians and their families,
enhancing home lives and family interactions.
We are half way through the new Rotary year. We
look forward to the rest of the year and to achieving
great things together.
To everyone on holiday and going on holiday: Enjoy
yourselves and come back rejuvenated and refreshed.
Rest up – we have a fantastic six months yet to come!
To all Rotarians who are celebrating Christmas we
wish you a blessed and fulfilling festival and that the
true meaning of Christmas will fill your lives.
… Don’t forget to have fun!
I would like to conclude the year by paraphrasing our
founder Paul Harris who had the following profound
thoughts and wishes for Rotarians:
The rise or fall of civilisation will depend upon the thoughtfulness or the thoughtlessness of people.
The greatest thing that can happen to man or nation is to stimulate the individual or the national
thoughtfulness.
I am convinced that we shall find an acceptable way of spreading Rotary doctrines to every people.
I wish you all of the prosperity which your good deeds merit.
May all things you ought have be yours.
May your charities rank among your necessary expenditures.
May you not fall into the popular error of thinking that happiness is to be found in outdoing your
neighbours.
May it always be yours to look beneath the veneer of life to the solid substance which lies beneath.
May you be builders, not mere climbers.
May you be able to appraise life’s blessings at their real worth.
May you be free to act in accordance with the dictates of your own conscience and good judgement.
May you not be slaves to meaningless customs, social or otherwise.
May you shun the groove followers.
May you have vision to discern the right and health, strength and will to do it.

WONDERFUL LIFE
Foundation matters
By PDG Patrick Coleman: Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator Zone 20A South
THANKSTOOUREFFORTS,ITISA
During this time of year we have a series of holiday
traditions; in our home we have both Chanukah
candles and a Christmas tree. Our holiday traditions
also include special films that we both enjoy, such as
Fiddler On the Roof, Miracle on 34th Street,AChristmas
Carol, Die Hard (one of my choices), Desk Set (Sherry’s
favourite Spencer Tracy film) and my all-time favourite:
It’s A Wonderful Life.
George Bailey (James Stewart) dreams of seeing the
world and having a grand impact on it, but small-town
responsibilities keep him at home. The family business
struggles to stay afloat. Constant attacks by a power-
hungry tyrant (Lionel Barrymore as Henry Potter) “trap”
him in his small – but important – sphere of influence.
Pressures mount until George reaches the breaking point
and becomes convinced that the world would be better off
had he never existed.
After George wishes he had never been born, a friendly
angel (Clarence) is sent to earth to show George what that
world would have been like without him. Clarence escorts
George through that same town – now a dark place having
never felt his virtuous influence and under the control of a
cruel Henry Potter.
George starts to realise how many lives he has
impacted and how they would be different if he was never
there. Clarence tells George, “Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s
life touches so many other lives. When he isn’t around he
leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?”
In the end, George embraces the wonderful life he
nearly threw away and his brother, Harry (who is a war
hero), declares George “The richest man in town.”
Clarence’s final message is: “Remember, George: No
man is a failure who has friends.”
Rotarians spend hours, days, weeks, months and
even years “Doing Good In the World.” We are not paid in
monetary means and sometimes receive little more than a
smile for the efforts we make, but we still keep doing what
we do!
Non-Rotarians seldom understand why we do the
communityservicethatweachievethroughourpartnerships
with other Rotary clubs, The Rotary Foundation and other
local organisations, but we know what George Bailey did
not realise: Our world is better with our help that it would
be without it.
The Rotary Foundation is changing the world by
providing grants for projects and activities around the globe
and in your own backyard. Can you imagine a world without
Rotary’s initiative to eradicate Polio? Since 1985, Rotary
and its partners have helped reduce the number of cases
from 350 000 per year to 11 cases in 2017... ELEVEN!
An astonishing 2.5 BILLION children have been
immunised.
Disease results in misery, pain and poverty for millions
of people. That is why treating and preventing disease is so
important to us. Rotarians lead efforts to set up temporary
clinics, blood donation centres and training facilities in
underserved communities struggling with outbreaks and
health care access.
We design and build infrastructure that allows doctors,
patients and governments to work together. Our members
combat diseases and conditions like malaria, HIV/AIDS,
Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, diabetes and – of course –
polio.
Prevention is important, which is why we also focus
on health education and bringing people routine hearing,
vision and dental care.
Water is a key factor in health care: 23 million people
have clean water thanks to Rotary water projects and 21
million have access to sanitation and hygiene thanks to
Rotary projects.
RI President Ian Riseley chose “Making A Difference”
as our theme for this Rotary Year. I have seen remarkable
examples of this in my visits to various clubs and districts
since July and we are not quite halfway through the year.
There is so much more to do!
If you wonder what influence your efforts are having,
look around. We ARE “Making A Difference” in our world.
This is a better place… A better community because of
Rotarians. By the time you read this, I will have returned
from D9370 District Conference where I had the opportunity
to see and hear about exciting and remarkable activities
being accomplished.
The world is not perfect. There are still challenges. Bad
things still happen. Nevertheless, we are determined and
focused on serving our world-wide community by changing
lives, empowering people and “Making a Difference” in
communities – both locally and internationally.
Because of our efforts, we can enthusiastically exclaim:
“It’s A Wonderful Life!”
For all of my Jewish friends: Hanukkah Sameach!
For all of my Christian friends: Have an incredibly
Merry Christmas! For ALL of my friends: Have a
very Happy New Year’s Celebration!

LIZANNE’S TRIUMPH
In October, the Mike Strong Educational Trust
presented Lizanne van Eeden, a UNISA B Ed
graduate, with a certificate of recognition for
excellent performance while a recipient of an
educational bursary from the trust.
Lizanne’s bursary was awarded during the years
2015 to 2017 and she graduated in June 2017. The
trust is administered by four trustees who are members
of the Rotary Club of Westville (D9370). They are Andy
Gray (chairman), David Jenvey, Graham Theunissen
and Richard Fisher.
In a speech to the Rotary Club of Westville, Lizanne
outlined some of the challenges she had faced in the last
five years. The main task she had confronted was the
funding of tertiary studies, a task which was seriously
affected by her father’s ill health and resulting inability
to work. The Rotary Club of Durban was approached
with a request to help with her fees and clothes while
she was at high school.
After completing matric, Lizanne managed to
register at UNISA and got a few ad hoc jobs to help
with finances. She was able to complete her first and
second years of university before financial constraints
again threatened to halt her studies.
At this point she was referred to the Mike Strong
Educational Trust by John Johnston-Webber (of the
Rotary Club of Durban) and the trust, based on her
results and a needs assessment, agreed to assist her.
While at UNISA, Lizanne achieved some excellent
results with distinctions in many modules, including
mathematics, health education, multicultural education,
inclusive education, computer integration in class,
physical education and religious studies.
In her spare time, Lizanne specialised in junior
and senior cricket duties. She passed her level two
cricket umpiring exams and acted as a cricket umpire
in KwaZulu-Natal at weekends. During this time she
achieved four awards, one for being the best umpire
in the Women’s League in 2016/17. Lizanne has now
joined the teaching and sports coaching staff at Durban
Primary School.
Lizanne van Eeden (centre) surrounded by President Alex Wardle, (Rotary Club of Westville), Richard Fisher,
John Johnston-Webber, Dave Jenvey, Graham Theunissen and Andy Gray

In a nation challenged by high
unemployment and one of the
largest populations living with
HIV/AIDS in the world, PDG
Stella Dongo, along with Carolyn
Schrader of the Rotary Club of
Denver Mile High (D5450, USA), has
led the way in training, education
and hope to women and youth in
need.
The two women’s Rotary clubs
partnered in 2003 to start HIV/AIDS
education programmes in poor
Harare communities, funded by
Rotary Foundation grants. But when
the Rotarians surveyed programme
participants, they found that an even
more pressing need was job skills.
“The women we serve wanted to
find ways to put food on the table and
send their children to school,” said
Dongo, a recently retired business
executive and a 2015 Rotary Global
Woman of Action.
In 2009, Community Empowerment
in Zimbabwe was launched with a
$330 000 Rotary 3-H Grant to fund
four years of job and business skills
training for women and youth.
In 2014 the clubs received a Global
Grant to support advanced business
and computer training for women and
another Global Grant in 2016 helped
them expand their efforts in additional
communities.
Today, the group is equipped to train
about 500 women at a time. “When we
started the programme these women
were depressed and helpless,”
Dongo said. “Now they have a sense
of self-worth and pride. They see
themselves as being able to stand on
their own feet.”
– Anne Stein
Meet PDG Stella Dongo
of the Rotary Club of
Highlands (D9210)
WOMEN
GAIN SKILLS
AND
SELF-WORTH

