Rotary Africa highlights clubs' support for rhino conservation

ROTARY AFRICAEstablished 1927 • A member of the Rotary World Magazine Press • March 2017
www.rotaryafrica.com
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4 ♦ Rotary Africa ♦March 2017
Editor Sarah van Heerden
Administration Sharon Robertson
Chairman Gerald Sieberhagen
Directors Greg Cryer
Andy Gray
Peter Hugo
Anton Meerkotter
Natty Moodley
Publisher Rotary in Africa
Reg. No. 71/04840/08
(incorp.associationnotforgain)
PBO No: 18/13/13/3091
Registered at the GPO as a
newspaper
Design & Layout Rotary in Africa
Printers Colour Planet, Pinetown
Advertising Sharon Robertson
Sarah van Heerden
Tariff card on request at
www.rotaryafrica.com
Subscriptions Sharon Robertson
www.rotaryafrica.com (digital)
Contributions rotaryafrica@mweb.co.za
Distribution Rotary Districts 9210, 9211,
9212,9220,9350,9370and9400
(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, Rotary International or The Rotary Foundation.
MEET THE TEAM
From the editor
Sarah
CURSE THEMThis month we decided our magazine would highlight
the contribution some of our clubs are making towards
the rhino anti-poaching movement. After a brutal and
concerning month of rhino-related headlines, such as
the attack on the rhino orphanage, the delay in releasing
the final 2016 poaching statistics and possible change
to South African legislation regarding rhino horn trade,
drawing attention to the cause seemed appropriate.
While researching the topic, I discovered that there are
not even 6 000 black rhino left in the wild. That means
that southern Africa has more Rotarians than rhinos! I am
sorry, but that seems unnatural and with all due respect to
our membership development folks, I honestly feel that we
should have more rhinos than Rotarians.
As I wrote that paragraph, my righteous indignation gave
way to an ill-timed fit of giggles as I imagined some of our
members muttering about there being more than enough
RINOS (Rotarians In Name Only) in Rotary!
Back to my point; I am incredibly proud of what our clubs
are accomplishing. The poachers are becoming more and
more brutal and nothing is sacred to them. As long as our
clubs are undertaking effective anti-poaching projects to
support those on the front lines to help the reserves and
orphanages and to increase public awareness, we will
continue to brag about and promote their activities.
There is a phenomenal Rotary Action Group, Rotarian
Action Group for Endangered Species (RAGES), which has
thrown its weight behind the preservation and protection of
the rhino.
As rhino conservation is a cause which is dear to me,
I follow the activities of many organisations involved in the
field. There are so many fantastic and inspiring groups which
are doing tremendous work and receiving little recognition. I
think that by supporting as many of the club projects and the
conservation organisations as possible, we might just win
this war.
I was outraged at the increased brutality of these poaching
attacks but then I realised something; perhaps the extreme
brutality is indicative of a sense of desperation among
the poachers. Perhaps, they are feeling a little pressured
because all the anti-poaching activities are working... I hope
I am right.
Have a wonderful month,

JOHN F GERM
President, Rotary International
Message from the
RI PRESIDENT
upfront
ON THE WEB
Speeches and news from RI President John F Germ at
www.rotary.org/office-president
DEAR FELLOW ROTARIANS,
Forty years ago, the Rotary Club of Duarte (D5300,
USA) admitted three women members, in violation
of the Rotary International Constitution. As a result,
the club’s charter was terminated by RI.
Undeterred, the club’s members continued to
meet. They put an X over their Rotary insignia, made
themselves new pins and dubbed themselves the Ex-
Rotary Club of Duarte as they continued to fight for the
right of women to serve as Rotarians. Ten years later,
a restored Rotary Club of Duarte sent Sylvia Whitlock,
Rotary’s first female club president, to a presidents-
elect training seminar. Not long after that, in 1989,
Rotary’s Council on Legislation permanently ended
Rotary’s status as a men-only organisation.
Today, with more than 240 000 women in our clubs,
Rotary is stronger than ever. We are women and men
from nearly every country of the world, serving our
communities in more than 35 000 clubs. At the club
level, we need men and women of all backgrounds,
ages, cultures and professions. Internationally, we need
clubs in every city, country and region of the world. The
better our clubs reflect their communities, the better we
can serve them. Our diversity is our strength.
It is difficult for most of us to imagine today why
anyone argued so strongly against the idea of women in
Rotary. Looking back, I think that opposition came from
a simple resistance to change. Rotarians loved Rotary
the way it was and couldn’t imagine it any other way.
We still love Rotary as much as we ever did. We love
the friendships and connections we make there and the
ability Rotary provides us to serve humanity. We believe
Rotary has tremendous value in our own lives and in the
world at large. And we recognise, more than ever, that
for Rotary to continue to grow, it needs to embrace the
world it serves – in all of its diversity, all of its variety and
all of its evolving needs for service.
The Rotarians of today owe a debt of gratitude to the
Rotarians of Duarte 40 years ago. Their determination,
persistence and enduring goodwill set the stage for
the organisation we have become: Rotary Serving
Humanity.

Foundation Trustee Chair’s message
TheObjectofRotaryistoencourage
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
Join in and show your support for The Rotary Foundation. Here are some ways to get involved:
• Plan a Rotary Day in your community to raise awareness of Rotary and its Foundation.
• Promote projects your club or district is involved in that are funded by the Foundation. Share your photos
and stories on your social media pages using #TRF100.
• Empower The Rotary Foundation to support the good
work of Rotary clubs by making a special contribution.
• Apply for a grant from the Foundation to fund a project.
• Attend the Rotary Convention in Atlanta, 10-14 June 2017.
CELEBRATE THE FOUNDATION CENTENNIAL
Kalyan Banerjee
FOUNDATION TRUSTEE CHAIR
TRANSFORM LIVES WITH
YOUR GIFTWhen you give to The Rotary Foundation, you can
be completely confident that your fellow Rotarians
put those donations to work on life-changing
projects in our six areas of focus. That confidence
should inspire our continued support, especially
when we consider the remarkable results.
In March, as we observe Water and Sanitation
Month, let’s take a closer look at how Rotarian-led
projects are providing millions of people with access to
clean water and adequate sanitation facilities. This area
of focus has long been high on many Rotarians’ service
agendas and for good reason – 663 million people do
not have access to clean water and one-third of the
world’s population live without access to a toilet.
Think about how different life would be if you had to
spend hours each day fetching water or worry about the
threat of dysentery, cholera, Guinea worm and a host of
other waterborne diseases.
Our efforts in providing clean water have far-reaching
effects. An estimated 10 000 clubs participate in water
and sanitation-related projects, with strong support
from our Foundation. In 2015/16 alone, The Rotary
Foundation provided $19 million for global grants in this
area of focus.
And that’s just one of the six critically important
issues that our Foundation is addressing today. In
2015/16, our Foundation provided $76 million for all
Global Grants, which also fight disease, save mothers
and children, promote peace, support education
and provide economic opportunities to many people
worldwide. Your gifts are what make this good work
possible.
Our Foundation was conceived in 1917 to “do good
in the world,” and that is exactly what it has been doing
for 100 years. To celebrate this milestone, I encourage
all Rotarians to consider making a special centennial
contribution to ensure that we continue our urgent and
transformational work throughout the world.
Share your celebratory events. Email articles and photos to
rotaryafrica@mweb.co.za

Convention
SOUTHERN ESCAPESFlorida and South Carolina get more praise for their
beaches, but Georgia has a coastline full of natural
beauty that is still largely untarnished by tourism.
You can share the secret when you’re in Atlanta for
the 2017 Rotary International Convention from 10 to
14 June. All you need is a few extra days and a car.
Perhaps the most treasured spot along the Georgia
coast is neither a beach nor unknown. The 1994 best-
seller Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil made
Savannah famous and tourists have flocked there ever
since. Don’t let its popularity scare you off: The city’s
deep history and gorgeous antebellum architecture are
worth the three and a half-hour drive.
Half an hour down the road from Savannah, you’ll
reach Tybee Island. Life on “Tybee time,” as locals call
it, is laid-back and low-key. You’ll find local seafood
joints and plenty of opportunity to ride bikes, sea-kayak,
dolphin-watch and of course, take a dip in the Atlantic.
Driving a couple of hours further south will get you to
the Golden Isles, which are further off the beaten path.
With marshland and forests in addition to beaches, the
Golden Isles are a haven for nature lovers, fishermen,
horseback riders and golfers. It’s a far cry from staying
at a luxurious hotel in Miami, but if you ask the locals,
that’s a very good thing and you might just agree with
them!
– Deblina Chakraborty
Rotary Members: 1 227 217
Clubs: 35 263
Rotaract Members: 226 389
Clubs: 9 843
Interact Members: 483 230
Clubs: 21 010
RCC Members: 210 500
Corps: 9 154
AT A GLANCE
* As of 30 November 2016

