This week, PP Anne Scott introduced Robinette Emonson, Chief Commissioner, Girl Guides Australia who told us about the successful training team which went to Myanmar to train Girl Guide leaders. She first told us about Myanmar, the need for Guides, and how the program will enable Guiding to reach 3,500 girls across Myanmar by the end of 1014. Robinette thanked the Rotary Club of Hawthorn for our initial involvement in the planning, and financial support through the District Grant. By sheer coincidence, the financial and project reports from District 9800 arrived on the same day, but Robinette’s talk put a human face on this successful move to promote International goodwill and understanding.
The students at International House tell me you still have time to book for “The Orient Express”. This year’s Café International on 10th May is sure to be fun and frolics: please give me a call if you wish to join us.
I attended a meeting at DIK Inc last week. The support from working bees has been good, but trying to accommodate large numbers is a challenge. A few reliable capable people who can attend regularly who will accept responsibility for an activity are badly needed.
The District Assembly, which provides training for new Rotary office-bearers (and a refresher course for returning board members) will be on Sunday 18th May at Melton. Have you let Chris Hanson know that you are available?
Noel Halford told us about next week’s exciting program: a live Skype link-up with our Ambassadorial Scholar Chinatso Endo in Nepal. She will tell us about her career since her scholarship at Melbourne University, as our first ever Rotary Skype speaker.
Work at Romana House for Servants Community Housing is nearly complete: Charles Morrison and I helped clean up last week, and now a few bathroom fittings need to be installed. After all that hard work, I closed the meeting with the words of Robert Frost: “By working faithfully eight hours a day, you may get to be a boss and work twelve hours a day.”
Introduced by Chairman of the day Anne Scott, Robinette Emonson Chief Commissioner with Girl Guides Australia told of the efforts of The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (hence WAGGGS) through its Asia Pacific Region about their work in Myanmar (the new Burma). In part financially supported by our own Rotary District 9800 they are currently working closely with the Ministry of Education of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar to establish Girl Guiding in Schools.
Robinette set the scene with her snapshot of Myanmar. Today it has a population of 55 Millions, is composed of 8 racial groups speaking Burmese but embraces over 100 dialects. Predominantly built around Theravada Buddhism the culture shows reverence for elders and the clergy. Geographically it has common borders with many south east Asia countries but significantly sits between the two colossus of China and India.
Although independent from the British in 1948, from 1962 to until 2011 the country was run by the military and internal conflicts in the period often driven by racial tensions has created the atmosphere of a long running civil war. The Girl Guide movement ceased in 1962. Thus the country, its people, and women and girls, have been isolated from many external and international influences and trends in the last 50 or so years.
Following the changes with the departure of military rule in 2011, the government has sought change and greater links with the external world, and so its invitation to the Girl Guide movement to involve the schools in Guiding.
Starting from a non-existent structure and no administrative base early efforts have concentrated on training the "trainers" and future local leaders of the movement. With special training conferences run by external facilitators (some from Australia funded by Rotary) first in August 2013 and then in January 2014 local enthusiasm among the girls and volunteers is high. Already membership levels are at the 4000 level and the Myanmar Girls Guides (MMGG) has been awarded the "Certificate of Country Working Towards Membership" , a status recognizing the progress toward Associate membership. Key near term future steps will consider governance and administrative structures especially. Also near term memberships goals for 85000 guides are realistic!
Thank you Robinette for the progress report. This is another gratifying example of how Rotary contributions , working in with other organizations can be so productive and rewarding.
Each year, Rotary Clubs around Australia work with the NYSF to select participants to attend the January Sessions. Expressions of interest open on 1 April. For more details about how the selection process works, see www.nysf.edu.au/applying/info.
The local Rotary club is the first filter for applicants. Already RCH has received some expressions of interest and will conduct an interview process prior to forwarding (if applicable) a candidate to District 9800 for further consideration. Evidently it is a very popular event our District selects only one in every four or so which it considers.
Dates for the 2015 National Youth Science Forum:
Expressions of interest to Rotary clubs close on Saturday 31st May 2014.
The three session are in January next year as follows, A, B,C.
Monday 5th January 2015 – Saturday 17th January 2015
Monday 12th January 2015 – Saturday 24th January 2015
Monday 19th January 2015 – Saturday 31st January 2015
The refurbishment work at Romana in East Kew continues and our roll call of volunteer workers continues. The RCH honour roll of attendees grows, although still more needed.
Charles Morrison is now an expert in cleaning fly-screens for windows: if you need anything done at home just give him a call. He put in a solid morning’s work, before setting off on a cruise with Jacqui. Have a good break, Charles, you’ve earned it!
Yet further we see David Pisterman (or is it Hemingway's "Old Man of the Sea") , and a couple of friends developing tile handling skills.
Members are invited to join a cocktail evening with two women integral to Fundasaun Alola, founder, Kirsty Sword Gusmão and CEO, Alzira Reis,
Tuesday 13 May at 6.30pm.
Following the recent National Cancer Conference in Dili, Kirsty will provide unique insight into the changes taking place in this developing nation and what it means for women in Timor-Leste.
Kirsty, also a Goodwill Ambassador for Education in Timor-Leste and Chair of the Timor-Leste National Commission for UNESCO, will be joined by Alzira Reis; Fundasaun Alola, CEO who will share news of the organisation’s latest achievements.
Where: The Boulevard, 121 Studley Park, Kew
When: Tuesday 13 May 6.30 – 9.30pm
Tickets available at Trybooking: $110 / Concession
http://www.trybooking.com/Embed.aspx?eid=82386
Further details contact Chris at friends@alola.org.au or phone 0437983070
Remember The Rotary Club of Melton and the District Learning & Development Team will host this year’s District Training Assembly – Rotary Illuminated.
It is encouraging members to attend the Assembly on 18th May 2014 at Tabcorp Park, Melton. All Rotarians are welcome to attend the Assembly but club office bearers and new members, in particular, will find the day very interesting and useful.
It is expected that your club will cover the $27 registration cost ( $12 if not staying for lunch) for each of your members attending. Contact Chris Hanson.
The morning will commence with an opening plenary session which will be followed by forums on the five Avenues of Service, on our Rotary Foundation, on Membership Development and on Public Image.
In the afternoon, there will be separate sessions for the current Club Presidents, the Presidents Elect, the Presidents Nominees and club executives such as Secretaries, Treasurers and Protection Officers. If any of your members are waiting for a lift home but don’t hold a club executive position they will be most welcome to sit in on the Protection workshop.
Rotary International Convention - Sydney 2014 June 1 - 4
The Sydney RI Convention is an opportunity to meet up with Rotarians from around the world. To help make your experience all the more fun, our District are organising several opportunities to associate with other D9800 Rotarians.
The International Fellowship of Rotarian Convention Goers and District Governor Ross Butterworth invite the Rotarians from DISTRICT 9800 to kick off the 2014 Sydney Convention with a spectacular evening of fireworks, festival lights, fun and fellowship while cruising Sydney Harbour aboard the Captain Cook Cruise Line’s Flagship 'Sydney 2000'
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