Special report
Photos: Courtesy of Elle Photo (www.ellephoto.co.za)
Six months ago, horrific
wildfires destroyed parts of
Knysna, the Garden Route
and the Eastern Cape. As
images, reminiscent of war
zones and post-apocalyptic
movie scenes, emerged
online, thousands of well
wishers opened their hearts
and wallets to help the
victims. The Rotary Club
of Knysna (D9350) is one
of the organisations which
has been and remains
involved with fire relief
efforts and support.
Hope,
help &
healing

The Knysna Rotarians hit the ground running
and have been helping their fellow townfolk
since the disaster occurred. Funds collected
from Rotarians and friends at home and abroad
were sent to support the club’s fire relief
initiatives. The Rotary Club of Knysna is one of
many on-the-ground organisations assisting the
victims.
South African Rotary clubs and districts reacted
immediately with fundraising initiatives and donation
collections. Neighbouring clubs delivered food and
other supplies. District 9370 ran a campaign that
raised about R700 000 for the fire victims.
In its monthly update, the Rotary Club of Knysna
said “The response to our appeal for funding
continues to be encouraging and the disbursement
of the funds is being handled with the utmost
confidentiality and discernment.”
By 31 October more than R4 million had been
received by the club for its fire relief efforts and
nearly R3.2 million had been distributed. The club
had assessed 250 aid applications and 246 were
approved in principle. Another 35 applications that
were received in October were placed on a waiting
list and will be addressed when sufficient funding
is raised. Three business applications that were
received earlier were also placed on the waiting list
until funding is available.
Towards the end of October, the club received
an injection of funds from Rotary District 9370.
A portion of this will be used to counsel children
directly affected by the fires and the balance is being
used to provide assistance to 80 applicants from the
informal sectors of Concordia and Witlokasie.
Among the victims, the reactions to the
devastation was mixed. Most people were too
shocked to take it all in, some went into organised
mode and others “buried their heads in the sand”.
It will take a long time for everyone to recover from
the fires and the club will continue to do its best to
assist where and however it can. Sometimes all that
is needed is a compassionate ear or a hug.
The club still needs
help. Those who wish to
contribute may email one
of the following committee
members
President Doug Emanuel:
doug@ccxpe.co.za
Fire Relief Committee Chair, PP Mick Furman:
mfurman@telkomsa.net
Committee Admin, PP Sharon Richards:
sharryb@telkomsa.net

The help received
was not limited to
financial aid and
physical donations.
Volunteer, retired
and professional
firefighters and
emergency service
personnel rushed
to fly or drive to the
town. When they
were not working,
they slept in tents,
informal camps or
in their vehicles.
Many of them
initially worked
shifts of 30+ hours
to battle the blaze.
It was a story of
great sorrow which
inspired great
courage, service
and heroism.
Photos: Elle Photo

Unless you have had to abandon your home and flee for
your life, it is almost impossible to comprehend the effects
and long term impact that emotional trauma has on people
– especially children.
It became clear from the outset the trauma counselling on a
significant scale was necessary to help people, both young and
old, cope with what had happened to them and what they had
witnessed.
The club donated R37 500 to FAMSA to provide counselling
services to people who needed them. A donation of R54 600 was
given to the registered counselling provider, HERO (Heal, equip,
restore and optimise strengths). HERO, initially formed to help
families of children who died in a horrific bus accident in Knysna
in August 2011, was well placed to offer counselling services to
children affected by the fires.
HERO began group work intervention for children immediately
after the fire. It was evident that many children in Knysna, from
those who just had to evacuate under stressful conditions to
those whose homes were destroyed, damaged or lost roofs,
were traumatised and needed help coping with their experiences.
Of the 137 children who participated in group work, it was
estimated that about 25 of them would need further assistance
(individual sessions) and HERO asked the Rotary Club of
Knysna for help. The club provided initial funding of R15 000 for
this purpose.
In order to ascertain whether the figure of 25 was a realistic
estimate, six randomly chosen children whose houses had burnt
down were assessed during individual sessions. Of the six, only
three were coping well. It became clear that the number of children
who needed further counselling had been underestimated and
follow up work with most of the children at Thembalitsha, Chris
Nissen Schools and Concordia Primary Schools was necessary.
Fraaisig School was visited and 15 further children were identified
as being in need of counselling.
Other than the initial intervention from the Department of
Education, they had not been given the opportunity to express
themselves after their experience. Further funding would
allow HERO to do group work with these children and sustain
intervention for as long as necessary.
Following a second motivation from HERO, further funding of
R39 600 was granted to hopefully complete the counselling and
follow up processes. In addition to what was donated by District
9370, the Rotary Anns of Knysna funded all the drawing materials
required for the group and individual sessions. According to
HERO, these interventions have made a huge difference in the
lives of these young victims.
A few of the messages the Rotary
Club of Knysna received from
people it helped
“Wow, I am speechless! Thank you so
much. This is going to come in very handy
with rebuilding our house and aquaponics
system.”
“I really cannot thank you all enough or
express my deepest and sincerest gratitude
and appreciation for this gift. You have no
idea what this will do for and mean to my
children.”
Thank you, thank you, thank you from
the bottom of my heart. I am and will forever
be grateful. You guys truly have been angels
and it’s awesome to know there are such
caring people still in such a harsh world.”
“Hi, thanks so much really appreciate
this. Can’t believe we could be so lucky.”
“We would like to say thank you so much
to the Rotary club for all the help. It has
brought back some of our dignity. My family
is very grateful. May the Lord bless you and
your organisation. We just want to say thank
you very much.”
“Thank you. You have made my future so
much easier as I am now able to buy new
essentials. I just thank God that I live in this
wonderful town with all of you compassionate
and generous people. A special thanks to
Rotary and all the wonderful work you do. It
goes without saying that had circumstances
been different, I would’ve loved to have been
able to be the giver and not the receiver.”
“I honestly was not expecting this at all,
especially with all that has happened. Thank
you so much for this. I really do appreciate
it.”
“Wow! It took me some time to realise
what has happened to me. Anyway, thank
you very much for the two vouchers. I will
definitely make use of it and it is much
appreciated. I am still a bit in the dark of
how “home” will re-establish itself but I am
positive.”
THANK YOU Trauma counselling
HEALINGTHE
CHILDREN

As gentle rains fell on the town, a Unity March was held in the week after the fires. The march honoured the
firefighters for their dedication and bravery while fighting the fires. It was an emotional event for both the
participants and residents. Photo: www.ellephoto.co.za
Cooperation and a shared dream to ‘Build Back
Better’ are key ingredients as the Garden Route
recovers from the destruction caused by wildfires
that tore through the region.
That’s the message from Dr Hildegarde Fast,
chairperson of the Garden Route Rebuild Steering
Committee which is coordinating the Garden Route
Rebuild Initiative.
The Garden Route Rebuild Initiative was established
by the Premier of the Western Cape, Helen Zille, in
July 2017. It coordinates the many relief and rebuild
initiatives that sprang up almost overnight in the wake
of the fires and its steering committee – which meets
weekly – includes representatives of the province,
Eden District, Knysna and Bitou Municipalities, non-
government organisations and major private donors.
The committee’s stated purpose is to develop a
long-term strategy and a shared vision for the renewal
and rebuilding of the Garden Route’s economy. It will
coordinate all resources and efforts to achieve maximum
impact and monitor the progress of its seven work
streams (reconstruction, infrastructure, humanitarian
aid, funding and resources, skills development,
business support and environmental management).
Each work stream implements interventions specific
to its area of concern, while a project management
office (that reports to the Eden District, Knysna and
Bitou municipal managers) was established to support
and monitor the short and long-term projects.
The Garden Route Rebuild Initiative entered the
second phase of its work in October.
“From July to September we focussed on short-term
interventions to address areas of crisis like the risk of
mud-slides, dealing with the disposal of asbestos and
the need for a planning framework,” said Dr Fast.
“We’ve now secured bridging funding for
environmental projects, completed our asbestos and
air quality surveys in both Knysna and Bitou, finalised
various needs analyses, set up our project management
office and so on. We’ve begun a process of acquiring
information and ideas from businesses and members
of the public – which means that we’re now well on the
way to defining our shared vision for the future of the
Garden Route,” she said.
REBUILDING THE GARDEN ROUTE
Thank you to Elle Redman of Elle Photo (www.ellephoto.co.za) for donating
the use of her photos to Rotary Africa.