by PDG Andrew Jaeger, Regional Rotary Coordinator
IF TIRED, REST, DON’T QUIT
“Self-care is never a selfish act – it is simply good
stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put
on earth to offer to others.” Parker Palmer
When I came across this quote it made me realise
how important it is that we as Rotarians are kind and
caring to ourselves and our fellow Rotarians.
As Rotarians we are often confronted with and
witness hardship, problems and serious need in our
communities. It takes an emotional and sometimes
physical toll on us. Most of us believe that the satisfaction
of a successfully completed project energises us and is
enough to fuel us mentally and physically for the next
challenge.
The reality is however that while the immediate
positive energy is good at that the time, it is often not
enough to keep us mentally and physically healthy. We
are confronted with feelings of guilt and hopelessness
because our resources are so few and the need is so
great.
It is normal for Rotarians to become tired and
despondent and they sometimes leave the organisation
because they have “had enough”. Before you leave; sit
back and think have you really had enough or are you
just tired?
As club members we should also be sensitive to our
fellow Rotarians and notice when they are burning the
candle at both sides, perhaps step up and help lighten
the load.
Remember the old cliché? “Take care of yourself first
or you will have nothing left to give others.” Or “ we can’t
give what we don’t have.” We are so programmed to put
the needs of others first that when we make ourselves a
priority it sometimes fills us with feelings of selfishness.
If you are feeling like this it is good to stop, take a
break, reflect and reassess your priorities as individuals
and clubs. Here are some suggestions to help you do it.
1. Understand that you can’t be everything for
everyone. Accept that and be ok with it.
2. Value yourself, your time and your energy. You
are worth a lot more than you think.
3. Schedule relaxation and recharge time. Make
sure your club makes time for fellowship and
schedule a social get together to relax in a
supportive environment.
4. Unload your worries. Most of the things we
worry about will never happen and the rest is
often out of our control.
5. Surround yourself with supportive people. You
probably have several people in your life who
support you in some way. So let them know
when and how they can help.
6. Unplug yourself. Choose to disconnect from the
world, turn off your phone, your laptop, social
media and the TV for an hour a day or if you
can, try to disconnect for a day.
7. Every week make sure you have at least a few
hours of ‘me time’. This is the time when you get
to do whatever you want on your own without
any interruption. Maybe it’s simply going for a
solitary walk and let your thoughts take over but
don’t spend time trying to solve anything on this
walk. Whatever it is, make sure you do this at
least once a week.
8. Eat and drink well.
9. Play - Have fun. Laughing and letting go is a
simple and effective method of recharging
10. Dream - By letting your imagination run wild,
you not only allow for a few moments of escape
but you allow for your creative energies to be
recharged. You may surprise yourself with a
great new idea.
11. Breathe – When stress rises people often forget
to breathe.
12. Sleep - Its value is often underestimated and
yet it is vitally important to our physical and
emotional well-being. Sleep allows your body
and brain to recover and regenerate new cells
which keep you strong and healthy. So simply
put, closing your eyes, taking a nap or getting a
full nights sleep is a simple way to re-energise
your body and mind.
Our body, mind and soul are our unique special house
which we were given to live in, it is our responsibility to
take care of it and treat it with the utmost respect.
And with that I need to kick back and relax. Take time
out to slow down; as my body has been telling me to do
so for a while now
Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for.
Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us. - Maya Angelou

WATER ISN’T
EVERYTHING
Foundation matters
By PDG Patrick Coleman: Regional Rotary
Foundation Coordinator Zone 20A South
Water Isn’t Everything. This statement may be
technically correct, but we need food and we need
water to grow and cook our food. We need shelter
and everything we need to build - from concrete to
timber - needs water. We need clothing and both
cotton and wool cannot be produced without water.
Water isn’t everything but, physically speaking,
everything we need begins with water. We drink it
either as coffee, tea or “straight up” with ice – or
not. We cook with it. We bathe in it. We wash our
clothes in it.
Without water the human race would simply cease to
exist in less than a few weeks. Yet, estimates of between
800 million and 1.2 billion people have no access to a
sustainable and clean source of drinking water.
A few years ago, I visited a school as the Luanshya
District Education Board Chairman. When Mr Chileshe,
the school principal, met us, I asked him what was the
biggest challenge his school faced. As a former school
principal, I assumed that he would list items such as staff
shortages, insufficient desks or schoolbooks. However,
he surprised me when he said “Dysentery.”
I asked him how many children were enrolled at
the school. He said 276. I asked how learners were
suffering from dysentery. He said 276 and added that the
educators and other staff members also suffered from it.
We went to the school’s water source and discovered
the problem: A shallow well with no cover and a rusty
bucket was being used to bring the water to the surface.
Nearly 2 000 people were being poisoned every day by
bad water.
The Rotary Club of Luanshya (D9210) partnered
with the Rotary Club of Marietta (D6900, USA) and The
Rotary Foundation in a project to provide “Water for
Education in Zambia.”
There is no “One Size Fits All” Water Project and
many factors needed to be considered.
A decision needed to be made as to what pump to
choose. There were a number of different models such
as hand pumps, treadle pumps, step dams and solar
powered pumps. A plan for proper sanitation also needed
to be formulated (if you drink it, you will pass it) as without
proper toilets the job would be incomplete. There were
many styles and models for sanitation facilities depending
on location and logistics to choose from:
• Basic Vented Pit Latrines: Simple, clean and
relatively long-lasting.
• The Blair Latrine: More complex, a bit cleaner and
longer lasting.
• The Composting Latrine: Very complex, much
cleaner and longer lasting. As the name suggests, it
creates compost for small gardens.
• Arbour homes: More practical for rural homes. They
are temporary, very simple and self-composting
every few months. Not “fancy,” but practical.
It was also decided that hand washing seminars
would be held at schools.
We continued working with the Kasongo Village and
supplied insecticide treated mosquito nets to every house
in the village - a “natural” second step for improving
health in Africa. We also supplied every house with a bio-
sand filter which makes the water 97 percent pure.
The project was undertaken using local workers, local
resources and by supporting local families. This ensured
ownership of the project and empowered the residents.
By supporting the “champions” in the village, we helped
them control their own future.
This kind of project can and is being replicated all
across our continent. We place a high value on the
sustainability of our projects and there are ways to
ensure they will be. We must consider factors such
as the local culture, political landscape, geographical
limitations, religious situations and financial constraints
of the communities we plan to assist.
There are three ways to best do this:
1. Talk to the local constituency and ask “What do
they want?”
2. Liaise with local government and ask “What
does it allow?”
3. Confer with local NGOs and ask “What can they
do?”
Another important consideration is networking with
other Rotary clubs to find out what worked, what did not
work and how it can be made better.
Lastly, Share Your Successes!
Rotary Success Stories are some of the best keep
secrets on the planet! We want to know what you are
doing! Send two of your BEST photos (1 mb minimum)
and short descriptions of your successful projects to
Rotary Africa, Your International Partners, your District
PR Chairperson, The WASRAG web site, The ROTA
Facebook group and share it on your district, club and
personal Facebook sites.
Remember: It all starts with water… But it really starts
with you!
Luanshya Rotarians Sherry Coleman, Julie Lamsis
and principal Chilenga using the new well.

The PolioPlus Summary Report for the Rotary year 2016/17 for Zone 20 as of 26 January.
Rotary Africa is distributed to seven Rotary districts
in southern and eastern Africa (Districts 9210, 9211,
9212, 9220, 9350, 9370 and 9400) and it is heartening
to see the contributions each of these districts has
made towards PolioPlus.
RI President John Germ announced as part of his
2016/17 Presidential Citation, that he would give a
special citation to districts which contribute at least 20
percent of their District Designated Fund to PolioPlus.
Refer to the table below, you will see the 20 percent
target for each district in the first column. What is not
reflected is that as of 1 February, after D9240 gave $9
276 to PolioPlus, four of the seven districts had reached
the target. In total, the four districts have contributed
$74 924 to PolioPlus. The Rotary Foundation will add
50 percent to this total to bring it to $112 386. With the
2:1 match from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation this
figure will be trebled to $337 158.
I appeal to all our districts to continue with their
contributions and would like nothing more than to see
all seven districts meet the 20 percent DDF contribution
target.
If you review the column labelled Cash Contributions
you will see that each of the seven districts has made
cash contributions which would have come from either
clubs or individual Rotarians. The combined total for the
seven districts amounts to $88 461 and with the Gates
Foundation 2:1 match it will amount to $265 383.
To summarise, the seven districts served by Rotary
Africa have contributed a total of $602 541 from their
DDF and cash contributions. These districts tend to be
receiving districts rather than giving districts. I am proud
of how they have contributed to PolioPlus and hope
they are proud of themselves.
We must not forget that one of three countries in
the world where polio is still endemic is our northern
neighbour, Nigeria. Last August cases appeared in
the northern state of Borno which was controlled by
Boko Haram militants. This hasn’t stopped Rotary and
its partners from executing a sweeping emergency
response. Since the outbreak, a robust immunisation
campaign has targeted up to 40 million children with
oral and inactivated polio vaccines.
Since 1985, Rotary has contributed more than $1.6
billion to polio eradication. RI President John Germ
recently said: “We started this more than 30 years ago
and we’ve stuck with it all this time. And soon, we’re
going to finish it.” The generous contributions from the
seven districts in southern and eastern Africa are going
to go a long way in achieving this objective.
UPDATE: END POLIO NOWBy PDG Richard Brooks: End Polio Now Coordinator, Zone 20A South

Rotary’s 108th annual international convention
June 10–14 is expected to attract 40 000 Rotary club
members from over 160 countries and will inject an
estimated $52.3 million into Atlanta’s economy.
Often described as a “mini-United Nations”, Rotary’s
third convention in Atlanta will transform the Georgia
World Congress Centre into a cultural kaleidoscope as
the organisation’s global network of volunteers gather
to exchange ideas on how to improve lives and bring
positive, lasting change to communities around the
world.
Registrants will engage in workshops and hear from
a line-up of world-class speakers, including Bill Gates,
co-chair, of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The
Gates Foundation and Rotary International have an
on going match of 2:1 to support polio eradication
efforts up to $35 million a year. Earlier this year, in Bill
and Melinda Gates’ Annual Letter they reaffirmed the
important role Rotary has played in polio eradication.
“Rotary and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
have been working together on polio eradication for
a long time and our strong partnership will continue
through the final years of the effort,” said Rotary
International President John Germ. “With the most
effective resources in place, it’s possible that we
will soon see the last case of polio in history. At the
convention, Bill will say more about how we can - and
will - end polio.”
Organised by Rotary International in conjunction
with the Atlanta Host Organising Committee of local
Rotary members, registrants of the convention will also
get to experience Atlanta’s southern charm with visits
to the World of Coca-Cola, the College Football Hall of
Fame and an Atlanta Braves game.
“The Rotary International Convention provides an
exceptional opportunity to bring together more than
40 000 civic and business community leaders from
throughout the world to Atlanta to enjoy our unique
brand of southern hospitality,” said William Pate,
president and CEO of the Atlanta Convention and
Visitors Bureau. “The addition of Microsoft founder Bill
Gates as a keynote speaker reflects the importance and
good work that Rotary does worldwide.”
The global eradication of polio has been Rotary’s
top priority since 1985. Through the Global Polio
Eradication Initiative – a public-private partnership that
includes Rotary, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation,
the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), the World Health Organisation (WHO) and
the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) – the
incidence of polio has plummeted by more than 99.9
percent, from about 350 000 cases a year in 1988 to
just 37 confirmed in 2016. Rotary, including matching
funds from the Gates Foundation, has donated $1.6
billion to polio eradication.
Atlanta’s first Rotary convention took place 100 years
ago, when The Rotary Foundation was established with
its first contribution of $26.50. The Rotary Foundation’s
assets have grown to approximately $1 billion and
more than $3 billion has been spent on projects and
scholarships that promote peace, fight disease, provide
clean water, support education, save mothers and
children and grow local economies.
BILL GATESTO SPEAK AT CONVENTION

