The Australian Rotary Foundation Trust

Low-cost Water Treatment

Mark Anderson — Wed, 05 Nov 2014 08:41:08 +0000

In 2011 D9710 (southeastern NSW and the ACT) joined efforts with D3330 in southern Thailand to hold a Rotary study exchange examining water and sanitation issues in each country. The Australian team members, young professionals aged 25-35, found there were many villages in southern Thailand without ready access to clean drinking water, unless it is purchased in bottle form.

The Australian study team made a promise to work with the Thailand Rotarian’s to develop low-cost water treatment systems for some of these villages. In 2013 a proposal came from the Ploi Ratchaburi Rotary Club to build small-scale water treatment systems at two primary schools in Ratchaburi province. The water treatment systems involved a multi-stage filtering system to remove solids and chemicals from the local surface and groundwater supplies. A small membrane filter unit and an ultraviolet disinfection system ensure the treated water is consistently of a high standard. A vending machine added to the systems would allow community members to purchase clean water in bulk at a much lower price than is available via the marketplace. The community water sales will be used to pay for quarterly maintenance of he water treatments systems.

The proposal was reviewed by the Australian GSE team and developed into a funding application for The Rotary Foundation. Through the Rotary system of matching grants US$7,000 in contributions from Australian Rotary clubs, including the Rotary Club of Berry, was able to secure the US$36,000 required to build the two water treatment systems including, tanks, filters, electrical supplied and refurbishments to buildings.

The two water treatment systems, at Wat Na Nong and Wat Thai Mueang schools were officially opened in July 2014. These projects will provide over 300 students and 4,000 local residents with access to clean water for drinking and hand washing.

Location: Thailand (Rotary District 3330)
Town: Ratchaburi
Cost: US$436,000

Benefit to the community: affordable drinking water available to 4,000 villagers including 300 school children.

Landcare in Tonga

Mark Anderson — Wed, 05 Nov 2014 08:35:17 +0000

Project Summary:
To provide food security to a minimum of 60 households (App. 240 people)in three villages in Tonga. The communities will be trained to assess and create solutions to their food security. Materials for new improved vegetable garden beds and hen houses will be provided to 60 households to assist in the growing and protection of fresh vegetables and hens. This will enable the growing of fresh vegetables above the water level and provide protection from roaming pigs. Fences will provide poultry runs to protect the hens from cats and dogs thus improving the production of eggs and poultry.

Location:
The Kingdom of Tonga on the Island of Tongatapu in the villages of Popua, Sopu and Pea

Cost:
The Global Grant budget is US$50,055

Benefit to the community
It will improve vegetable, poultry and egg output to a minimum of 60 households which will improve their health by providing fresh food. It will also save them money to purchase food and any excess will be sold which will supplement their incomes.

Global Foundation Scholar – Annelise Bissett

Mark Anderson — Wed, 05 Nov 2014 08:25:43 +0000

Project Summary:
The MSc of Environmental Change and Management aims to train leaders who will be involved in developing solutions to a range of environmental issues facing our society. The course is multidisciplinary and aims to educate students in the socioeconomic, political, ethical and cultural factors that need to be considered when addressing environmental issues.

Location: Oxford University

Country: United Kingdom

Town: Oxford

Cost: $48,000

Benefit to the Community: Environmental issues such as climate change, land degradation, pollution, and food and water security will have an increasing impact on communities across the globe, in particular those in developing and remote areas. Communities need to develop innovative environmental strategies in order to grow sustainably, preserve vital natural resources, and lessen the impacts of climate change on the community.

Anna’s Email 4 October 2014: ” ..I received my marks – I received a distinction grade for my dissertation and also a distinction overall for the year. Very happy with this result as it is not common to get distinctions at Oxford!”

Charity Navigator Praises Foundation

tArFt — Sun, 19 Oct 2014 08:40:35 +0000

We are proud to announce The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International has earned our seventh consecutive 4-star rating. Receiving four out of a possible four stars indicates that your organisation adheres to good governance and other best practices that minimize the chance of unethical activities and consistently executes its mission in a fiscally responsible way.
Only 2% of the charities we rate have received at least 7 consecutive 4-star evaluations, indicating that The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International outperforms most other charities in America.

View the full letter.

Foundation Facts – November

Mark Anderson — Sun, 12 Oct 2014 05:26:56 +0000

The month of November is the month Rotary International dedicates to the programs and activities of the Rotary Foundation and this gives us a wonderful opportunity to focus our attention on the many great things that our foundation delivers to our world.

We take so much for granted as we enjoy our privileged life. Water streams from every one of the 16 or so taps in our houses, medical aid is just around the corner, a strong and active education system provides a future for all our children and with the exception of a few, we want for nothing. How different it is for one-third of the world’s population!

Including our efforts in the area of polio eradication, your Foundation provided something like $180 million last year to support clubs and districts in their efforts to ‘do good in the world’. If you add the money supplied by clubs and districts to complete these projects we would have a conservative spend of something like $450 million so we are not a small, insignificant organization. We are a highly relevant significant group and we should never fail to make that point with our friends.

Nothing ever comes cheap and everything The Foundation does costs money. When the money runs out so does our ability to make a difference. Clubs can take the bull by the horns and agreed to pay their TRF commitment now rather than wait until the traditional ‘rush’ period of June. We will get our money working sooner rather than later and that will help enormously. If all clubs in Australia could do this then The Foundation would be in a much stronger position.

We can also help as individuals. Those of us with Centurion commitments who aren’t tied into a scheduled payment plan could consider paying this month. It’s only $100 per person but collectively it has the power to do so much. Those of us who haven’t yet made the Centurion’ leap of faith’ might give the possibility a little extra thought. That extra$$1.92 a week can make such a difference to the people depending on us for a better life.
The Rotary Foundation is your own charity and I’m just asking you to be part of it.