On 24 October, Rotary International hosted the fifth
World Polio Day event at the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation in Seattle. Global health experts and
celebrities shared Rotary’s progress on the road to
polio eradication and identified obstacles we still have
to overcome. This annual flagship event continues
to expand its reach worldwide and this year was no
exception. Here are some of the highlights:
• Rotarians registered a total of 3 428 World Polio
Day events in 102 countries at endpolio.org. That’s
twice as many as last year.
• The World Polio Day livestream received 149 648
views, a 49 percent increase over 2016’s viewership.
These views came from multiple platforms including
Facebook Live (142k) and YouTube (7.4k). It was
also available in all eight Rotary languages.
• World Polio Day content was shared via social
media by celebrities, Rotary polio ambassadors,
organisations and GPEI partners, who have a
combined cumulative reach of more than 16 million
viewers.
• There was significant media coverage as well with
stories in top outlets including CNBC, Forbes,
People Magazine, NPR, Voice of America,
UPROXX, KING 5 TV, Pakistan Today, India Today
and Global Moms Challenge.
• This year, online donations to End Polio Now
increased by nine percent from 2016, totalling more
than $335 000. Rotary received $105 000 in online
donations on World Polio Day itself, surpassing last
year’s one-day donations.
• Rotary increased social media reach by 38 percent
and engagements (actions taken on social media)
by 458 percent.
If you haven’t had an opportunity to view the livestream
event,watchitnow.Theprogrammeincludesaconversation
about current polio eradication efforts between Dr Jay
Wegner of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Time
science editor Jeffrey Kluger. Ade Adepitan recounted his
personal journey as a polio survivor and Rotarians from
around the world shared what polio eradication meant to
them. It’s an incredible 45-minute programme.
WorldPolioDay
From purple pinkies to online donations, the End
Polio movement gained momentum in 2017
Thousands of activities were undertaken to celebrate World Polio Day. One such activity was an awareness
campaign at Little Oaks Montessori School that was undertaken by the Rotary Club of Limbe (D9210).

WE CAN END POLIO! In 2011
Rukhsar Khatoon, was the last
child to be paralysed by polio
in India. The WHO South East
Asia Region was declared
polio-free in 2014, marking a
significant leap forward in global
eradication, with 80 percent of
the world’s population now living
in certified polio-free regions. The world can
be freed of the threat of polio - with everyone's
commitment, from parent to government worker
and political leader to the international community.
Polio was once a disease feared worldwide, striking suddenly and
paralysing mainly children for life. Rotary is a partner in the Global
Polio Eradication Initiative that has reduced polio by 99 percent. Polio
now survives only among the world’s poorest and most marginalised
communities, where it stalks the most vulnerable children. Facts
sourced from WHO - World Health Organisation 10Polio
facts
POLIO CONTINUES TO PARALYSE CHILDREN
While polio is a distant memory in most of the
world, the disease still exists in some places and
mainly affects children under five. One in 200
infections leads to irreversible paralysis (usually
in the legs). Among those paralysed, five to 10
percent die when their breathing muscles become
immobilised.
WE ARE 99 PERCENT OF THE WAY TO ENDING
POLIO When the Global Polio Eradication
Initiative was formed, more than 350 000
people were paralysed by polio each year.
The numbers have since decreased by more
than 99 percent and more than 16 million
people have been saved from paralysis.
JUST 3 COUNTRIES HAVE NEVER STOPPED
TRANSMISSION OF POLIO The three
countries, Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan,
face a range of challenges such as insecurity,
weak health systems and poor sanitation.
Polio can spread from these ‘endemic’
countries to infect children in other countries
with less-than-adequate vaccination.
UNLIKE MOST DISEASES, POLIO CAN BE
COMPLETELY ERADICATED There are three
strains of wild poliovirus, none of which can
survive for long periods outside of the human
body. If the virus cannot find an unvaccinated
person to infect, it will die out. Type two wild
poliovirus was eradicated in 1999 and cases
of type three wild poliovirus haven’t been found
anywhere in the world since 2012.
CHEAP AND EFFECTIVE VACCINES ARE
TO PREVENT POLIO There are two forms of
vaccine available to ward off polio - oral polio
vaccine (OPV) and inactivated polio vaccine
(IPV). Because OPV is an oral vaccine, it can
be administered by anyone, even volunteers.
One dose of OPV can cost as little as 14 US
cents.
POLIO ERADICATION IS THE LARGEST PUBLIC-
PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP FOR PUBLIC HEALTH In
fact, it is the largest-ever internationally-coordinated
public health effort in history. The Global Polio
Eradication Initiative is led by national governments
with five partners - WHO, Rotary International, the
US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), UNICEF and the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation. Underpinning the effort is a global network
of more than 20 million volunteers worldwide who have collectively
immunised nearly three billion children over the past 20 years.
LARGE-SCALE VACCINATION
ROUNDS HELP RAPIDLY BOOST
IMMUNITY The Global Polio
Eradication Initiative assists countries
in carrying out surveillance for polio
and large-scale vaccination rounds.
When India was still polio-endemic,
there were 640 000 vaccination booths,
2.3 million vaccinators, 200 million
doses of vaccine, 6.3 million ice packs,
191 million homes visited and 172 million children
immunised: all this in just one round of the national
immunisation days.
EVERY CHILD MUST BE VACCINATED
TO ERADICATE POLIO This includes
those living in the most remote and
underserved places on the planet. To
get each vaccine safely to children
everywhere, all manner of transport is
used – from donkeys to motorbikes to
helicopters – to reach those living in
remote areas, in conflict zones or difficult
terrain.
POLIO-FUNDED STAFF, STRATEGIES
AND RESOURCES ARE ALSO USED TO
ADVANCE OTHER HEALTH INITIATIVES
SUCH AS ROUTINE IMMUNISATION
Strategies to find and map every child
can be applied to other public health
initiatives such as routine immunisation.
While a vaccination team is in a remote
village, they can, for little additional cost,
provide other health interventions while they are
there. For example, vitamin A has been given
alongside polio campaigns. Since vitamin A gives a
general boost to immunity, it allows children to fend
off a range of infections and has averted more than
1.5 million deaths.

Children and Rotarians give polio
the purple finger!
Inspired by a similar project in District 1240 (UK), the Rotary
Club of Limbe (D9210) used the day to raise awareness
about polio eradication and fundraise for PolioPlus.
Children at several schools in Limbe and Blantyre
enthusiastically embraced the campaign and had their pinkie
fingernails painted purple to show their support. The painting
of the fingernail with indelible purple ink is a method used in
national immunisation days in polio endemic countries to help
the vaccination teams identify children who still need to receive
polio drops.
The Limbe club arranged for the school children to attend
school dressed in purple and purple fingernail on World Polio
Day. The club shared polio information with the children, many
of whom had not heard of the disease as Malawi has been polio-
free for many years.
“Rotary played a large role in eradicating polio in Malawi and
it is important that the upcoming generation know the efforts
Rotarians are making to eliminate polio throughout the world,”
explained President Mohamed Tayub.
The Rotarians arrived at work with a purple fingernail in an
effort to stimulate curious conversation. When asked why, they
shared information about polio eradication, vaccinations and the
work being done by Rotary with anyone who asked: “Why?”
Eve Blanchard, the daughter of Jason Blanchard (a member
of the Rotary Club of Limbe, D9210), celebrated World Polio
Day by sewing a purple bow tie and purple handbag. The
items were auctioned at the club’s weekly meeting and
raised approximately US$90 for PolioPlus. Mahesh Kotecha
(auctioneer) with PP Peter Barratt (whose bid won the purple
handbag), Eve Blanchard and President Mohamed Tayub.
In the last six years, the Rotary Club
of Claremont (D9350) has donated
R350 000 to PolioPlus. This year the
club donated another R100 000 to
the fund.
In order to help spread awareness about the
importance of vaccinations and polio eradication,
the Rotary Club of Haenertsburg (D9400) managed
an information stand at Tzaneen’s Lifestyle Centre.
Members of the public were told about Rotary’s
fight against polio. President Paddy Ansell and
Keith Patrick (above) were surprised at how
some parents were unsure of whether or not their
children had been vaccinated against polio. Adults
who visited the stand received a sugar lump with
a drop of gin on it, while children received a plain
one. The sugar lump treats were handed out as a
reminder of the importance of vaccinating against
polio.
Here are some links to great videos about Ending
Polio: www.facebook.com/EndPolioNow and www.
facebook.com/rotary/videos/10155448276624837/

The EarlyAct Club of St Catherine’s and the Rotary Club of Empangeni
(D9370) celebrated World Polio Day by raising funds for PolioPlus. The
EarlyActors sold End Polio Now stickers and raised R450, while the
Rotarians raised R800 at its social meeting that evening.
The Anns of the Rotary Club of
Potchefstroom Mooi (D9370) and the JB
Marks Local Municipality planted an oak
tree in the town’s historic Oak Lane on
World Polio Day. The tree replaces an old
oak tree that died and had to be removed.
The owner of the adjacent property
signed an undertaking to adopt and care
for the tree. Oak Lane was planted by
the Town Council of Potchefstroom in
1910 and stretches 6.84 kilometres from
the Agricultural College to Lakeside
Recreation Resort. The lane was declared
a national monument in 1977 and a stone
beacon with a bronze plaque was erected
on the corner of what are now, James
Moroka and Dr Beyers Naudé Avenues.
Planting the tree are Ann President Eloïse
Sauer, Mariëtte Botha, Thomas Muswede
(head of municipal parks and recreation)
and Sandra Mans.
The Rotary Clubs of Orkney and Klerksdorp (D9370) celebrated World Polio
Day and DG Wally Jacobs’ visit to their clubs by hosting a World’s Greatest
Meal to end polio event. At the dinner are President Herman Botha
(Orkney), President Martin Joubert (Klerksdorp) and DG Wally Jacobs.
The Rotary Club of Welkom Flamingo (D9370) hosted two awareness events on World Polio Day. One was at a mall where
posters were displayed, information sheets were distributed and donations were collected. At the second event, a swim-
a-thon, teams of four swam for three hours and each participant raised funds for PolioPlus by collecting sponsorships
before the event.

