Aquabox (Australia)

This is a project of the Rotary Club of Eltham, providing emergency relief to people affected by disaster around the world. These boxes provide people in need with the basic humanitarian aid and, most importantly, clean drinking water. Following a natural disaster, the most urgent requirement is the supply of safe drinking water. The lack of, or disruption to safe water or sanitation creates an ideal breeding ground for water borne diseases such as cholera and typhoid. AQUABOX is simple, ‘user friendly’ and comprises 3 simple components:

• A rigid reinforced 75 litre plastic container,
• A reusable carbon activated filter
• Dispensing tap.

The container is filled with locally available water and initially strained through a muslin filter to remove solid material. Two purification tablets (effervescent chlorine release type) are then added. After 2 hours, potable water may be drawn through another filter and tap.

Shelterbox.

Shelterbox provides immediate global humanitarian relief when disasters occur. A shelterbox contains a family tent, blankets, cooker and ancillary equipment sufficient to house up to 10 people. The Rotary Club of Pascoe Vale has supported the provision of several Shelterboxes over the past decade.

Polio Plus Program. It costs $3 USD to immunise a child against polio.

As a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, Rotary has helped reduce polio cases by 99.9 percent since our first project to vaccinate children in the Philippines in 1979. The program to eradicate polio, called Polio Plus, has been Rotary International’s primary effort for over 35 years. Rotary set a fundraising goal in 1985 of $120,000 and the name of the project was changed to “Polio Plus.” It was the first major fundraising campaign by Rotarians of the world for a single project. However, by 1987 we had surpassed the goal and actually raised $240 million. Rotary members have contributed more than $2.1 billion and countless volunteer hours to protect nearly 3 billion children in 122 countries from this paralyzing disease. Rotary’s advocacy efforts have played a role in decisions by governments to contribute more than $10 billion to the effort.

Wild polio has been eliminated on the African continent and today polio remains endemic only in Afghanistan and Pakistan. But it’s crucial to continue working to keep other countries polio-free. We are so close to eliminating polio from the world.

As part of the Rotary Foundation, in 2019-2020, Pascoe Vale Rotary donated through the Polio Plus Foundation, to which the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation pledged $2 USD for every donated dollar.

In 1988, 125 nations of the world had endemic polio and it was estimated that there were 350,000 cases of polio in the world every year. But we took on the project – one country at a time. Our first big immunization day was in Mexico, where we immunized 13 million children. before moving to Central America and South America. One nation after another became “polio free.”

Pascoe Vale Rotary donates every year to Polio Plus through our Paul Harris Fellow recognition program. We recognise the efforts of members and others for their service to the community.

Rotarians Against Malaria.

It was once believed that malaria was an airborne disease (“mal aria”) but subsequently was found to be spread by the female Anopheles mosquito. This parasite infects over 228 million people annually, kills thousands every year (405,500 in 2018) and incapacitates many thousands more. It can be eradicated with vector control, good water management and mosquito nets. The burden of malaria is felt predominantly in countries with poor access to clean water, sanitation and health services.

Rotarians Against Malaria (RAM) is one of the six main projects of Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCs), seeking to eliminate malaria from our neighbouring regions of PNG, the Solomon Islands and Timor Leste. RAM is a volunteer-run organisation working to eliminate malaria worldwide. The Rotary Club of Pascoe Vale has supported RAM over many years. Four Club members and 8 supporters walked the Kokoda Track in 2008 to raise money for RAM. We donated $15,000 to RAM and adopted 3 villages in Bougainville. In 2009 we built a shed in Gizo, Solomon Islands to house mosquito bed nets for distribution throughout the Solomon Islands.

As part of the Rotary Foundation, in 2019-2020, Pascoe Vale Rotary donated through the Polio Plus Foundation, to which the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation pledged $2 USD for every donated dollar.

In 1988, 125 nations of the world had endemic polio and it was estimated that there were 350,000 cases of polio in the world every year. But we took on the project – one country at a time. Our first big immunization day was in Mexico, where we immunized 13 million children. before moving to Central America and South America. One nation after another became “polio free.”

Pascoe Vale Rotary donates every year to Polio Plus through our Paul Harris Fellow recognition program. We recognise the efforts of members and others for their service to the community.

ROMAC- Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children.

ROMAC provides surgical treatment in Australia and New Zealand for children from developing countries in our Pacific region through life giving and/or dignity restoring surgery not accessible to them in their home country. ROMAC was the idea of a Rotarian In Bendigo in 1985. It spread to Victorian clubs and by 2001 some 25 children were being treated each year. The Rotary Club of Pascoe Vale identified a child in need and we got ROMAC on board.

Theary arrived in Australia from Cambodia on Australia Day 2011 for a series of operations to remove a large “hairy naevus” from her face through ROMAC. Operations were carried out by Dr Tony Holmes at the Mercy Hospital. Theary was hosted by the Rotary Club of Pascoe Vale and returned to Cambodia on the 22nd June 2011. She returned to Australia and visited the Rotary Club of Pascoe Vale in January 2018. Theary is now a very confident young lady, excelling in school, and intends to become a doctor. Theary is an excellent example of the value of ROMAC.

Umoja Orphanage – Kenya, Africa

is a project of the Sunrise Rotary Club Bundaberg RAWCS. Umoja’s founder is a member of Fitzroy Rotary Club District 9570. Umoja is a non-profit organisation based in Australia providing orphans and vulnerable children in Kenya with accommodation, education and security. The vision of this venture is for Australia and Africa to work collaboratively to build a self-sustainable village that will house, feed and educate at least 60 orphaned and vulnerable children.

It was opened on the 30th July 2016, exactly 5 years after the project began. The orphanage is approximately 1 hour’s drive from Mombasa, situated about 10 minutes from Ukunda, and close to Diani Beach, on the south coast of Kenya and 1 hour north of the Tanzanian border. During 2020, its Australian founder made a presentation to Pascoe Vale Rotary about Umoja’s work which resulted in a donation towards the remarkable work being done there.