WORLD ROUND UPThe activities and accomplishments of Rotary clubs around the world
Malaysia
In only its second year, the Rotary Club of Kota Kinabalu Pearl
(D3310) embarked on a project to expand English proficiency
among primary school students in rural Borneo. Project REAL
(Rural Focus-English for All) kicked off in October as the club
distributed nearly 400 English dictionaries to pupils in grades four
through six at three schools. In November, the club introduced an
English corner in the St Edmund School library in Kota Belud – the
first of three planned corners – which was filled with more than 600
English books, DVDs and audiovisual equipment. The 67-member club (among the largest in its district) set a
budget of about $12 000 for the enterprise.
“We want to improve the children’s standard of English in places where access to English books is limited,” said
club member Phyllis Lo. Instilling a love for a second, but all-important, language (Malay is predominant) is the
goal. “English is widely used and spoken in the private sector in Malaysia,” Lo adds. “However, English is hardly
spoken in rural areas of Sabah [state]. There is definitely a need for students to master English at a young age.
They will be more employable if they have some proficiency in English.”
Argentina
The sight of a boy sipping water from a ditch in the slums of
Ezeiza, near the airport serving Buenos Aires, dismayed Matthew
Feola, a past president of the Rotary Club of Auburn (D7150, USA).
“Just upstream I saw two dog carcasses,” said Feola, a retired
high school Spanish teacher. “I wished I could help.” Three years
later, in early November 2016, with about $5 000 donated by club
members and others, as well a small amount of assistance from the
local Rotary Club of José María Ezeiza (D 4905), Feola oversaw the
installation of four bore water wells serving more than 5 000 children
in six primary and secondary schools. Ezeiza Rotarians and school officials will monitor and maintain the wells.

United States
More than 100 children enjoyed the exhilaration of flight,
most for the first time, during the fifth annual Fly-in and Pancake
Breakfast sponsored by the Rotary Club of Douglas (D5500).
Partnering with Chapter 776 of the Experimental Aircraft
Association, the club treated children to rides in four-seat Piper
aircraft provided by Cochise College and the EAA. Volunteers
piloted the planes over the city for views of the youths’hometowns
and the Arizona-Mexico border. “The kids really loved taking
those plane rides,” says Bud Reed of AirMedCare Network,
which displayed an air ambulance. Forums at the students’ three
schools grounded the children in aviation history and basics. The club also raised about $1 600 in hotcake sales.
Philippines
Members of the Rotary Club of Ortigas Centre (D3800) in
Manila collaborated with the Asian Eye Institute to screen more
than 300 students for eye impairments such as cataracts at
the Antipolo City Special Education (SPED) Centre. With the
Cataract Foundation, the club and institute donated prescription
eyeglasses to 132 children while about 20 were scheduled for
additional diagnostic procedures for more serious eye defects.
The project followed a similar effort at the club’s adopted primary
school, the San Lorenzo Ruiz SPED, which has received a
Braille embossing machine (given jointly by the Rotary Club of Mandaluyong, also in District 3800), desks and
tables, books, other study materials and audio visual equipment.
Nigeria
Three District 9110 clubs in Lagos state contributed a total
of nearly $13 000 to correct clubfoot, a birth defect in which one
or both feet are twisted out of shape. With the assistance of a
clinic at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, the Rotary
clubs of Gbagada, Ikoyi, and Lagos (with the latter two tapping
a district grant) treated 210 indigent children with deformed feet,
said Lanre Akintilo, president of the Rotary Club of Gbagada.
The project was prompted, in large part, by the attendance of two
district club members at a breakout session led by the Rotarian
Action Group for Clubfoot, then newly formed, at the 2015 Rotary International Convention in São Paulo.
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get them while you can!
*Due to a miscommunication with the
supplier, the atlas was advertised as being
sold as a box of 15 books instead of 10.

SERIOUS
FUN
President-elect Ian Riseley
on attracting new members,
building strong clubs, and
forming friendships that last

Ian HS Riseley gets up from his desk and he is tall.
He has white hair, a firm handshake and no tie. Early
on, you sense that he likes the sort of energetic
exchange that can swerve from serious to light
hearted, which makes him very good company. He
exudes competence – which makes him seem like
the right person to advise you on vexing tax issues.
That’s good, because it’s what he has done for the
last 40 years.
Riseley is a practicing accountant near Melbourne,
Australia, and principal of Ian Riseley & Co, where he
advises local and international businesses. He received
Australia’s AusAID Peacebuilder Award in 2002 in
recognition of his work in the Democratic Republic of
Timor-Leste. He also received the Order of Australia
medal in 2006 for his service to the community.
A member of the Rotary Club of Sandringham
(D9810) since 1978, he has served RI as treasurer,
director, trustee, RI Board Executive Committee
member, task force member, committee member and
chair and district governor. He received The Rotary
Foundation’s Regional Service Award for a Polio-free
World and its Distinguished Service Award.
His wife, Juliet, is also a Rotarian (but not in the
same club) and is a past district governor. The Riseleys
are multiple Paul Harris Fellows, Major Donors and
Bequest Society members.
Editor in Chief of The Rotarian, John Rezek, met with
Riseley at his office in Rotary’s Evanston headquarters.
How did you hear about Rotary and when
did you become a member?
A couple of years after I launched my accounting
practice, my most significant client was a private
hospital close to my office. The CEO was a Rotarian
and they must have been desperate because one
day they invited me to a lunchtime meeting to speak
about the fascinating topic of current developments in
income tax. Yes, they more or less stayed awake. A
few weeks later, the same client got in touch with me
and said they were chartering a new club nearby and
I said, “What does chartering mean?” (That tells us
how often we lapse into Rotary-speak.) He said they
were starting a new club in Sandringham and asked if I
would be interested in going to the initial meeting. I said,
“Absolutely.” But I didn’t go, which was foolish. I did go
to the second meeting and met the 20 or so people who
had been at the first meeting. They were the business
elite of Sandringham, and I thought, “Wow, this is quite
a group.” So I kept going and we chartered – which
means, by the way, we started the club – in November
1978.
Was Rotary a good fit for you right away or
did it take you time to become comfortable?
I feel almost embarrassed saying this, but I felt
comfortable immediately. It says something about the
nature of the charter members of our club. We are
talking about people who run extremely successful
companies, but they were all really nice, absolutely
first-rate individuals, and I wasn’t made to feel like the
proprietor of a two-bit accounting practice down the
road. That’s one of the delights of our organisation
globally – we’re all equals. I think that’s really important.
Are most of your friends Rotarians?
My friends within Rotary aren’t just from my club.
They are also from other clubs in the district. That’s
one of the principal reasons I think people should be
Rotarians – you make really good friends. My closest
circle of friends are not all from the ranks of Rotary. But
reflecting on it, a lot of them have become Rotarians
and I don’t think they would have if I hadn’t been
involved. The danger is that Rotary can take over your
life. You can become excessively focused on Rotary.
Our daughter, who has a degree in public relations
and understands these things better than most, once
described it as “Rotarama.” Rotary has basically taken
over our lives. We put other things on the back burner;
my golf handicap is disappearing into the distance,
which is really sad. On the other hand, being in Rotary
is a thrill and a privilege.
What moment made you see the importance
of your involvement in Rotary?
I was the third president of our club at age 34. I went
to PETS (presidents-elect training), which was held in
a huge auditorium. I walked in, sat down, looked over
my shoulder, and there was the senior partner of the
accounting firm that I had previously worked for. John
Hepworth was renowned amongAustralian accountants
and was there as the incoming president of the Rotary
Club of Melbourne (D9800), Australia’s first club, which
started in 1921. Many of the movers and shakers in the
city of Melbourne are in the Rotary Club of Melbourne.
And there I was, the incoming president of the Rotary
Club of Sandringham with 35 members and we’re on
a par.
If a young person asked you why he or she
should join Rotary what, in order, would
you say?
There are four elements. The first one is friendship.
Rotary offers the opportunity to meet people in a semi-
social environment and also achieve good things.
The second one is personal development. I became
the third president of my club at a very young age as I
was starting up my accounting practice. I didn’t enjoy
speaking in public, but being involved in a Rotary club
means that you’re encouraged – some would say
forced – in a friendly environment to get experience
speaking, running meetings, motivating people, all that
sort of thing. Your Rotarian colleagues are not going
to fault you for a simple mistake. So you get practice,
you improve and you do it better. I’m not quite as shy
anymore, so that’s a significant benefit.
The third is business development. We’ve shied
away from this over a period of time, and I don’t believe
we should. When I was invited to join the Rotary Club
of Sandringham, I told Juliet, “Well, they’ve invited me
to join this group, what do you know about it?” She
knew about the same as me, which was not a lot,
but she made the point that we’d make new friends
and hopefully some of them wouldn’t be accountants
because too many of our friends were accountants
- as if that could possibly be true. Rotary is good for
business. Why should we shy away from promoting
this?
The fourth one, and by far the most important, is the
chance to make a difference in the world. If someone