Rotarians in District 9350 have responded to RI
President Ian Riseley’s 1:1 tree planting challenge
with great enthusiasm. The initiative to plant one tree
for every Rotarian is supported and encouraged by
District Governor Lynette Stassen and the District
9350 Environmental Sustainability Committee.
Several clubs have taken up the challenge and at
last count 163 trees had been planted by the clubs.
There are approximately 1 200 Rotarians in D9350 and
the district is confident the challenge will be successfully
met.
In addition to being encouraged to plant trees, clubs
in D9350 have also been encouraged to undertake
other sustainable environmental projects. Should they
do so before 30 June 2018 the clubs will have achieved
two of the Humanitarian Service goals needed to qualify
for an RI Presidential Citation.
Challenge...
ACCEPTED!
The Rotary Club of Plettenberg Bay decided to plant
a tree for each member of the club before the end of
summer. The Rotarians felt that planting trees is a ‘Good
Thing to Do’ at any time but is an especially ‘Good Thing
to Do’ after the recent fires that ravaged the area.
The first step was to find a place to plant the trees
where they would be cared for as the last thing the club
wanted was to find the trees dead within six months.
It was decided that the best place would be at the
Harkerville School, as they would be cared for.
Next the club needed to identify what type of trees to
plant; they needed to be indigenous species that would
grow well on the sunny playground.
Jean Sparg, a local tree expert, chose the
most suitable tree species (Essenhout, Wild Plum,
Yellowwood, Wit-Els and Tarchonanthus) and helped
plant them. Two Keurboom, which are the sprinters of
the tree world, were planted and should be well on their
way to ceiling height by the end of summer.
Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Pinelands visited
Oppie Koppie Crèche in Prince Alfred’s Hamlet, just
outside Ceres, to plant trees. The crèche is funded by
the Vuya Foundation and its chairperson, Mercia Isaacs,
and her staff helped the Rotarians and their families and
friends plant six trees. The adorable children were quick
to help and excitedly used their mini wheelbarrows to
help fill the holes with compost and soil.
The trees that the Rotary Club of Plettenberg Bay planted at Harkerville School will provide children with
shade for many years to come.

A Spekboom tree was planted for each of the 25 Rotarians of the Rotary Club of George. The trees were
donated by the Rotarians and their partners who planted them in an area of the George Botanical Gardens.
The Spekboom (Portulacaria afra) is an indigenous succulent that helps fight air pollution as it has the ability
to capture more than four tons of carbon per hectare!
Using a R40 000 grant it received from Nedbank,
the Rotary Club of Tygerberg purchased a digital
microscope and signage for Tygerberg Nature
Reserve.
The little children of Oppie Koppie used their plastic
wheelbarrows and spades to help the Rotarians of
the Rotary Club of Pinelands plant the trees.

By Carol Stier
An agreement between Rotary districts in South
Africa and the Department of Basic Education has
been signed to help promote reading throughout
the country in the next two years.
Under the agreement, the 204 Rotary clubs in
Districts 9350, 9370 and 9400 will be asked to participate
in at least one literacy project at a public early childhood
development centre, primary or secondary school of
their choice in each of the next two years.
“We need to ensure that South Africa becomes
a reading nation,” Minister of Basic Education Angie
Motshekga said at the launch of the Read-to-Lead
partnership.
Getting young people to read and write for school,
leisure and work is critical to the development of the
country’s social fabric. “It is my ardent wish to ensure
that every school ‘puts a book in every child’s hands’ so
that we accomplish the national goal: ‘A Reading Nation
is a Leading Nation’.”
The projects may include collecting and donating
books, building school libraries, donating trolley libraries
or reading corners, establishing and sustaining reading
clubs, supporting in-school literacy interventions,
holding community readathons or “booknics”, or
supporting International Literacy Day and World Book
Day activities.
“Reading is the art of opening your mind and if
Rotary can help people to open their minds to dream
about what they can do, they will be getting on with life
so much better,” said Jankees Sligcher, governor of
District 9400, who attended the launch at the Rotary
Humanitarian Distribution Centre in Bedfordview.
In terms of the agreement, Rotary will also donate
learning and reading resources from the Humanitarian
Distribution Centre and the literacy project, conducted
by the Rotary Clubs of Middelburg, (D9440) and
Grand Bend (D6330, Canada), to the department for
distribution to public schools throughout the country.
“Working together to inspire our youth to read, Rotary
and the Department of Basic Education are creating
exceptional future leaders and making an even bigger
difference,” said Lynette Stassen, governor of D9350.
“In keeping with Rotary’s area of focus of supporting
education, we are thrilled to be involved with this
programme,” said DG Wally Jacobs of D9370.
In return for Rotary’s help, the department will allow
Rotary to use its logo and the Read-to-Lead logo on
projects associated with the programme and will also
Districts sign up to help South Africans
READ-TO-LEAD
Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga pages through one of the many thousands of books available
to schools at the Rotary Humanitarian Distribution Centre. With her are the centre’s chair, PDG Shirley
Downie, Zone 20A Assistant Public Image Coordinator, Steve du Plessis and DG Jankees Sligcher.

provide a list of the public schools in
need of library resources.
It will also “sensitise” its private
business partners to the agreement
and possibly inspire joint ventures to
extend the reach of literacy initiatives.
The basic education department will
do the same with other provincial
education departments to help clubs
and districts access schools chosen
to receive support.
The district governors will regularly
report back to the department on the
projects undertaken by the clubs in
their districts.
At the launch, volunteers filled
42 boxes destined for 21 schools
with a selection of books from the
Humanitarian Distribution Centre.
Motshekga said the four-year long
Read-to Lead campaign, which began
in 2015, was a national response to
national, regional and international
studies. The findings of these studies
revealed that South African children
could not read at expected levels or
execute tasks demonstrating key
skills associated with literacy.
“Our ultimate objective is to ensure
that by 2019 all learners are able to
demonstrate age appropriate levels of
reading,” she said.
The campaign sought to provide
energy, direction and inspiration
across all levels of the education
system and beyond, including in
homes, churches and malls.
“We are encouraging schools,
families and communities to make
reading a regular and established part
of their daily routine.”
Motshekga said there were many
benefits to reading as a foundational
skill: Literate parents are more likely to
send their children to school, literate
people are better able to access
continuing educational opportunities
and literate societies are better geared
to meet developmental agenda.
The United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Council
(Unesco) declared literacy a human
right, a tool of personal empowerment
and a means for social and human
development, she added.
“Literacy is at the heart of basic
education for all and essential for
eradicating poverty, reducing child
mortality, curbing population growth,
achieving gender equality and
ensuring sustainable development,
peace and democracy. A good quality
basic education equips learners
with literacy skills for life and further
learning.”
Motshekga said the department was already steering the formation of
reading clubs, spelling bee projects and a book flood campaign.
In conjunction with its partners in business and society, it had also
already provided more than 5 000 school with library facilities, library
resources, reading materials, trolley libraries and digital resources. It had
also trained 200 library assistants by November 2016 and was promoting
the campaign on digital platforms.
“We welcome this partnership. We are assured that many learners
will benefit from our collective efforts in supporting schools, as it will
play a crucial role in improving learners’ reading ability,” said Rotary
Humanitarian Distribution Centre chair Shirley Downie.
During her visit to the centre, Motshekga said she had not realised the
kind of work Rotary was doing.
“I thought it would be just a few books, only to find numerous containers
of books. This is a great initiative and I will be placing an order because I
have promised books to so many schools,” she told the Bedfordview and
Edenvale News.
Steve du Plessis, Zone 20A Assistant Public Image Coordinator,
(right) shows Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga some
of the piles of books waiting to be unpacked from a container at the
Humanitarian Centre.
Volunteers help pack books into 42 boxes destined for 21 public
schools to give them a sample of the resources available at the
Rotary Humanitarian Distribution Centre in Bedfordview.
projects

