Monday 13 May 2019

Four Projects Bring a New Dawn

May madness (in South African terms multiple public holidays) meant that we have our first meeting this week and it's already the middle of the month.
     It was business as usual at the board meeting last Friday and of course the club assembly on Saturday morning, which went extremely well.
President Linda Vink introducing the projects club assembly with Helene Bramwell
 and Bronwyn Tucker listening intently
     About 20 members attended and the presentations were lively, informative and interesting. There were quite a few questions, showing that the projects are works in progress and that a lot still needs to be done.
     Rather than make it a straight choice between the four projects that were presented, accepting some and rejecting others, each team was allowed an opportunity to present their idea.
Julian Nagy, who facilitated the meeting
     In his opening remarks Julian Nagy emphasised that Rotary is all about service and serves the communities where it operates through projects. These are made possible through fundraising.
     There are four general sources of fundraising, he said: club fundraising (our golf day, bridge drive and Christmas dinner fall into this category); corporate and other sponsorships; Rotary District Grants and Rotary Global Grants.
Josefien Sligcher was the star of the assembly, although she slept through most of the meeting. Here she's with members Abi and Adriaen and proud grandmother Judy Sligcher
     The best source, as we discovered with The Link, is Global Grants, as they are multiplied greatly by club and partner club contributions and these new projects will surely be looking to Global and District grants (which work on the same principle but are smaller amounts of money) for at least part of their funding.
     The next step is that the team leaders have been asked to assemble club members around them to help carry the project forward. It will be the task of the subcommittees to make those projects work; if all four come to fruition, so much the better.
     Teams will have to set up a working budget and identify where funds will come from. In terms of RI funding there has to be an active club participation component to the project, as well as community involvement and communities must eventually be able to keep the project sustainable.
Bronwyn Tucker has already decided to join Helene Bramwell on the
 Enviro Loo project
     The first project to be presented was the Enviro Loo project by Helene Bramwell. Helene has only recently joined the club, partly because she sensed that Rotary would provide a strong infrastructure to make this project, of which she has been a part for a while now, work.
     She explained that each installation, at schools in underprivileged areas, would consist of six bio-degradable toilets costing just over R21 000 each, therefore R125 000 and more per school. The initial aim is for about 20 installations over the next few years.
     The Enviro Loo is a dry, waterless sanitation system requiring no water, expensive reticulation or sewerage infrastructure or electricity.
     It is odourless under normal operating conditions, requires minimum servicing and maintenance, uses no chemicals and is 100% environmental friendly and is non-polluting.
Ian Widdop explaining the Meriting project while Julian listens
     Next up was Ian Widdop talking about the Meriting project, which has been under discussion in the club for a while now.
     He explained that Meriting is an outreach programme of Imsimbi Training, owned by brothers Peter and Dave Sadie. With their help and help from Rotary, the aim is to tailor a course in entrepreneurship, business development and start-ups for 25 pupils who have been identified as having the potential to start and run their own businesses.
     Money for this training will be subject to a Global Grant application, for which there are already a number of potential overseas clubs lined up as co-sponsors.
Carl Chemaly cosying up to Frank Odenthal, a potential co-optee to the Realema project
     Carl Chemaly is another new(ish) member who joined the club to be able to contribute meaningfully to those less fortunate than ourselves.
     Carl introduced the assembly to the Realema project, a teacher intern programme initially run by St John's College, but now operating as an independent entity.
     The programme sponsors children from financially strapped backgrounds who are keen to become teachers through matric and on to a teaching degree from Unisa. During their years of study they receive extra counselling and do job shadowing with teachers from St. John's. They also get a salary, a laptop, IT support and food and accommodation during the four years it takes to get a B Ed. degree.
     The first five pupils that have completed the course since inception in 2013, have now graduated and placed at schools. Their pass rate was 93% and 37% received distinctions.
     By the time they graduate, they've already had 3 years of practical teaching experience.
     The organisers are now looking to expand the programme to more schools in and around Johannesburg.
Frayne Mathijs listens intently while Julian explains
     The final presentation was by Julian Nagy, who has put into words a suggestion, first mooted by ex-member Steve du Plessis, to create a bursary/scholarship fund. Julian has named the project the New Dawn Legacy Fund.
     The idea is to open an account with a reputable investment firm to accept contributions from anyone who is willing to donate, whether they be club members or other individuals, also corporates and club funds raised for this specific purpose.
     The dream is to create a sustainable fund where the capital keeps on growing and that will outlast the current crop of New Dawners and into the future.
     Funds would be used for educational purposes such as scholarships and bursaries, helping Rotaracters such as the current crop with research logistics, etc.
     I have tried to give a balanced summary of each project. It is now up to each member of the club to decide where, amongst these, their passion lies and volunteer to serve in a sub-committee or agree too be co-opted into it. It could obviously also be more than one.
     Much work lies ahead, not the least with the whole Global Grant process. If more club members learnt how to manage that process, it would be an added bonus.
Tony Reddy looks raring to go
     Ian Widdop, who steered The Link through the process, has agreed to make himself available to all teams who want to go down that route. He's looking for someone to take the driving seat with the Meriting project to enable him to do this.
     Please also note that Peter Sadie of Insimbi/Meriting was going to be the speaker at the meeting on Wednesday, but because Ian can't make the meeting, he has asked if his talk can be postponed to 29th May.
     The meeting will therefore be a social and business meeting to catch up a bit for the lost meetings. Julian will summarise the four proposals for those who couldn't make the assembly. We'll also be inducting two new members, Bronwyn Tucker and Karlien Kruger.
     Also note that Linda and I will be travelling from next week for four weeks, which includes attendance at the RI convention in Hamburg, so this could be the last blog for a while. Any volunteers to take over until the end of June?
     A Thought for the Week: I have never let my schooling interfere with my education. Mark Twain (1835 - 1910)



   
 
   

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