asked me to eradicate polio, my ability to do this would
be rather limited. But when you gather together with
1.2 million people of like mind and have people like Bill
and Melinda Gates donating funds to help achieve this
objective, the opportunity for success is far greater.
What has been your favourite job in Rotary?
Bar none, it was acting as the president’s
representative at a district conference. I loved that
job. That’s why, when I allocate this responsibility
on my behalf in 2017/18, I’ll make my selections for
representatives very carefully. It’s a job that gives
you the chance to go somewhere else in the world or
somewhere else in your own country and to understand
how Rotary does all its great work.
As you prepare to assume the highest
office in Rotary, is it hard to have a
regular conversation with your fellow club
members?
Who in their right mind is going to say yes?
[laughs] The answer is not at all. Maybe it’s because
I’m Australian, and in Australia we have a really good
technique for keeping people grounded. It’s called the
“tall poppy syndrome.” If you get too big for your boots
my gosh, people will bring you down to your rightful
place in life very quickly. One of the absolute pleasures
about the role that I now have is going around and
meeting people and talking to them to ascertain what
makes them tick.
What’s on your to-do list?
I have three words: planning, planning and planning.
This is a planning time and I’m pleased to have the
opportunity to think about ways in which I want to do
things differently. In particular, I’m looking for ideas on
how Rotary can relate better to young people.
I want to get to know as many of the district
governors-elect for 2017/18 as possible and establish
lines of communication and understanding. I mean to
tell them, “No pressure, but I’m relying on each and
every one of you” and they can rely on me too.
What things are working well in Rotary and
what things aren’t?
Well, the service we do for humanity, I think we do
particularly well. Can we do better? Of course we can.
Can we be better organised? Probably. Can we have a
better relationship with the community at large? Yes, we
probably can, but the actual service work that Rotary
does is second to none, it’s wonderful.
What else is good? Membership is growing in India,
in Korea. In places where there’s a developing middle
class, there’s a stampede to join Rotary. The corollary
of that is that membership in places like the US, the
UK, Australia and New Zealand has fallen. We’re not
attracting enough new members and we’re not retaining
them.
Our demographic is aging and that’s not good. We’re
not reinventing our clubs and that really needs to be
at the forefront of our attention. Satellite clubs provide
an avenue to involve younger people who need more
flexibility. Female Rotarians are making a real difference
and we need more of them. The best clubs are those
that are close to their communities.
Do you have any specific suggestions for
clubs?
A review of the vocations of our membership is a
good method to identify weaknesses and determine
who to invite to join. Also I think we are missing a
significant opportunity by not having more women in our
clubs. There are some clubs, I’m ashamed to say, that
don’t have any female members. We also need more
women at the senior ranks of both the Trustees and the
Board of Directors.
How could a club or district coax you to
visit during your tenure?
Issue an invitation! I have made it a priority to visit
parts of the Rotary world that seldom see the president
or president-elect and so far I have been to parts of
Canada and the Caribbean that fit this description. My
calendar fills quickly; but send me an invitation, and if it
can happen, I’m pleased to come.

SAVE THE DATE
GETS: Monday 11 - Wednesday 13 September 2017
ROTARY INSTITUTE: Thursday 14 - Sunday 17 September 2017
THE 2017 INSTITUTE WEBSITE WILL OPEN FOR BOOKING SOON!
South Africa, the country on the southernmost tip of the African continent, is regarded by many as one of the most beautiful
countries on the continent. It is a multi-ethnic society encompassing people of diverse origins, a wide variety of cultures,
languages, and religions. And this year South Africa is host to the Governor Elect Training (GETS) and the Rotary Institute for
Zone 20A.
A Rotary institute is an information meeting, like a mini International Convention, at which delegates will be addressed on
relevant Rotary topics, attend invaluable training and break-out sessions and - enjoy warm Rotary fellowship. Please join us at
the Zone 20A Institute to share information, build connections, and exchange ideas about Rotary International and The Rotary
Foundation.
THE ZONE 20A ROTARY INSTITUTE
The Convenor RID Corneliu Dinca and Co-convenor RIDE Yinka Babalola cordially invite all Rotarians in Zone 20A to attend. This
year’s Zone 20A Institute will be held at Misty Hills in Johannesburg, South Africa and the theme is “World peace through
understanding”. The program will include:
 An update on The Rotary Foundation, its programs and our polio eradication efforts
 A five-year forecast presented by a director or other Board representative
 An open forum where participants can make recommendations to the Board
 Local and international speakers sharing information on relevant topics
 A chance to network, reconnect with friends, and find inspiration
 Entertainment and social outings as well as opportunities to visit historic and interest sites before and after the
Institute.
THE 11 DISTRICTS OF ZONE 20A
Rotary International Zone 20A covers Rotary Districts in a greater part of Africa. The Johannesburg 2017 Institute will assemble
leaders from Zone 20A which comprises 11 districts, namely D9101, D9102, D9110, D9211, D9125, D9150, D9210, D9212,
D9220, D9350, D9370, D9400.
Come be inspired by a wide range of exceptional speakers and trainers from across the world. Get information directly from the
Rotary leaders making a difference in our communities every day.
Please Join Us!

After four years of weekly commutes between
East London and Cape Town, Dr Zuki Jafta,
a member of the Rotary Club of East London
(D9370), has qualified as a radiation oncologist
and returned home to head up the new oncology
unit at Frere Hospital.
Zuki had previously been in hospital
management and founded an antiretroviral (ARV)
clinic at the Frere Hospital in East London. After
her father was diagnosed with cancer, too late, Zuki
was determined to specialise in oncology.
With the steadfast support of her husband
Gcina, the mother of three managed to balance the
demands of studying and family while maintaining
a positive attitude and good humour. Each year,
she moved her children’s birthdays to the nearest
weekend so that she could be with them to
celebrate. The bemused children asked if this was
a permanent date change!
After four long and often challenging years, Zuki
excitedly phoned home with the news that “mummy
passed” and was immediately asked “When are
you coming home?”
As head of the new oncology unit at Frere
Hospital, Zuki will oversee the multi-disciplinary
teams that work together on patient treatment. With
the latest equipment and modern technology at
their disposal, Zuki and her team are set to thrive.
DREAM
REALISED
TIME WAITS FOR NO ONE
Promote your business, club or district
activities in ROTARY AFRICA
Contact Rotary Africa at
rotaryafrica@mweb.co.za or call 031 267 1848
• Reach our readers in
English-speaking Africa
• Advertise in ROTARY AFRICA
• Distribute leaflets, brochures and
newsletters with ROTARY AFRICA
• Special rates for Rotary clubs, districts
and Rotarian owned/managed business

There are thousands of species of birds on the
planet and in spring and autumn, nearly half
of them are on the move. At any given time,
anywhere in the world, you’re likely to see
a diverse mix of winged wildlife. For bird-
watchers, the serendipity is part of the
allure.
If you visit Rotary’s Evanston
headquarters in the spring, for example,
you might spot species that use the Great
Lakes as a stopover on their journey from
Central or South America to their northern breeding
grounds. In April and May, an observer might see an
indigo bunting gliding over the Lake Michigan shore,
a Baltimore oriole nibbling an orange on a backyard
birdfeeder or a shy brown ovenbird searching the
ground for insects.
Around the same time each year, thousands of
Rotarians flock to the site of the Rotary International
Convention. For the bird enthusiasts among them, this
is an opportunity to combine travel, camaraderie and
the chance to check a few species off their “life list.”
The International Fellowship of Birdwatching
Rotarians - one of about 70 groups that bring members
together around common interests - got its start at
the 1991 Rotary Convention in Mexico City with a
bird walk near the convention site. Since then, a few
dozen Rotarians have gathered annually to explore the
convention city on foot. Some years, they’ve identified
up to 50 species in an afternoon.
The day after the close of the 2016 convention, a
group met outside a subway station in northeastern
Seoul dressed for hiking and armed with binoculars,
guidebooks and modest expectations.
“Summer is actually the slowest time for birds
here,” said Julie West, the fellowship’s president and
a past governor of District 6630 (Ohio). “I don’t know
how many we’ll see today.” By early June, most of the
species that migrate along the East Asian-Australasian
Flyway, which extends from Australia and New Zealand
up to the Arctic Circle, have already headed north from
their rest stops on the Korean peninsula.
“That’s how it goes sometimes,” West said. “But
it’s always worth looking; you never know what you’re
going to find.”
The group winds through narrow city streets that
eventually become wooden stairways leading up into
the hills of Baebongsan Neighbourhood Park, adjacent
to the University of Seoul. The hum of traffic and shouts
of street vendors fade as they ascend.
Conversation stops when one of the
birders glimpses something promising: a
flash of colour or a movement from one
branch to another. Everyone cranes their
necks and peers through their binoculars.
Guide Robert Newlin – an American writer,
photographer and lifelong bird-watcher who
spent a decade in Korea as a professor
of English literature at Seoul’s Hankuk
University of Foreign Studies – identifies
t h e call of a brown-eared bulbul, more common in
Japan than Korea.
“This is a great way to slow down a little bit and enjoy
nature,” said Lynda Farkas, a member of the Rotary
Club of Akron (D6630). She calls herself a casual bird-
watcher, in it mostly for the fellowship and fresh air.
Farkas and West, whose clubs are in the same district,
have known each other for a decade.
“We’ve done bird walks together back in Ohio,
through Cuyahoga Valley National Park and gone out
hiking in the early spring to see what wildlife was out and
about,” Farkas said. She describes the purple martins
that populate backyards in her neighbourhood and how
volunteers help track their nests and movements.
Rotary has been a part of Farkas’ life for 25 years,
since her husband, Dick, was invited to join the Rotary
Club of Cheyenne (D5440), where he was stationed
with the US Air Force. Later, in Ohio, he was nominated
to be 2016/17 governor of District 6630, but in July
2015, he died unexpectedly at age 71.
That’s when Lynda joined his club. She wanted to
bring one of his last big ideas to life: a dinner and concert
in honour of The Rotary Foundation’s centennial in Arch
Klumph’s hometown of Cleveland. “I needed to keep
that alive,” she said.
West’s own partner of 33 years, Gary Neuman, died
in October 2015. “That’s when we decided to come to
Korea to do this together,” Farkas said. “You can bird-
watch alone, but sometimes it’s more exciting to have
someone to ooh and ahh to and compare notes with.”
Keeping Judy Ginn company on the walk is her
husband, Rand, a member of the Rotary Club of Mercer
Island (D5030). Of the pair, Judy, a member of the
Rotary Club of Seattle-International District (D5030), is
the birder - although she describes herself as “strictly
amateur,” someone who mostly keeps an eye on her
backyard and logs the dates of sightings.
“I’m in awe of people who can hear a bird sound and
BIRDS OF A FEATHER
For 25 years, they have migrated to the site of the
Rotary Convention. Look closely and you may spot them:
The Fellowship of Birdwatching Rotarians
by SALLYANN PRICE