By Peter Kasango
Two back-to-back water, sanitation and hygiene
projects have given the people of Buffujja and
Naluhonjohe a chance at a healthier life. The projects
were coordinated by the Rotary Clubs of Bweyogerere
Namboole (D9211, Uganda) and Bellingham (D5050,
USA). The grants used to fund the projects were
provided by the Bellingham club, District 5050, and
the Rotary Foundation.
The Buffujja Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Project
was developed in response to persistent flooding of the
Manafe River in Butalejja District. The flooding destroyed
gardens, affected food production and cash crops. An
already problematic sanitation situation worsened, as the
floods caused toilets to overflow and contaminated the
river water with human waste. This filthy water pooled in
the open water sources used by the village of Buffujja and
its surrounding communities.
A number of diseases, such as Cholera and diarrhoea
began to appear. More than 80 percent of illnesses
within the community were linked to the poor water and
sanitation conditions. More than 90 percent of the area’s
residents lacked access to safe drinking water and more
than 80 percent of them lacked access to adequate
sanitation facilities.
Trees were uprooted and erosion increased. This in
turn made each flood worse and firewood became scarce.
Education also suffered as absenteeism increased due to
illness and more time being needed to find and acquire
safe water.
Following a comprehensive community-needs impact
assessment, the Rotary Club of Bweyogerere Namboole
developed an Adopt-A-Village project for the area. The
project had four components; water and sanitation, health
care, education and alternative income generation.
The water and sanitation component, which
had objectives that intersected with the other three
components, received overwhelming support. Advice
from Uganda Water Rotary Plus, an action group
of WASRAG, concurred with the findings of the
community needs assessments and led to a water and
sanitation project being undertaken. The Buffujja Water,
Sanitation and Hygiene project was listed online in the
WASRAG project database and discovered by the
Rotary Club of Bellingham. After a series of due-diligence
conversations, both clubs agreed to move forward and
seek the necessary grant funding.
In September 2014, the Rotary Foundation approved
the Buffujja Sanitation and Hygiene project, which was
valued at nearly US$36 000. The beneficiaries of these
deliverables included the village of Buffujja and six
adjacent communities. Its deliverables included:
• The provision of clean drinking water, hygiene and
A RETURN
TO HEALTH
sanitation facilities
• Health, hygiene and sanitation education and
awareness
• The provision of energy-saving stoves to eliminate in-
home air pollution
• The construction of three eco-system toilets
• The distribution of reusable sanitary pads to
community women and school children
• Education and follow up support to ensure the
project’s sustainability.
The success of this project attracted the attention
of many people from other villages, some as far as
10 kilometres away, as there were only three clean-
water stations in the greater area.
During the post-project evaluations, it was evident
that the village of Buffujja and its nearby communities
were starting to struggle under the burden of residents
from outlying communities trekking great distances to
access their safe water supply.
Before the project was implemented, the
community was forced to collect water from pools
contaminated with human waste as a result of
frequent flooding.
The community receives continuous post-project
training to ensure the project’s sustainability.

Now the
community
collects clean
water from one
of the water
stations.
It was decided that the best solution would be to
implement the same project in neighbouring areas.
This prompted the birth of the Naluhonjohe Water,
Sanitation and Hygiene project which followed the
same model and deliverables as the Buffujja project.
The implementation of this second project is ongoing
and has already generated great excitement in the
communities. So far, the water stations have been
installed and are up and running, while the construction
of the eco-recycling toilets is about 75 percent
complete. The construction of energy-saving stoves
has begun and distribution of the re-usable menstrual
pads is underway. Community leadership and end-user
training is also in process. The project is on target to be
completed in January 2018.
Overall, the project has resulted in the communities’
strengthened ability to develop and maintain sustainable
water and sanitation systems. It has also provided
supporting programmes that enhance community
awareness of the benefits of clean water, sanitation and
hygiene.
The entire community enthusiastically united to
support the project’s sustainability and have embraced
it as part of daily life. The community leadership has
fully embraced the project and is gainfully managing the
minimal user fees to sustain the water supply.
Responsibility for the project has been gradually
shifting from the Bweyogerere Namboole club to the
community leadership who will be ultimately responsible
for its sustainability. Likewise, ownership of all
equipment and related documentation has been passed
to the community water committee. This committee,
which received training, has already demonstrated its
capacity to manage, maintain and repair the equipment
to ensure the equipment’s and system’s sustainability.
The outcomes of these two projects have been
impressive. Women are no longer stressed and
exhausted from trying to find drinkable water and young
girls are no longer exposed to predators during their
searches for safe water. Education has improved with
attendance increasing by 40 percent and a 50 percent
increase in academic performance during final exams.
Residents have experienced fewer health complaints
and fewer children suffer from water related illnesses.
Along the way we (the Rotarians of the Rotary
Clubs of Bweyogerere Namboole and Bellingham,
Rotaractors and the people of the Buffujja, Naluhonjohe
and surrounding communities) have learned that when
we are inspired to work together there is no problem
bigger than we are!
The water stations are now “centres of health” in
these communities. Previously, people were afraid to go
for medical treatment as they were told to stop drinking
water from flood-contaminated open sources – their
only sources of water.
The Ugandan Government’s National Water
and Sewerage Corporation assisted with permits,
contributed its expertise to the project’s construction
and allowed connections to an existing municipal clean-
water system.
Just as The Rotary Foundation work has helped
save millions of lives around the globe, it has also
transformed the perceptions of the many Rotarians
involved in the Buffujja and Naluhonjohe projects who
were galvanised and energised by its support.
When Arch Klumph announced his vision of creating
an endowment fund “for the purpose of doing good
in the world,” never could he have imagined just how
much “good” his idea would ultimately accomplish. A
century later, The Rotary Foundation continues to touch
people’s lives every minute of every day of every year.
It’s true: The sun never sets on the work of the
Rotary Foundation.
Rotaractors participating in the project.

By Donovan Barton-Hobbs
Soon after moving to Underberg and joining the
Rotary Satellite Club of Kwa Sani (a satellite of the
Rotary Club of Durban North, D9370), I was keen
to get involved in my new community as best as
I could.
Aware of the successful Bicycles for Africa project
(run by my former club, the Rotary Club of Empangeni),
I approached it for a donation of 20 bicycles for a project
in KwaSani.
The Empangeni club very kindly donated 20 bicycles
for our project and wanting to continue with their idea of
assisting children in getting to school, we approached a
local government primary school with the idea.
There, we met a most dedicated educator by the
name of Brenda Mingay, who immediately confirmed
a great need for this type of assistance. Although the
school is just outside Himeville, it services quite a big
rural area with no formal bus routes. Parents from
further away are forced to pay high taxi fares or let their
children walk to school.
Brenda bought into this project and immediately
identified the neediest learners. She sent those parents
a letter, firstly requesting permission to loan their child
a bicycle and also asking those parents to accept
responsibility for the upkeep of that bicycle. All but three
families agreed to the conditions attached to the loan
of the bicycle. The three which declined did so as they
were not comfortable with their children riding to school.
In any event, those three bicycles were reallocated to
the next three needy learners.
A few of the Rotarians loaded the bicycles and took
them to Goxhill school where they met Brenda and a
group of very excited learners.
We also took along two “trainers” to assist learners
but aside from two or three of the children, all of the
others had clearly ridden before and appeared quite
comfortable while riding.
In an effort to ensure that this is a sustainable
project, I have agreed to go out to the school once a
week to attend to any problems with the bicycles, such
as punctures and adjustments. I will also ensure that
the owner of the bicycle assists me with the repairs and
learns how to maintain their bicycle without outside help.
Brenda has also undertaken to keep a small amount of
money available to replace worn out components.
With the buy-in from Brenda and the regular visits
to maintain the bikes, I am confident that our club has
made a sustainable difference to some of the neediest
in the community.
NO MORE LONG WALKS
Most of the children had previous cycling experience. Trainers were provided and helped the children gain
confidence and learn the basic rules of the road.

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More than half a million rand has been invested in
entrepreneurship thanks to a donation the Rotary
Club of Wynberg (D9350) made to the Learn to Earn
Ground UP Barista Academy.
The funding was realised through partnerships with
the Rotary Foundation, the Rotary Club of Tavistock
Devon (D1175, United Kingdom), District 9350 and the
Rotary Club of Wynberg. The portion of the funds will
train 26 unemployed adults with basic barista skills. The
eight-week Ground UP barista course focuses not only
on the core barista skill but also holistic development
through the Learn to Earn Life Skills programme, which
includes a job readiness module.
The remainder of the donation will provide for two
trailers to be professionally equipped with industrial
coffee machines, grinders and point of sale equipment.
The trailers will be operated by Ground UP Barista
graduates who are part of Learn to Earn E³ programme.
President Rob Murphy (Wynberg) and Past President
Catherine Bailey (Tavistock) presented the cheque to
Roché van Wyk, who is a director of Learn to Earn. The
project was driven by the collective efforts of Rotarians
Jackie James of Rotary Wynberg and Catherine Bailey,
who worked on the project for over a year.
Zolani Mayile, a Ground UP Academy graduate, is
currently in his second year in Learn to Earn’s three-
year E³ programme (Enterprise Enabling Environment).
While part of the programme, Zolani is being mentored
in business skills and applying what he learns while
operating a Ground UP Mobile trailer. Graduates who
are accepted into the programme begin work at the
‘flagship’ trailer at Rondebosch Boys High. Once they
have completed that, they move on to manage their
own units.
entrepreneurial boost

