Helping Children in Need Through Education

Everybody in the club should have a much better understanding of where the club is with regards to the type of education projects we are tackling and where the fundraising proceeds are targeted after an exhaustive presentation by Julian Nagy at the meeting last week.
     Julian also indicated the direction in which the club is moving, a process that should be helped along considerably by gaining access to a global grant (or two, or three!) from Rotary International.
     The presentation slides are attached to the email to club members for those who missed out on the meeting. If you're still unsure, feel free to question Julian or any of the other members involved.
     It is clear that the club aims to stick to the vision of helping children in need, more specifically through education.

Julian Nagy addressing the club while Paul plays with his phone

          Julian started off the presentation with the background to our involvement with The Link and the application for a global grant, which is taking frustratingly long to materialise, but which sounds very much as if it will happen.

     The Link has become a flagship project which we have already helped to the tune of about R80000 of the R100000 that we pledged to enable them to set up at three new schools. Getting the global grant would obviously speed up this process immeasurably.

Frayne Mathijs, Llewellyn Leonard and Peta Thomas at the meeting

     The Humanitarian Centre plays a huge role in District 9400 and also in just about every one of the New Dawn projects. The club has had a long involvement with this project of the Rotary Club of Bedfordview and Steve du Plessis is a current board member there.

     Over the years we've provided various kinds of help to the Christ Church Christian Care Centre in Berea and they remain a signature project. We've pledged money from the Golf Day on 30 November to the 5Cees this year and the board is discussing a proposal to help one of their learners to complete her last three years of high school at McAuley House.

     You'll be hearing a bit more about that on Wednesday at the meeting.

Champions all. Graham Donet, Judy Symons, Steve du Plessis and Julian Nagy after the meeting

     Julian also spoke about the new Rotaract club, which is already proving to be very lively, the resurrection of the Interact clubs and the research project being undertaken by Rotary and the two universities closest to us, UJ and Wits.

     The final key point was setting up a New Dawn bursary fund, something for the future, but definitely an achievable goal and one that would cement the New Dawn legacy for a long time to come if we can get enough funding.

Zipho Ngxongo of Meriting Youth Development

     Education is also the theme of the talk this week. The speaker is Zipho Ngxongo, project manager at Meriting Youth Development, an NGO which upskills disadvantaged unemployed youth with Seta accredited qualification and then trying to find employment opportunities for them.

     Zipho says she's looking forward to the meeting.

     Debbie Smith has promised to bring some smoothies to the meeting, a new product line she's pursuing as a business opportunity.

Ian Widdop came to buy a raffle ticker from Carol Stier and Judy Symons.

     Saturday also saw the first day of selling raffle tickets for the golf day and as Linda announced on WhatsApp, it was a success to the tune of R6450. A big thanks to Carol, Judy Sligcher, Judy Symons and Linda for their efforts.

     It's also good to be able to report that the Barrow of Booze was full to overflowing and that we'll easily have enough for a second raffle prize for this present on the day.

     There'll be another team selling raffle tickets this coming Saturday.

     A Thought for the Week: A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way. - Mark Twain (1835 - 1910)