say, ‘Oh, that’s a such-and-such,” Ginn said. “Birding is
a process of lifelong learning.”
Newlin, the author of a book called Korea through
Her Birds: Windows into a World, tells the group about
the migratory feat of great knots and bar-tailed godwits,
shorebirds that fly nonstop from Australia to Korea in the
spring, arriving lean and exhausted on the peninsula’s
western coast. There are only a few suitable locations
on the Yellow Sea where the birds can rest and refuel
before setting out on the second leg of their journey;
another nonstop flight to their breeding grounds in
Alaska. But in Korea, the tidal flats they depend upon
are under threat from development.
As the group assembles for a photo before parting
ways, West presents Newlin with a donation for Birds
Korea, a local conservation organisation that funds
research to protect local species and habitats.
“When we talk about wildlife preservation, what
we’re really talking about is habitat preservation,”
says Newlin, whose academic focus is the relationship
between humans and nature in medieval literature.
“You destroy the habitat that supports the birds; you’re
actually destroying the habitat that supports humans.
Some people think we can get along without the natural
environment, but it connects us all.”
Join the flock at ifbr.org.
BY TONY FITZPATRICK
WHAT I’VE LEARNED
FROM BIRDS
Writer Albert Camus believed that
artists invariably cycle back to one
or two images that opened their
hearts. For me, that was birds.
I’ve been fascinated by birds
since childhood. Now I have bird
feeders in my backyard and every
morning is a miracle. Sometimes
30 species of birds show up at
my feeder – sparrows, juncos,
blackbirds, finches of every kind, the
odd warbler, cardinals. I don’t know
what it is about them that makes me
so happy, gives me such peace and
fills me with such wonder. Perhaps it
is the idea that nature isn’t something
a hundred miles away. Even in the
city, it surrounds us and makes life
more bearable and beautiful and
wondrous – and enjoying it doesn’t
cost a thing.
What I’ve learned from these
common, everyday birds is just how
uncommon and remarkable their
lives are. I’ve learned that their songs
are a language, far more complex
than we knew. I’ve also learned that
grosbeaks, crossbills and siskins
fill out the finch family of songbirds
known as Fringillidae – and to me,
the finches possess the most lovely
songs of all the songbirds.
Often there is a silhouette of a
woman in my drawings. That woman
is my grandmother Mae, who, every
morning, would toast a couple of
pieces of bread and put jelly on them.
She would then dice them up and
toss them out the back door for the
birds. When I asked her why she was giving our bread to the birds, she
would hold a finger up to her lips and tell me, “Listen.”
When I did, I heard blackbirds, mourning doves, warblers, finches and
sparrows. My grandmother would look down at me and tell me, “For a
piece of bread, you can hear God sing.”

Special report

On the evening of Monday 20 February a gang of
seven armed poachers invaded the Fundimvelo
Thula Thula Rhino Orphanage. They beat and
brutalised the rhino care workers.
With their hostages injured and terrified, the gang
turned their attention to their main objective: two rhino
calves, Gugu and Impi, who had been orphaned by
poachers.
Gugu was killed instantly. Impi survived the attack
but had to be euthanised the next morning due to
the severity of his injuries. In the wake of the attack,
it was reported that the two deceased rhino had been
scheduled to have their horns removed the following
week and would have moved to the next phase of their
release back into the wild.
Although there has reportedly been a decline in
rhinos poached over the last year, conservationists
have expressed concern that the poaching attacks
appear to be becoming more violent and brutal.
Dr Joseph Okori, International Fund for Animal
Welfare (IFAW) Regional Director Southern Africa,
was appalled by the attack. “Events such as those on
Monday night are simply unacceptable and cannot be
allowed to happen again,” he said.
He explained that an attack on the facility and staff
who provide sanctuary and care to orphaned calves
“most of which have already endured the trauma of
seeing their mothers killed by poachers, is indicative of
just how far criminals are prepared to go in the pursuit
of rhino horn.”
“The fact that they chose a soft target like Thula
Thula, where the staff give tirelessly in trying to nurse
the smallest victims of the scourge of rhino poaching,
makes it doubly appalling.” Okori said it was incumbent
on all stake holders affected by rhino poaching and
illegal trade of horn - be they source or consumer
countries - to commit to greater engagement, to put a
stop to the killing.
In the days after the attack, the orphanage staff,
although traumatised, remained at their posts to ensure
that the normal routine was followed to minimise further
disruptions which could cause added stress to the
remaining calves. The facility reported that its staff were
alert and additional protection measures were being put
in place.
On 23 Febrauary, Fundimvelo Thula Thula Rhino
Orphanage released a statement on its Facebook
page. Members of the South African Police Service
(SAPS) arrested two suspected rhino poachers in
Ermelo, Mpumalanga on Wednesday 22 February.
A rifle and ammunition were recovered and the
suspects were transported back to KwaZulu-Natal as
police suspect they may have been involved in the
attack on the orphanage. It also revealed that during
separate operation, Ezemelo Wildlife Officials and
members of the SAPS Operation Rhino 7 arrested
another suspected rhino poacher and seized a rifle
and ammunition. It has yet to be disclosed whether the
police have been able to tie the suspect to the attack.
Dr William Fowlds, the acclaimed wildlife veterinarian,
later posted on Facebook that the SAPS had confirmed
that two people had been arrested in connection with
the attack and were due to appear in court.
Fundimvelo Thula Thula Rhino Orphanage was
established to rescue and provide specialist care to
orphaned rhino with the aim to rehabilitate and release
them back into the wild and help preserve the species.
A rhino calf has no horn and depends entirely on its
mother for food and protection from predators. Rhino
calves suckle up to the age of 18-months and losing its
mother in infancy often has a deadly outcome.
There is a country-wide shortage of facilities with
the ability to take in these calves and as a result
many young rhino that could have been saved, die. In
response to this need a unique partnership was formed
between The Lawrence Anthony Earth Organisation
(LAEO), Thula Thula Private Game Reserve and the
local communities represented by their respective
chiefs. The world-class care facility gives calves the
fighting chance they deserve. It not only addresses
the physical needs of the rhino but also nurtures them
mentally and emotionally to ensure that they are fully
rehabilitated. It was designed with guidance from world-
renowned rhino expert Karen Trendler, the LAEO and
the Thula Thula wild team.
An emergency security fund for the rhino orphanage
has been launched with Indiegogo by a former
volunteer, Megan Richards. Fundimvelo Thula Thula
Rhino Orphanage confirmed the campaign is authentic.
The campaign was launched with the goal to raise
US$6 300 to pay for four months of additional security.
In just 22 hours more than $32 400 was raised from 380
donors, which motivated Megan Richards to announce
a new goal of $55 000 to provide for a year’s security to
protect the staff and calves at the facility.
For more on the orphanage go to:
www.facebook.com/rhinoorphanage
www.thulathularhinofund.org
To donate to the emergency security fund see:
www.generosity.com/emergencies-fundraising/
emergency-security-funds-for-rhino-orphanage.
situation:
critical
This month we look at
rhino poaching and
some of the amazing
projects undertaken by
our clubs to Save Our
Rhino

Rotarian Action Group for Endangered Species
(RAGES) was formed to mobilise Rotarians and
provide global awareness and focused action to
preserve and protect endangered species.
The action group supports and promotes new and
ongoing joint Rotary and Rotaract club projects located
in the areas of concern. To begin with, RAGES has
focussed on the preservation of rhinos, elephants and
mountain gorillas in Africa and the orangutans and
pygmy elephants in Borneo.
Rhino poaching has reached a crisis point and if it
continues, rhino populations will be seriously affected.
In South Africa if the killing continues at this high rate,
we could see rhino deaths overtaking rhino births in
2016-2018, meaning rhinos could become extinct in the
very near future.
South Africa has the largest population of rhinos
in the world. However, figures compiled by the South
African Department of Environmental Affairs show
a dramatic escalation in the number of rhinos being
poached. During 2014, a staggering 1 215 rhinos were
killed. Over the past eight years more than 8 000 rhinos
have been reported as killed by poachers.
One of the projects it supports is Rotary Club of
Kenton On Sea’s (D9370) Save our Rhino South Africa
project. Rhinos have existed for more than 50-million
years and have become global symbols of nature’s right
to life.
After the horrific increase in rhino poaching, the club
donated R23 250 to Brent Cooke of the Chipembere
Rhino Foundation. The donation provided for tracking
collars for the great beasts. At the presentation, a
world renowned veterinarian and rhino conservation
expert, Dr William Fowlds, spoke of the fight to save the
Kariega rhinos after the brutal poaching attack on them.
RAGES AND KENTON ON SEA
UNITED TO SAVE THE RHINO
When asked what the Kenton club could do to help, he
answered “create awareness across the world.”
And the club did just that.
Its Save the Rhino South Africa project creates
awareness by utilising the global network of Rotary
and its members. It began in 2012 following the tragic
poaching at Kariega Game Reserve. The Chipembere
Rhino Foundation (CRF), an NGO run by trustees
with extensive rhino experience and assisted by a
group of committed volunteers, has joined the project
as a strategic partner. CRF specialises in sourcing,
Top: Jo Wilmot and DG
Bruce Steele-Gray at
the Lisbon convention.
Above: Jo and Dr Jane
Goodall discussing
rhino poaching. Right:
The project logo.