By Irene Kotze
On World Sight Day, 12 October, the Rotary E-Club of
South Africa One (D9370) visited the McCord’s Eye
Hospital. The day, which is observed during World
Sight Week, is a global event that focuses on bringing
attention to blindness and vision impairment.
Having received spectacles from our member
Charmaine Wheatley and her friends in Australia,
President Gerald Sieberhagen and I visited the hospital
to present a donation of more than 60 spectacles for its
most needy patients.
When we walked into the eye clinic, we were shocked
to see the number of patients who were waiting patiently
to be seen by two optometrists.
We were told that those who need corrective glasses
have to pay R210 for a pair of glasses, which is a lot
of money if you consider that the old age grant is only
R1 600 a month. Our donation was welcomed by the two
optometrists and the hospital’s public relations officer.
McCord Eye Hospital is a former Semi Private Hospital
that was taken over by the Department of Health in
February 2014 when the funding it received from various
sources, mainly the USA, began to run out. This hospital
was originally opened in 1909 by Dr James McCord and
his wife, Margaret, who had come to South Africa from
the USA.
McCords Eye Hospital’s public relations manager, Rosemary Mbatha,
Past President Irene Kotze and optometrist Khanyisile Mposula with
some of the spectacles and cleaning cloths.
GIFTS
FROM
DOWN
UNDER
An Early Education Development project that was
jointly undertaken by 15 Rotary clubs and their
districts has been training pre-school educators in
Port Elizabeth.
The graduates were trained at Early Inspiration, the
cooperating organisation and training service providers,
and passed their National Qualifications Framework
(NQF) Level 2 and NQF Level 4 courses. Rotarians
assisted during the training and the graduates are now
fully equipped to provide the crucial stimulation, structures,
programmes and activities that pre-schoolers require.
The steering committee consisted of members of the
four Port Elizabeth-based Rotary clubs; the Rotary Clubs
of Algoa Bay, Port Elizabeth Sunrise, Port Elizabeth and
Port Elizabeth West. This is the first time that so many
of the Port Elizabeth clubs have jointly undertaken a
Global Grant project. Each club was required to source
an international partner and some clubs sourced more
than one. Although none of its clubs were involved in the
project, District 7570 (USA) joined the partnership and
contributed District Designated Funds.
Early this year, cash donations were made to the
project by Rotarians who were visiting the area from the
USA. These donations, made in addition to their formal
Global Grant support, helped finance the signage erected
to acknowledge the partners and sponsors.
Jointearlyeducationproject

Two and a half years ago, the Rotary Club of Benoni
Van Ryn (D9400) was introduced to Hippo Rollers.
The simple device, essentially a plastic water barrel
with a handle that allows it to roll, was designed for
people in impoverished communities to use to transport
90 litres (as opposed to 20 litres in a bucket) of water
at a time.
The Rotarians recognised the potential of using the
roller in water and sanitation projects and formed a
partnership with the Rotary Clubs of Gibsons (D5040,
Canada) and Warmbaths (D9400) to apply for a grant
from The Rotary Foundation.
The Rotary Club of Warmbaths identified Vingerkraal
Village, some 45 kilometres to the west of Bela Bela, as
being in need of assistance with water distribution.
Although the grant application was declined, the
three clubs, with Rotarian Robin Bath (Benoni Van Ryn)
as project leader, decided to go ahead with the project.
Robin Bath and Drummond Hammond (Warmbaths)
held discussions with the village committee to confirm
their need and to advise of the plan to deploy the water
rollers.
The Rotary Club of Gibsons received financial
assistance from donors in the USA and raised R310 800
to fund the purchase of 148 Hippo Rollers – enough for
one roller to be shared by every two households in the
village.
Once the arrangements were finalised, the locally
produced Hippo Rollers were delivered to Vingerkraal
by a team from the factory.
The Rotarians were present for the delivery of the Hippo Rollers to the Vingerkraal community.
People from the community with the new Hippo Rollers that will make it a lot easier to transport safe water to
their home and vegetable gardens.
WATER SOLUTION FOR COMMUNITY

A Vocational Training Team exchange between Districts 9350 and 2000
in 2014 resulted in a partnership (between two South African, two
Swiss Rotary clubs and The Rotary Foundation) to further train school
principals in Early Childhood Development (ECD).
During the VTT exchange, Lesley Satchel (of the Rotary Club of Knysna,
D9350) led a team of five township pre-school teachers to four Rotary clubs
near Zurich. Two of the Swiss clubs were interested in continuing their
By Merasha Moodley
Elizabeth Hardwick, a prominent American novelist
and short-story writer, once said: “The greatest gift
is a passion for reading.”
The Rotary Anns of the Rotary Club of Chatsworth
(D9370) believe that today’s readers are tomorrow’s
leaders. As they are passionate about youth
development, the Anns often undertake projects that
contribute tremendously towards skills development
among the youth in their community. When the Anns
heard of the derelict state of the Montford Primary
FROM SWITZERLAND
A VTT three years ago resulted in a project which provided specialised
training to educators in Knysna.
involvement and initiated an extra
return programme to D9350.
The training took place at the
new KET Model Pre-school in
Khayalethu, Knysna. The pre-school
was established a year ago as the
result of a Global Grant with Rotary
clubs in Canada. Lesley Satchel and
Louise Pannell of the Rotary Club of
Knysna coordinated the Knysna part
of the programme. Rotarian Christa
Seiler of the Rotary Club of Zurich-
Kusnacht (D2000) accompanied the
trainers on the tour.
The trainers, Christa Juzi
(language), Miriam Wenk (gross
and fine motor development) and
Emanuel Imfeld (maths), spent a
week with 10 pre-school principals
and helped them enhance their ECD
skills and knowledge. They were
very impressed with the enthusiasm
of the principals and had to expand
their original programme due to the
fact that the local principals were
very proficient.
At the end of the week, certificates
were awarded to all attendees in a
moving ceremony during which the
recipients surprised their benefactors
with beautiful songs of appreciation.
Giving the greatest gift
School library, as an infestation of wood borer resulted
in many of the library’s books being burnt, they
immediately embarked on a refurbishment project.
Thanks to their hard work and the support of the
Rotarians and corporate sponsors (Krish Moodley of AK
Properties, Toshi and Sharmla Pather of PC Net, House
of Paint Umgeni and NSG Attorneys), the library was
fully refurbished. It now has 150 new books, 30 chairs,
eight ottomans, a clock, tablecloths, a computer and
printer as well as informative posters and innovative
decals. It was also repainted and tiled.

Since its inception on 5 October 1994, International
Teachers’ Day has celebrated the role and impact of
educators on their students and learners. This year,
the Rotary Club of Jeffreys Bay (D9370) hosted 12
educators of the St Alban’s Correctional Services.
A relationship between the two groups began in late
2016 when a UNISAstudent, Rotarian Jacqui Pirzenthal,
was invited to attend an open day and workshop by
professor Eduard Fourie of UNISA. Jacqui Pirzenthal,
who is a student in the Department of Psychology, is
studying towards her MA degree. Her current working
title is Old and Incarcerated: the needs of the elderly
offender and ex-offender. Jax, as she is affectionately
known among her colleagues, forms part of the Inside-
Out project and is also credited for being the face of
Inside-Out in Jeffreys Bay and Port Elizabeth.As a result
of her tremendous work, the Rotary club invested in the
Inside-Out Outside-In Books project. With the support
of the organisation, almost 900 books were gathered
and donated to the St Albans education centres.
To honour the educators of St Albans, the Rotary
Club of Jeffreys Bay invited them to the charming
beach town. The educators participated in a seminar
about recognising and attending to compassion fatigue
and burnout, presented by Rotarian and traumatologist,
Maryke Pretorius.
UNISA PhD candidate Mbongiseni Mdakane was
invited as guest speaker and gave a presentation,
focusing on the importance of educating incarcerated
individuals to elevate them both intellectually and
morally, in the hope of reducing the risk of them
returning to crime once their sentence ends. They left
with a new perspective on protecting their mental well-
being, as well as the far reaching effects and positive
change their efforts could result in.
They were then treated to lunch at the Marina Wharf
restaurant and a boat cruise through the canals of the
Marina Martinique. The group was also entertained by
local hip hop dance crew, The Flame Boyz, an ongoing
project supported by the club, recently reached the
semi-finals of SA’s Got Talent.
As CS Lewis said: “The task of the modern educator
is not to cut down jungles, but to irrigate deserts” and
the Rotary Club of Jeffreys Bay was honoured to
acknowledge and celebrate the efforts made by the
teachers of St Albans Correctional Services.
by Mbongiseni Mdakane and Jacqui Pirzenthal
The group from St Alban’s Correctional Services with The Flame Boyz and members of the Rotary Club of
Jeffreys Bay.
HERE TO ‘IRRIGATE DESERTS’

