Friends of Guirgho (Aired August 6, 2023)

     

New Paltz Rotarians Robert Rich and Pascal Guirma, along with Pacal’s brother Victor, return to RadioRotary to report on the progress of Friends of Guirgho in improving the school and other facilities in the Burkina Faso village of Guirgho, a rural settlement about 60 km from the capital of Burkina Faso. Burkino Faso (formerly Upper Volta), the ancestral home of the Guirma brothers, is a landlocked nation in West Africa. When France controlled this part of West Africa. French Jesuits started a boarding school, but few natives would attend. Finally, the Emperor had his second
son, known as Bila Victor, sent to the school, signaling it was safe to attend. One of Bila Victor’s sons, Frédéric Guirma, educated at the school, became the first ambassador from Upper Volta to the United States and later the ambassador to the United Nations. Two of his sons, Victor and Pascal, remained connected to the ancestral village of Guirgho. Visiting the village they saw the need for a better school and for other modern improvements. Rotarians from New Paltz pitched in to help. The Friends replaced ancient desks with modern ones and added latrines to the school. One of their most complicated projects was bringing computers to the school since there was no electricity until they introduced solar power.

Learn More
Friends of Guirgho: https://www.friendsofguirgho.org/
New Paltz Rotary Club: https://www.newpaltzrotary.org/
Burkina Faso: https://www.britannica.com/place/Burkina-Faso
Ambassador Frédéric Guirma: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frédéric_Guirma

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September 26, 2023 · Posted in International Programs, Rotary Club Projects  

Empowering Youth’s Inner Wisdom (Aired on July 23, 2023)

                 

Mathew Swerdloff and his wife Elise Gold created the Maya Gold Foundation in honor of their daughter Maya who committed suicide at the age of 15, but the Foundation is involved with more than suicide prevention. After a trip to India, Maya became involved in efforts to stop human trafficking in Nepal. Today the Foundation has developed a close relationship with groups in Nepal. The program also features Hannah Stillhouse, now a college student who has gone with one of the groups of 16 teenagers the Foundation takes to work in Nepal, but back in the U.S. has led one of the Foundation’s Youth Action Teams who work to help teenagers improve mental health.

Learn More:
Maya Gold Foundation: http://www.mayagoldfoundation.org/
Youth Action Teams: https://www.mayagoldfoundation.org/who-we-are/youth-action-team
Teen Mental Health First Aid: https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/population-focused-modules/teens/

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September 8, 2023 · Posted in Education, International Programs, Mental Health, Support Groups, Youth  

Hope in a Box (Aired on April 16, 2023)

          

Radio Rotary is visited by El Dorado Hills, CA, Rotarian Bill Tobin, Rotary Relations Manager for ShelterBox USA, ShelterBox started with Rotarians from the Helston-Lizard club in the United Kingdom. In 2000, these Rotarians observed the many disasters reported in the news and developed the idea of providing a basic tool kit to help family’s recover. The idea, promoted by Rotarians around the world, grew into the nonprofit that is often the first to arrive at a natural disaster or war scene. Because it was recognized that shelter from the elements was a priority, tents were provided. Originally a large storage box, the weight was kept to 100 pounds so it could be carried by an individual, and was packed with tools, water purifiers, lighting, blankets, and other necessities. Recently solar power has become part of the toolkit. Tent (and supplies) in a box became ShelterBox. Today there are many specialized versions of the ShelterBox, adjusted to the needs of the specific disaster victims.

Learn More:
ShelterBox USA: https://www.shelterboxusa.org/
ShelterBox Disaster Relief https://shelterbox.org/
Yosemite Adventure Trek: https://www.shelterboxusa.org/adventurers-trek-yosemite/
El Dorado Hills Rotary: https://www.edhrotary.org/
Rotary Club of Helston-Lizard: https://www.rotary-ribi.org/clubs/homepage.php?ClubID=1608

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May 12, 2023 · Posted in Disaster Relief, International Programs  

Village in Zambia Aided by Rotary (Aired On February 5, 2023)

                   

Rotarians Steven Caine and Laura Lee (Burnt Bills Ballston Lake Rotary) visit Radio Rotary to tell about their efforts to help bring medical facilities to Muchila Center, an isolated village in Zambia—the nearest hospital is two hours away. In addition to assistance from the Rotary clubs of Kusinta and Lusaka, the new clinic uses equipment supplied by Project C.U.R.E. Much needed dental facilities and transportation are also part of the nonprofit Muchila Access Project, which will serve over 43,000 persons in the Muchila region.  Burnt Hills Ballston Lake Rotary is working on a Rotary Foundation Global Grant directed primarily toward providing maternal and child health and disease prevention and treatment, including dental health. As many as 1 in 13 women die from maternal related causes in regions like Muchila, compared to 1 in 4,000 in developed countries, and about 80% of the population in the region suffers from oral disease.

Learn More:
Burnt Hills/Ballston Lake Rotary: https://bhblrotary.org/
Rotary Club of Lusaka (Zambia): https://lusakarotary.org/
Rotary Club of Kusinta (Zambia) on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KusintaRocks/
Muchila Access Project: https://www.muchilaaccess.org/
Project C.U.R.E.: https://projectcure.org/

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February 13, 2023 · Posted in Health, International Programs, Rotary Foundation  

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