Project funds raised so far: R 167 000.00
Breakdown of expenditure
25 x VHF tracking collars R 80 000.00
K-9 SAMMY mobile K-9 kennel unit & enclosure R 20 000.00
K-9 BLADE training of dog and handler R 43 000.00
K-9 ROXY training of dog of handler R 24 000.00
Funds raised by club, year and contribution:
Kenton on Sea 2012-2016 R 94 000.00
Coolamon 2014 R 18 000.00
PE West 2014 R 10 000.00
Pretoria East / Sweden 2014 R 2 000.00
USA RFE 2014 R 3 000.00
PAHS Interact Club 2015 Sammy R 20 000.00
Port Alfred and PAHS Interact Club Blade 2015 R 20 000.00
testing and funding technology for effective
monitoring of rhino, funding K9 handlers
and their tracking and apprehension dogs,
providing anti-poaching teams with vital
equipment, funding equipment needed to
translocate rhino across southern Africa and
collaborating with other like-minded NGO’s
and companies. Brent Cook is the founder of
CRF, and Dr William Fowlds, a trustee. Both
are the rhino advisors to the RAGES Board.
Shortly after its formation and an
emotional presentation at a District
Conference in East London, a motion was
passed to allow the Kenton club to take
the campaign to create awareness to the
International Convention in Lisbon, Portugal.
Bruce and Pippa Steele-Gray and
Jo Wilmot attended the convention and
hosted a Save the Rhino stall in the House
of Friendship. Both Bruce and Jo were
founding board members of RAGES.
“Our approach is need-based on the
ground, and initially, our focus was on
monitoring equipment to track and protect
animals. With the help of other clubs we
reaised enough funds for 25 collars and
these were fitted on animals in the Eastern
Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and in the Kruger
National Park,” explained Jo Wilmot.
The next area of focus to be identified
was the CRF’s K-9 programme. So far,
the club has assisted with three canines:
Sammy, Blade and Roxy. Sammy and Blade
were trained, deployed to their respective
reserves and have been on active duty for
more than a year. Roxy is still in training and
should be deployed in the next couple of
months. The club is still raising all the funds
needed for Roxy and her handler’s training.
One of her primary roles will be to join the
reserve’s Anti-Poaching Unit (APU) which
will be assigned to protecting the rhino and
the calves orphaned by poachers.
RAGES and the Rotary Club of Kenton on Sea are developing
RAGES International Survival Kits (RISK Boxes). The Risk Boxes
were inspired by the ShelterBox concept and enable Rotary and
Rotaract clubs and districts to support rhino protection efforts. They
will contain vital equipment needed to assist those on the front lines
of this brutal war against poaching. Once the boxes are purchased,
they will be sent to various projects engaged in the protection and
survival of rhinos. This support is vital as these organisations are at
war against highly-organised and frighteningly well-funded poaching
gangs and syndicates. Clubs and districts can purchase a box for
distribution. The boxes will range from an entry level $500 Bronze
Box to the fourth level Diamond Risk Box that costs $5 000. A K9
Risk Box is also in development.
Useful links: www.endangeredrag.org and www.rotarykenton.co.za/service-projects

Elephants trumpeting! The riders squeeze their
brakes and freeze, following the signal from the
guides to stop. The adrenalin pumps as they assess
the situation; elephants are on both sides of the dirt
road ahead. The closest is just 15 metres from the
lead vehicle which is guiding the mountain bikers
through the Timbavati Private Game Reserve. The
Rotary Kruger to Canyon (K2C) Cycle Tour has
begun!
This exciting 100-kilometre cycle tour through the
Lowveld’s Timbavati, Thornybush, Kapama Game
Reserves and the Blue Canyon conservancy is an
annual feature on the Rotary Club of Hoedspruit’s
(D9400) event calendar. The 2016 event generated a
huge amount of enthusiasm and was featured in the
prestigious AA Traveller Magazine.
The cycle tour was established to assist in the fight
against rhino poaching. Horrified by the slaughter, the
club decided to create an event that would bring people
closer to the region and the victims. The idea was for
the club to “put its money where its mouth is” and to
assist those who stand on the front lines in the war
against poaching.
Riders were grouped into pelotons and accompanied
by armed guides to keep them safe during any big five
encounters. With elephants on the road soon after
the 6am start, the race didn’t disappoint and is set to
become one of the most eagerly anticipated events on
the Hoedspruit and South Africa cycling calendar.
“There isn’t another tour like this,” said Rotarian
Lovelle Henderson as she waited at the finish line for
the first riders to come in, nearly ten hours after setting
off. “Our big objective is to make it more international
but it’s the perfect event for us as the Rotary Club of
Hoedspruit.”
The limited entry-race attracted a wide range of
cycling enthusiasts, from seasoned locals to first time
visitors to Africa.
Mountain-biker and Rotarian Paul Dellinger from
Cleveland, USA, had never visited Africa or seen an
elephant. He arrived at OR Tambo International Airport
36 hours before the Rotary Kruger to Canyon Cycle
Tour took place, rented a car, collected his rented bike
and within 12 hours of arriving in the Lowveld, Paul saw
an elephant from the saddle of his bike! “This has been
a fantastic experience. I didn’t know what to expect and
had no idea about the terrain, other than that it was a
great place to see the big five. When I told everyone
we’d be riding with guides with guns, they were amazed.
My highlight was seeing my first elephant: That and the
amazing hospitality of all the people that I’ve met.”
Stacey Hutchinson from Benoni had never cycled
before completing the Rotary Kruger to Canyon Cycle
Tour. “My dad (Peter Chown) and his friends did it last
year and their feedback convinced me to train for it in
2016. It’s been an incredible, adrenalin-filled day. The
scenery is beautiful and I didn’t expect so much game!”
she exclaims. Her dad’s pride was palpable. He said
that riding through the reserves with her, his brother,
nephew and friends was an adventure worthy of a
A ride
through
the wild

bucket-list. “Everyone should experience
it at least once in their lives.”
“It was an unbelievable day,” said
Hoedspruit local Fred Berrange of the
Leopard Conservation Project. He rode
in leopard print lycra to raise awareness.
His highlight was an encounter with about
1 500 buffalos that took nearly an hour to
navigate. “They went on for kilometres,
weaving back and forth in front of us. I
have never seen so many together, at
every stage of their lives; young ones,
mothers and bulls.
“To know they’re around, roaming in
this interconnected system of reserves
that we were privileged to ride through
is awe-inspiring. You also know there is
a pride of lions somewhere close by. Our
guide Joris Bertens did a fantastic job of
keeping everyone calm so we could relax
and enjoy the sighting. Thanks to the
quality of the guides, this is really a ride
for everyone and I think everyone should
experience it once in a lifetime.”
The event raised funds for various
anti-poaching and community support
initiatives.
A Kudo horn was used instead of a
starting pistol.
For more see: www.k2c-cycletour.co.za

Trust is not a short-term prospect
Inspire action!
www.salvationarmy.org.za
projects
The Rotary Club of Edenvale (D9400) has supported
the work and projects of The Salvation Army for
many years. One of the ways the club supported
The Salvation Army was by promoting the work it
does within the community.
Captain Heather Rossouw has been a member of
The Salvation Army for 15 years and is the administrator
of Ethembeni Children’s Home (a home for 60
abandoned, abused and HIV-positive children aged
from birth to three years). She is also the Territorial
Emergency Services Director of the Southern Africa
Territory.
In 2008, Captain Rossouw facilitated seven camps
that The Salvation Army ran to provide safety and
shelter for the victims of mass xenophobic attacks. The
following year, she was trained in emergency services
at The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters.
At the time, she did not opt to be deployed to disaster
areas but was later called to serve in Haiti, Uganda and
Nepal.
Her first deployment was to Haiti in the aftermath of
the devastating 2010 earthquake. She was stationed
there for six weeks as camp manager and ran the
camp which was on a soccer field and sheltered tens
of thousands of people. The conditions were shocking,
limited water and the emergence of violent crimes, such
as rape, ensured that Captain Rossouw and her team
had their hands full. Aid distribution was tracked through
a system provided by the United Nations and Concern
Worldwide.
Each family received a card, similar to a bank card,
that was scanned when they collected their rations.
The system was implemented to prevent people
from collecting more than their allocation of rations.
ShelterBox was also present and provided temporary
shelter.
Captain Rossouw’s next deployment was in Uganda
in 2014. As team leader, she worked to assist refugees
from South Sudan. Each family received building
equipment, picks, shovels and cement to build homes
and latrines. Non-food items such as mattresses,
basic toiletries, crockery and cooking utensils were
distributed to the refugees. The drilling and construction
of a borehole was of paramount importance and The
Salvation Army provided the funding for this project.
The community was overwhelmed by the support it had
received and later established its own branch of the
Salvation Army.
In 2015, Captain Rossouw served a three-month
deployment in Nepal after a massive earthquake struck
the mountainous nation. Tents were distributed within
communities and volunteers had to scale mountains
and used helicopters for transport.
Schools were severely damaged; many simply
vanished as they had been built on cliffs and crumbled
in the quake. One project Captain Rossouw and her
team undertook was to re-build toilets in one such
school. The Salvation Army provided supplies and the
community did the work and used donkeys to transport
the materials.
Globally, The Salvation Army may not be as
widely recognised as other organisations but in many
countries it remains the charity of choice thanks to its
transparency and low administration costs.
AT HOME
AND
ABROAD
Helping people during the
worst time of their lives
President Garth Trumble and Captain Heather
Rossouw.