An excited group of children and members of the
Rotary Club of Pretoria East (D9400) set off for
the club’s 69th annual Meerhof trip to the Kruger
National Park (KNP). For Allen Joss, it was his 50th
trip with the children from the Meerhof School for
the Physically Disabled.
The visits to the Kruger National Park started in
1949 and the Rotary Club of Pretoria East took over the
responsibility for hosting the Meerhof School’s annual
trip since its charter in 1961. Allen Joss has been an
eager participant in these trips since 1967.
Each year it has become more difficult to raise the
funds to cover the ever-increasing cost of this trip. As
a result, this year’s KNP trip was in all likelihood the
last trip. Everyone was determined to be part of the
adventure and the group was slightly larger than those
of the past.
Allen invited a number of past staff members and
friends to join the adventure. Before leaving, the group
enjoyed an early breakfast at the school canteen. After
a short briefing and prayer by the Meerhof principal,
Rita Burgers, the group set off.
The group, which was subdivided into smaller
groups, soon got into the spirit of things and became
enthusiastic game spotters. For most of the learners,
this was their first trip to the Kruger National Park and
their excitement was infectious.
Nothing could dampen their spirits as they eagerly
participated in their tasks, including their rostered
chores, without complaining and were always quick to
help one another.
The days started with an early morning briefing
before breakfast, after which they were filled with
game viewing, interesting talks from the game rangers,
educational side trips, a visit to the Rhino Conservation
and on a very hot Thursday, an afternoon in the
swimming pool!
To commemorate Rotarian Allen Joss’s 50th trip and
to thank him for spending 50 years ensuring that the
school’s very deserving children could enjoy this life
changing experience, the Meerhof learners arranged a
special evening at the Cattle Baron Boma in Skukuza
to pay tribute to Allen. During the dinner each of the
groups and their assigned adult leader performed a
short show that was based on a music theme that they
had been given the day before. The learners thanked
the two mainstays of the trip over the years, Rotarian
Allen Joss and Christine Maré of the Meerhof School,
for their contribution to uplifting the lives of so many
children facing various personal challenges and giving
them an experience of a lifetime.
After they returned home, the Rotarians and
Anns were invited to a bitter-sweet celebration of the
completion of the final Meerhof trip to the Kruger National
Park. The school hosted the braai and honoured all the
individuals who played a part in the annual trip over the
years. Each person who participated in a trip received
a personalised certificate and Allen was also awarded
a certificate of appreciation from the club as well as a
memorial book on the KNP that was sourced from the
SAN Parks.
President Robin Jones with Mamma Paulinah (eight trips), Oom
Arseil (14 trips) and Principal Rita Burgers.
Allen Joss (50 trips) and Christine Maré
(31 trips) are two of the stalwarts who
have made this annual trip a special event
for so many children over the years.
BRILLIANT BUT BITTERSWEET TRIP
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Elderly people living with disabilities in Disana
ward in Maun, Botswana, received 14 wheelchairs
from the Rotary Club of Selebi Phikwe (D9400). The
club also donated 43 blankets to people in Khwai.
Speaking during the handing over ceremony of the
donation, the ecstatic Kgosi Rogers Matlhare of Disana
ward said the wheelchairs would improve the mobility
of the elderly. “This,” he said, “would improve their
lives and make it easier for them to interact with other
members of the community.”
Beauty Bogwasi, of Aglow Polokong Elderly Care,
said her organisation saw many people who were
immobilised either because of old age or as a result of
health complications. The non-profit organisation cares
for the elderly by providing them with daily meals and
keeping them company. She contacted the Rotary Club
of Selebi Phikwe to see if it could assist.
“We realised that most of the elderly people stayed
alone with no one to talk to and this is depressing as it
brings loneliness and boredom to their lives,” she said.
The mobility and independence these wheelchairs will
provide could help reduce the occurrence of depression.
Area councillor, Rizerua Kazenambom, praised the
club for transforming the lives of the beneficiaries. He
mentioned that in the past, people with disabilities were
chained and placed in the backyards, a situation that
was horrifying. However, thanks to organisations like
the Rotary club, the dignity of these people had been
restored.
Sandra Hughes, past president of the Rotary Club of
Selebi Phikwe, said they were happy to be active players
in the betterment of people’s lives. “Our mandate is to
give and be happy to give - this is why I am happy to
be a Rotarian.”
The Epilepsy SA (Knysna branch) team returned
home victorious leaving the Rotary Club of Knysna
(D9350) cricket players needing to up their game!
At the AGM of the Knysna branch of Epilepsy South
Africa, the annual cricket match between the Rotary
Club of Knysna and Epilepsy SA (Knysna) was
singled out as a calendar highlight for the non-profit
organisation’s residents. They look forward to this event
and start preparing for it months in advance.
So, it was no surprise that the Epilepsy SA team
emerged the victors of this year’s cricket match against
the Knysna Rotarians.
Great fun was had by all; spirits were high and the
joy on the faces of the winners was a sight to behold.
Each batsman faced eight balls and skill levels varied
from zero to hero. Even those with mobility constraints
took part. It was heart-warming to see these players
being carried to the crease by a fellow team member
or coach, to make their contribution to the team effort...
And contribute they did.
The post-match fellowship and festivities included a
braai and liquid refreshments prepared by the Epilepsy
SA catering staff.
GIVE AND BE HAPPY TO GIVE
Epilepsy team members Saloshini Chetty
and Sean Harris with the coveted trophy.
President Doug Emanuel presenting the trophy to Epilepsy team
Captain Moriah Brits.
LOSING’S AS GOOD AS WINNING

Concerned about the welfare and development of
children within their community, Rotarians of the
Rotary Club of Limbe (D9210) decided they needed
to take action.
The club partnered with the UK-based non-profit
organisation, Mary’s Meals as well as a number of other
Rotary clubs, to support the Malawian Government
Strategytofosterimprovedchildhealthanddevelopment
among vulnerable children in southern Malawi.
The clubs that partnered in the project were the
Rotary Clubs of Lunesdale and Kirkham and Rural
Fylde (D1190, United Kingdom).
The beneficiaries, 15 community-based childcare
centres, care for more than 3 000 children under the
age of six who attend these centres each day.
The project was designed to improve the learning
environment, health and educational outcomes of
children under the age of six. This will be done by
upgrading and refurbishing the centres and training
60 volunteer caregivers in ECD. It will also provide
educational and developmental resources, as well as
boreholes at two of the centres.
District Governor Larry Mapani recently visited the club project that is improving child health and
development among vulnerable children.
IT’S FOR THE CHILDREN
A pair of knitting needles, special cotton yarn
and the love and care of dedicated Rotary Anns
produced the Knitted Knocker. The Knitted Knocker
is a prosthesis for a person who has undergone a
mastectomy.
It was designed by the friend of an American woman
who’d had a mastectomy.The scaring made it impossible
for her to wear the conventional rubber prosthesis, so
her friend decided to knit a cotton prosthetic breast. And
so, the Knitted Knocker was born.
This project was introduced to South Africa three
years ago and adopted by the Rotary Anns’ Club of
Benoni Van Ryn (D9400). In 2016, they presented their
project at an Anns’ mini conference and two other clubs
(Springs Park and Boksburg Lake) also decided to knit
Knitted Knockers. A number of donations were also
received from other Anns in the district.
To date more than 300 knockers have been
distributed to the Charlotte Maxeke and Helen Joseph
Hospitals’ breast cancer units. A further 200 will be
delivered to the breast cancer unit at Baragwaneth
Hospital.
The breast cancer units were delighted to accept
the Knitted Knockers as many patients can’t afford the
rubber prosthesis. It costs just R50 to produce a Knitted
Knocker.
The Boksurg Lake Anns further developed this
project by collecting bras to be distributed with the
Knitted Knockers. The Anns of Benoni Van Ryn and
Springs Park assisted in collecting bras.
A SIMPLE SOLUTION FOR CANCER PATIENTS
Denise Jones,
Ann President Gill
Davey (Benoni Van
Ryn), Tikka Poplak,
Chris Bremner, Ann
Smith, Pam Els,
Ann President Linda
Stokes (Boksburg
Lake), Pam Daniell,
PDGA Elaine
Stathacopoulos and
Sue Midgeley.