Hout Bay is a small fishing village with a large
problem. Over the years about 40 000 desperately
poor people have settled on the outskirts of the
village in the hope of finding a future for themselves.
Many of these people have accepted that life
probably won’t improve for them and have directed
their energies to obtaining a better education for
the next generation.
These people arrived in the area after they fled their
homes in search of work and the opportunity to better
provide for their families. In the spirit of peace and
reconciliation, the people of Hout Bay have tried to do
as much as possible to assist those in need.
The Rotary Club of Hout Bay (D9350) has 30
members and decided to add its weight to make
a difference. The club has developed a bursary
scheme which was funded by individuals from South
Africa, UK, Holland and Switzerland and provides a
significant portion of university or college costs. The
bursary pays not only for fees but also in many cases,
accommodation, books and living expenses. Students
are encouraged to ‘help themselves’ by finding the
balance of funds for their education either from family
and friends or by obtaining a student loan. Rotarians
Keith and Alison Bull manage the entire administrative
aspects of the scheme.
A key part of the scheme is to provide mentors to
help the students transition from poverty to ‘normal’
society via university. Ten mentors, Pat and Kevin
Whelan, Viv Koetzee, Tracy Morris, Christina Kuhn,
Rotarians Hans Kuhn, Alison Bull, Athol Rice, Butch
Liebenberg and Keith Bull, have supported 13 students
and have become almost “foster parents” as they
guided the students, helped them learn study skills, to
adjust to a different circumstances and to hold their own
on worldly issues. They will be joined by Heidi Osborne,
and Brenda Williams in 2017.
As the students graduate they are automatically
invited to join the newly-chartered Rotaract Club of Hout
Bay which has become an informal alumni organisation
for the bursary scheme. Students are selected from the
local high schools and their Interact clubs.
The Rotarians have begun to see the results of
their hard work over the last few years and four more
bursaries are being offered in 2017. An extra trade skills
bursary has also been added to allow a student to learn
skills in fields such as plumbing, masonry, carpentry
and electrical.
The bursary recipients and their mentors.
WANT YOUR CLUB NEWS IN ROTARY AFRICA?
Send your photos, captions and stories to rotaryafrica@mweb.co.za. Make
sure you include the first and last names of all people mentioned in the
stories. Photos must be at least 1MB in size. Group photos with six or less
people must be accompanied by a caption which includes all first and last
names. Please include your club name and district.
SECURING A FUTURE

In October 2016, the Nolufefe Educare Centre in
Philippi was declared structurally unsafe. The 89
children were moved to temporary premises, as
the centre did not meet the government’s minimum
health and safety requirements.
“If it had not been for the Injongo Project, the school
would have been permanently closed,” said Pumeza
Mahobe, project manager for Injongo Project. “Now
they have a new school and the teachers are so happy
to be teaching here.”
“The first 1 000 days of a child’s life is incredibly
important in their development,” said Ian Robertson,
President of the Rotary Club of Claremont (D9350). “We
are thrilled that this overhaul means that 110 learners in
the Philippi area are already enrolled to receive proper
pre-school education at Nolufefe as the new school
year starts. Due to the skilled professionals that form
part of the Rotary and the Injongo Project, we were able
to refurbish the school in less than four months,” added
Robertson.
It was not just about structural restoration. A key
priority for the Injongo Project is to ensure that the
educators receive proper skills-training as part of
a holistic approach to improving early childhood
development (ECD). “We are very grateful for the joint-
funding alliance with the Lewis Group. The Injongo
Project has invested more than R1.4 million into
Nolufefe to make sure that the children are educated in
a safe environment,” said Robertson.
“This school has been beautifully transformed,” said
Johan Enslin, CEO of Lewis Group. “We are so proud
to have been part of this great project and contributing
positively to the local community’s educational needs.
We thank our partner, the Rotary Club of Claremont,
for their dedication and commitment to the success of
this project.”
The educare centre is the 13th one to be physically
upgraded and the 48th one to benefit from the Injongo
Project, bringing the total investment to R13.5 million: It
is the biggest project of its kind in South Africa.
Structurally unsound and unfit for providing education (top), the Nolufefe Educare Centre needed to be
shut down. However, thanks to the Rotary Club of Claremont’s Injongo Project, made possible by the
generous support from the Lewis Group, the school has been transformed (above) into a safe and secure
place for pre-school learners as they start the 2017 school-year with zest. Photo: David Grant
FROM THE RUINS IT ROSE

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www.rotaryafrica.com or email: rotaryafrica@mweb.co.za
Over the years, the Rotary Club of Edenvale (D9400)
has supported Edenvale Hospice and regularly
provided maize meal for the patients.
The facility is run by Sister Leigh, a retired ICU nurse
who joined hospice in 2005. At the time it was a Care
Centre for Aids and TB patients. With the assistance
of the Department of Health, Sister Leigh changed the
centre to a Hospice.
The 13-bed facility has 17 full time staff, which
includes nurses and domestic workers. For the past
6 years, Sister Leigh has provided four-month work
experience in palliative care for students from nearby
nursing colleges.
Hospice patients pay R300 a month for their
palliative care. This cost included medication, food
and nursing care. Without the support of Edenvale
businesses, churches, families and individuals, the
hospice would not be able to charge what it does.
Among its supporters are two doctors, a physiotherapist
and a massage therapist who volunteer their services.
A farmer regularly delivers a donation of fresh
vegetables while Makro has sponsored meat, washing
power and a solar powered ironing machine. People
regularly drop off donations of food and detergents
while donations of medicine are received from local
businesses.
Sister Leigh uses the cash donations to supplement
the nurses pay as the subsidy received from the state
barely covers salaries and the nurses recently had a
pay increase from the government for the first time in
6 years.
The hospice cares for individuals with conditions
ranging from stage 4 cancer, TB and strokes to
diabetics, cardiology conditions and renal failure.
President Garth Trumble presented a donation of mealie meal to Sister Leigh and Denise Tuffrey of
Edenvale Hospice.
HELPING HOSPICE HELP OTHERS

After partnering with the Rotary Club of Etobicoke
(D7070, Canada) in a water and sanitation project,
the Rotary Club of Waterfront (D9350) and the
Western Cape Education Department (WCED)
undertook to upgrade the ablution facilities at
Proteus Technical High School in Atlantis, north of
Cape Town.
With a budget of C$22 000 (Canadian), the clubs
undertook to upgrade the plumbing installation while
the WCED would address items such as painting, tiling,
repair of cubicle doors, ironmongery and ceilings.
Before deciding which school to assist, Rotarians
Nigel Brown and Piet Postema inspected nine schools
in Atlantis and compiled reports with photographs and
rough budgets of the work required at each school.
These reports were sent to the Etobicoke club for a
final decision on which school it wanted to support. The
Proteus Technical High School was selected.
During the school inspections it was found that
despite being built to accommodate 800 learners,
there were 1 500 children attending Proteus High. The
Rotarians also noted a number of social issues within
the community. High unemployment, drug and alcohol
abuse, crime and vandalism were prevalent. After a
security company was hired to address the external
factors it was found that learners were also responsible
for vandalism in the school.
It was found that the renovations would need to
include an upgrade of the pipes as the old clay pipes
were in a serious state of disrepair. The boys’ bathroom
was found to be in a poor state. Cisterns were strapped
down in an attempt to prevent the learners tampering
with them and there were no indicator bolts visible on
any of the cubicle doors, all of which needed a good
coat of paint. The team found that a stolen tap had been
replaced by plastic one and that the basin splash backs
were damaged from being sat or stood on. The steel
urinal was in working order but filthy.
In the girls’ bathroom, none of the cubicle doors had
indicator bolts and needed to be painted. Roughly half
the cisterns were found to be in need of replacement.
Agreements were drawn up confirming the WCED’s
responsibilities. The scope of the project was explained
to the school principal and the club received a letter
agreeing to maintain the facility from the principal and
management committee. A plumber was appointed and
a timeline of just over five weeks was set.
Work began with the removal of the stainless steel
urinal, piping was replaced and porcelain urinals were
torn out and replaced with more modern units with
push button flushing mechanisms. New toilet seats
were also fitted and the damaged basins replaced. All
the taps were replaced with metered on demand units
and Geberit cisterns (a concealed unit that is installed
into the brickwork and plastered over) were installed.
Custom made steel support legs were attached to the
front of the basins to prevent further damage to the
tiled splash backs. Minor improvements and repairs
were also made to the staff ablutions, garden taps and
leaking main supply pipes.
One of the bathrooms before and after the renovation.
VandalismandalackoffundingleftthebathroomsofanAtlantis
school in a shoddy state. After inspecting the school, two Rotary
clubs decided it was time
TO MAKE THINGS BETTER

More than 1 200 cyclists took part in the annual
Bouckaert-Soenen Paarl cycling race that was
organised by the Rotary Club of Paarl (D9350).
The Paarl Rotarians were up at the crack of dawn
to begin registering entrants or serve as marshalls
over the 124-kilometre route. There were also
shorter routes of 72 and 47 kilometres.
Over two days, the Rotary Club of Paarl held the
‘Granite Conqueror’ under the auspices of the Pedal
Power Association (PPA) to raise funds for club
projects. These road races followed a route through
the winelands from Paarl to Wellington, Gouda and
Riebeek West and back, while the mountain-bike races
took place the day before on the scenic Paarl Mountain.
The three mountain-bike races on Paarl Mountain
measured 37, 24 and 15 kilometres.
They started and finished at the Afrikaanse
Taalmonument and offered views over Table Mountain,
the Peninsula and the Paarl Valley. About 300 cyclists
took part.
Participants had the opportunity to enter both multi-
stage events at a discounted entry fee. The participants
with the best combined Racetec/PPA time for the 37
kilometre mountain-bike race and 124 kilometre road
race were eligible for vouchers totalling R8 000.
The event was supported by a local textile and
sports clothing company, Bouckaert-Soenen, as part
of its social responsibility activities. All proceeds from
the races will be channelled through the Rotary Club of
Paarl towards local community development projects.
The winners of the annual Bouckaert Soenen league road cycling race were (from left) Mathew Merrington
(third), Jayde Julius (winner) in 3:10:59 and Bradley Gouveris (second). More than 1200 cyclists participated
in the race, which was organised by Paarl Rotary.
SUPERB CYCLING IN PAARL

Youth
Rahul Gopal spent 2016 in
America as a Rotary Youth
Exchange student. His sponsor
club was the Rotary Club of
Grahamstown Sunset (D9370)
and he was hosted by the
Rotary Club of Lake City
(D5960, USA). On his return to
South Africa, Rahul presented a
banner from his host club to his
father, Mahesh who is currently
the president of the Rotary
Club of Grahamstown Sunset.
Rahul will begin his degree
in medicine at a university in
Mauritius.
The Rotary Club of Scottburgh’s (D9370) Interact advisor, Scottburgh High School educator and President-
Elect Sandra Potgieter, with deputy principal Cliff Bamber, head girl Cayla de Souza, head boy Fernando
Fernandez Gomez, Sarah Schofield (Interact facilitator) and Heather Willis. Cayla and Fernando attended
the Head and Deputy Leadership Development Course at Emoyeni in January. The course was organised
by the Rotary Club of Durban North.
SEND US YOUR YOUTH PHOTOS AND STORIES
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surnames need to be supplied. Email: rotaryafrica@mweb.co.za

Company Notice
Rotary in Africa
Reg. No.1971/004840/07
Notice to Members*
Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of Rotary in Africa will
be held at the company offices situated at 2 Prische House, 14 Church Road,
Westville 3630, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
on Friday 19 May 2017, at 09h00.
AGENDA
1. Call to order and announcements.
2. Confirmation of the minutes of the last Annual General Meeting held on
Tuesday 17
rd
May 2016.
3. Chairman’s report.
4. Editor’s report.
5. Treasurer’s report and submission of the annual financial accounts for the
period ending 31
st
December 2016.
6. Appointment of auditors.
7. Election of up to 3 directors to serve on the Board.
In terms of the company’s Articles of Association the following directors are
due to retire from the Board: Gerald Sieberhagen, Anton Meerkotter, and
Peter Hugo. Anton Meerkotter will not be available for election. Being eligible,
Gerald Sieberhagen and Peter Hugo will be available for election together with
any other nominations received by close of business 12
th
May 2017.
8. To consider or transact any other business pertinent to an Annual General
Meeting.
*All current, immediate incoming and past Governors of Rotary Districts 9200,
9210, 9211, 9212, 9220, 9250, 9270, 9300, 9320, 9350, 9370 and 9400 are ex officio
members of Rotary in Africa.
A member may appoint a proxy to attend and vote on their behalf, provided such
appointment is advised to the Secretary at the offices of the company at least 48
hours before the meeting.
Natty Moodley. Secretary 1 March 2017

Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Osoyoos (D5060, Canada) visited the Rotary Club of Paarl (D9350).
The Canadians gave a magnum of Osoyoos La Rose 2010 wine for the Paarl Wine Auction in November.
President Marita van der Sluys received the gift from President David Perehudoff (second left) of the
Osoyoos club. With them are Garnett and Marieze Tarr, two South Africans who facilitated the visit and are
now members of the Canadian club.
Each year, the Rotary
Club of Nigel (D9400)
presents a fellowship
award to one learner
from each of the
primary schools in the
town. The awardees
are recognised for
the assistance and
fellowship they showed
to their fellow learners
during the year. One
of the winners was
Gabriella Rooskrantz of
Nigel Primary School.
Presenting her with
the award is President
Maurizio Pellizzon.
Roundup

The Rotary Club of Pretoria Capital (D9400) donated a wheelchair to a learner at Butha Butha High School.
The Rotary Club of
Klerksdorp (D9370) started
the New Year by giving
needy school children
from Unie, President and
Schoonspruit Primary
Schools some much
needed supplies. At
Unie Primary School are
Rotarians Chris de Bruyn,
Piet Lombaard, President
Andrea Demetriou, JC
Nel and Johanna van der
Merwe.
The Rotary Club of
Colesberg (D9370)
gave 10 Maths, Natural
Science and Technology
dictionaries to the top
10 Grade 4 learners at
Colesberg Primary School.
The dictionaries explain
the language used in the
subjects and translate the
language from English to
Xhosa. It also has pictures
to make it easier for the
children to understand.
Photo: Marinda Bruwer

The Rotary Club of Flamingo-Welkom (D9370) donated Usborne dictionaries to schools in Welkom. One of
the schools to receive dictionaries was Reitzpark Primary School. At the presentation are Mrs A Nel and
Rotarian Audra Visser with learners Mosa Ndimane, Neo Fihla, Palesa Madlanga, Lesego Ndimane and
Angel Makora.
Members of the Rotary Club of Durban-Clairwood Park (D9370) donated R5 000 they raised on Women’s Day
to the Chatsworth Hospice. At the handover are President Sarita Sirohi, Kogie Singh (Hospice president),
PP Jessica Merhoye, PP Gona Naidoo, and Thilaga Pillay (Hospice vice-president).

President Nicky Savvides
of the Rotary Club of
Boksburg Lake (D9400)
recently celebrated his
80th birthday. He has
lived in Boksburg for
57 years and has been
a Rotarian since 1976.
President Nicky was
introduced to Rotary by
the well-known Boksburg
photographer, Jack Van
Der Spuy, and became
one of the charter
members of the Rotary
Club of Boksburg Lake
in 1977. He served his
first term as a president
during the 1985/6 Rotary
year.
Children at General Del la Rey
Primary School received new
TOMS Shoes from the Rotary
Club of Morningside (D9400).
The club runs a major project
to support the school that is
affectionately nicknamed Dellies.
Over time it has provided the
school with clothing, micro
nutrients, toys, Lego sets,
blankets and refurbished its
multi-use hard courts. The school
serves a struggling community
and has many learners from
destitute families and child-
headed households. Many of
them arrive at school in the
middle of winter without shoes
and wearing summer uniforms as
their families simply cannot afford
proper clothing. The headmaster
and staff are dedicated to the
welfare of the children and the
school provides a daily meal to
the poorest children. For some
of them, it is the only meal they
have. During holidays, the staff
members arrange a schedule
and open the school as a safe
haven for the learners. This
ensures that the children receive
food during the holidays. A
joint project between the Rotary
Clubs of Cataraqui-Kingston
(D7040, Canada) and Morningside
provided the school with a
smart interactive whiteboard
to improve teaching and make
the lessons more interesting.
The Morningside Anns gave
the school another of these
whiteboards.

A lot of talking of the ‘good old days’ could be heard in
the festively decorated dining hall at the East London Golf
Club.
The Rotary Club of Bonza Bay (D9370) celebrated its 30th
Charter anniversary. At the dinner President Francois Smit
welcomed 55 guests who attended the perfectly organised and
very entertaining evening. Among the guests were DG Bruce
Steele-Gray and his wife, Pippa, AG Angela Woodhall and her
husband, Chester, and AG Brian van der Merwe and his wife,
Murna who is the Bonza Bay Ann President.
A highlight of the evening was the address by the last
active charter member, Clarrie Roberts, who recounted some
of the original projects and special social events that were
undertaken.
The club was chartered on 23 January 1987 by the Rotary
Club of Beacon Bay after Beacon Bay’s membership reached
48.
Peter Wilson, the ‘Godfather’ of Bonza Bay chaired the
chartering committee and Brian Powell who became the
charter president, also attended.
Guests enjoyed a delicious three course meal, much
reminiscing and a nostalgic playlist of 80s and 90s music
performed by the MC Kerry Hiles.
celebrate
The festive charter anniversary dinner was enjoyed by all
who attended. Among the attendees were Bruce and Pippa
Steele-Gray. Bottom: President Francois Smit presents a
certificate of excellence to Clarrie Roberts.
30 GREAT YEARS
OF SERVICE

WELCOMED AND HONOURED
Colin Smith, and Michelle
and Danie de Wet are
new members of the
Rotary Club of Brits-
Hartbeespoort (D9400).
With them is President
Estelle van der Westhuizen
(second from left).
Eric Hackett is a new
member of the Rotary Club
of Bedfordview (D9400).
Former Reserve Bank Governor, Tito Mboweni, was made
an honorary member of the Rotary Club of Haenertsburg
(D9400). Welcoming him to the club is President Stuart
Miller.
Monique Norman, Mhinti Pato and Gill Siebert are new
members of the Rotary Club of Hout Bay (D9350).
The Rotary Club of Flamingo-Welkom (D9370) received
the enthooZ Charity Organisation of the year award. The
enthooZ is a local high class monthly magazine which
highlights businesses and organisations in and around
Welkom. With the certificate are President Evert Demmer
and Rotarian Jill Lombard.
Hilton Dalbock received an
award for his outstanding
community service from
the Rotary Club of Beacon
Bay (D9370).

recognised
HAVE YOU WELCOMED OR HONOURED SOMEONE?
Email photos and captions to rotaryafrica@mweb.co.za
Photos must be at least 1MB in size. Please make sure first and surnames are supplied.
Please send INDIVIDUAL ‘HEAD AND SHOULDERS’ PHOTOS.
Group will only be used at the editor’s discretion.
NEW CLUB PRESIDENTS
Aneska Dupont
Amanzimtoti
D9370
Marcel Hoogebeen
Tygerberg
D9350
Ivan Beaumont is a new
member of the Rotary
Satellite Club of St Francis
(a satellite of the Rotary
Club of Jeffreys Bay,
D9370).
Tyron Sharnock, Sharon Da Silva, Paul Bruns and Doudou Kanda received vocational service awards from the Rotary
Club of Rosebank (D9400).
WELCOMED AND HONOURED
Tom Roux is a new
member of the Rotary
Satellite Club of St Francis
(a satellite of the Rotary
Club of Jeffreys Bay,
D9370).

WELCOMED AND HONOUREDNEW MEMBERS, RECOGNITIONS AND AWARDS
The Rotary Club of Bedfordview (D9400) received three
banners from the Trustees of the Rotary Foundation.
The 2015/16 banners recognised the club as one of the
top three highest in per capita annual giving, being a
100 percent Rotary Foundation sustaining member club
and a 100 percent foundation giving club. Presenting
the banners to President Alan Rock is District Governor
Representative Annie Steijn.
President Sibongile Booi of the Rotary Club of Beacon
Bay (D9370) won one of the two top prizes in the
Trade and Services category of the National Business
Investment Competition (initiated by the Eskom
Foundation).
President Peter James Smith (second from left) with three new members of the Rotary
Club of Rosebank (D9400), Patrick Ache, Roger Else and Cuthbert Gumbochuma.
Jeanette Horner is a new
Member of the Rotary Club
of Rosebank (D9400).
Christiaan (Tiaan)
Liebenberg is a new
member of the Rotary Club
of Nigel (D9400).

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‘ABOVE THE WAVES’. SIMON’S TOWN.
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012 344 0390 for reservations. Discount applies.
STUDENT ACCOMMODATION 2016 in Port
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rooms available in Summerstrand, Central, North
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DISCLAIMER: All opinions published are
not the opinion of the publisher. The publisher
is not responsible for the accuracy of any of
the opinions, information or advertisements in
this publication. No responsibility is accepted
for the quality of advertised goods or services
or the accuracy of material submitted for
reproduction. To the extent permitted by law,
the publishers, their employees, agents and
contractors exclude all liability to any person
for any loss, damage, cost or expense
incurred as a result of material in this
publication. All Rotary Marks (Masterbrand
Signature, Mark of Excellence and so forth),
as well as ROTARY are trademarks owned
by Rotary International and used herein
under licence.
Email
rotaryafrica@mweb.co.za
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