An entire community has been bitten by the cycling
bug after, in a desperate bid to be self-sufficient, it
decided to capitalise on its only available resource
and create trails for nature lovers to enjoy.
The Sikhululekile community, which is based on a
state-owned farm, laid a selection of single track trails
for hiking, trail running, cycling and bird watching across
the area. These, and the 20 kilometre 4x4 trail, have
become popular with nature lovers who use them for
a small fee. While developing the trails, the community
came to enjoy cycling.
Slowly but surely, some of them have acquired
bicycles of their own to use on the trails. From toddlers
on their little plastic scooters to the teens and adults
on mountain bikes, the whole community has taken up
cycling.
The members of the Rotary Club of Empangeni
cycled from their hometown all the way to Grahamstown
for the district conference. Empangeni gave five of the
bicycles to the Rotary Club of Grahamstown Sunset
(D9370).
Once the bicycles had been serviced, the Rotary
Club of Grahamstown Sunset identified five teenagers
who had yet to obtain bicycles to receive the gift. The
club was delighted to be able to contribute to this
wonderful community venture, knowing that the five
bicycles would be treasured and cared for by their new
owners.
PASSIONATE ABOUT CYCLING
President Tim Dold with the five happy recipients Anele Peter, Siviwe Tokwe, Siphelo Mbekele, Noziqhamo
Nakele and Sinokhanyo Nakele.
The Sikhululekile community with all their bicycles and some of the toddlers on little scooters.

Keown Francis and Shannon Ambriele Chetty,
learners at Glenover Secondary School, were
sponsored by the Rotary Club of Chatsworth
(D9370) to participate in a week-long leadership
programme.
The leadership course is run by the Rotary Club of
Port Shepstone (D9370) and each year, the Chatsworth
club sends two learners to participate. President Eugene
Moodley said that developing leadership skills is of vital
importance. “We can all be good leaders by setting the
right example. Every day our thoughts, feelings, attitude
and actions influence those around us and as such, it is
important to influence others in a positive way.”
Shantha Mannie, director of vocational services,
said “The skills and techniques that Keown and
Shannon have learnt from this leadership programme
will be shared with their fellow learners and we trust that
they will become our future leaders in our communities”.
Rotarians of the Rotary Club of Harare CBD (D9210) joined the Interact Club of St Johns Chikwaka for a fun day of
planting Muchechete and Red Milkwood trees. The group was also joined by the school’s Conservation Agriculture club
and Mr Muvizhe, the schools head of agriculture, who made sure that chicken manure was used when planting the trees.
The Rotary Club of Harare CBD enjoys participating in youth projects and programmes. It is hosting its first Rotary Youth
Exchange Student, Pauline who is from Germany, and participates in RYLA. The club has also partnered with one of its
corporate members, Mukonotronics, to train Interactors and Rotactors to make simple solar lamps and buckets fitted with
electrical elements.
The Rotarians say farewell to Keown Francis and Shannon Ambriele Chetty.
CHATSWORTH’S LEADERSHIP CAMPERS

Youth
Monique Muller was named the Interact Club of Port Alfred
High School’s Interactor of the year.
The EarlyAct Club of Port Alfred named Jessica Harty
(centre) as its EarlyActor of the year. With her is
headmaster Clive Pearson and Rotary advisor Mike Millard
of the Rotary E-Club of South Africa One (D9370).
The Rotary Club of
Chatsworth (D9370)
was very proud to
share the success of
the Interact Club of
Newhaven Secondary
School with DG Wally
and Arlene Jacobs. The
Interactors undertook
a number of very
successful projects, the
most recent of which
raised R12 000 for the
Chatsworth Regional
Hospice.
The Rotary Club of
Newlands (D9350)
chartered its seventh
Interact club in October.
The charter ceremony
took place during an
assembly at Steenberg
High School when the
more than 40 charter
members were recognised
by headmaster, Andre
Kraak, and their peers. The
Rotary Club of Newlands
has a strong association
with Steenberg High School,
having recently planted 30
trees on the school grounds,
as well as facilitating the
building of a new Music
and Arts Centre which was
opened earlier this year.

In response to
RI President
Ian Riseley’s
tree planting
challenge, the
Rotary Club
of Durban-
Merewent
(D9370) has
planted no
fewer than
20 trees at 11
schools in the
Merebank and
Wentworth
suburbs of
Durban.
President Abie Martin of the Rotary Club of Paarl
(D9350) inducted Erin Janeke as the charter president
of the Interact Club of Klein Nederburg Secondary
School. This is the third Interact club the Rotary Club
of Paarl has chartered in as many years.
The Rotary Club of Nigel (D9400) chartered an Interact club at
Hoërskool John Vorster. PDG Annie Steijn and AG Martin Stokes
joined President Maurizio Pellizzon and the Nigel Rotarians for
the charter ceremony in September. The Interact club advisor is
Karin Peachey.
Two inbound Rotary Youth Exchange Students, Lilly Baischke and Jasmine Pons Andurell, both from Germany,
shared their African experiences with prospective exchange students at a Youth Evening hosted by the Rotary Club of
Vanderbijlpark (D9400). Outbound students and their hosts also shared their hosting experiences.

The Rotary Club of Oudtshoorn (D9350) initiated a river clean-up to celebrate Mandela day. The club spent the entire day
cleaning the Grobbelaars River that flows through the town. It was undertaken in conjunction with the local municipality,
the Cango Wildlife Ranch as well as the Dryland Event Management. A total of 260 refuse bags of rubbish were collected
and disposed of in a responsible way. President Sune Rupping’s (front row, red jersey) with workers from the Oudtshoorn
municipality and representatives from the Cango Wildlife Ranch, as well as volunteers from Dryland Management. Her
motto for the project was ‘’Together we can do so much more.’’
Rotarians of the Rotary Club of Dundee (D9370) collected food for
four organisations during its R2 collection campaign outside a
supermarket. The project entails the Rotarians giving shoppers a
R2 coin and asking them to use it towards the purchase of a non-
perishable item for charity. This year, the recipients were Duduza
Care Centre, the SAVF, the SPCA and Endumeni Senior Citizens
Centre.
While on a field trip to Lilieslief Museum in Rivonia,
the Probus Club of Benoni Van Ryn identified a need
for a wheelchair. The Rotary Club of Benoni Van
Ryn (D9400) provided a wheelchair for the exclusive
use of disabled visitors to the site. The wheelchair
was handed over to Lulamile Zulu (conference
coordinator of Liliesleaf) by club members - Robin
Bath and Bob Savage (not pictured).
Roundup
Fredic Kiiriinya
(15) lost his hand
when he was just
two years old. The
Rotary Club of
Nkubu Meru (D9212)
referred the teen to
the Rotary Club of
Nairobi Utumishi’s
LN-4 Prosthetic
Hand project. The
club approved the
application and gave
Fredic a prosthetic
hand and training at
no cost.

The Friendship Exchange Team from D7040 which visited D9400 enjoying sundowners during a game drive in the Klaserie
Private Nature Reserve. The team, (from Eastern Ontario, Western Quebec, Nunavut and Northern New York) visited
South Africa in October and comprised Dave and Peggy Hallet, Ron Kasselman, Nancy Didur, Carol Cartier, Peter Burrell,
Ed Thompson, Anna Sutherland, Susan Tulk, Jennifer Clark, Gabrielle Whan and Greta du Bois (a former member of the
Rotary Club of Morningside, D9400). While in South Africa, they were hosted by Rotarians of the Rotary Clubs of Pretoria
Hatfield, Barberton, White River and Morningside and visited several club projects and places of interest.
Fifteen avid cyclists from Songezo Jim’s Cycling Academy
with the brand new bicycles sponsored from the Rotary Club
of Claremont (D9350). They also received helmets and kit
from the Pedal Power Association (PPA). The Academy is
run by South Africa’s most famous black cyclist, Songezo
Jim who hails from Masiphumelele. Jim turned professional
in 2013 and became the first black South African cyclist to
compete in a World Tour event, the Vuelta a Espana in 2015.
Josphat Nduba received a LN-4 Prosthetic Hand
from the Rotary Club of Nairobi Utumishi (D9212).
Kimanai Gathundo (63) lost his left hand in an agricultural
accident last year. The married father of eight received a
prosthetic hand from the Rotary Club of Nairobi Utumishi (D9212).

The Rotary Club of Amanzimtoti (D9370) participated in the Rotary Family Health Days. This year the club moved its site to
the KwaMakutha Clinic and noted 300 percent increase in people visiting its site. Photo: Tania Sandberg
The E-Club of Southern Africa
D9400 hosted a delegation
of Rotarians from Germany
(D1820) at two events. At the
first event, Amanda Blamkfield-
Koseff demonstrated the
Early Childhood Development
programme. Next, the 18
Rotarians, partners and D9400’s
Foundation Chair, PDG Greg
Stathacopoulos, attended a
delightful lunch at Under the
Oak at the Johannesburg
Country Club. The company,
food and ambiance were
excellent.
D9350 Membership Chair Menno de Wet and
President-Elect Lizelle van Wyk, members of the
Rotary Clubs of Newlands and Blouberg (D9350)
respectively, love Rotary and fell in love at Rotary.
The couple married on 27 October and it was no
surprise that their wedding cake was a Rotary cake.
Helping the couple cut their cake is DG Lynette
Stassen.

Rotary Africa December 2017 - Website

Rotary Africa December 2017 - Website

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