VOL. 09-2017/18
MARCH 2018
Rotary
Water and Sanitation
There is no other single issue
that can impact the health, education, economy, equality and progress of all people than the need for
clean water and sanitation
| Governor’s Monthly Letter | March 2018
District Governor’s Message Dear Rotary leaders,
District Governor Ovais Ahmed Kohari
Clean Water and Sanitation is foundational to good health. Moreover, clean water and sanitation is a right. When individuals have access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene, they lead healthier and more productive lives. Unfortunately the situation in our country, is alarming. Most of the households in Pakistan do not have access to adequate potable or shallow water. Many of them also lack toilets and adequate sanitation systems. March is Rotary’s Water and Sanitation Month, when we reiterate our commitment as Rotarians to create healthier communities by supplying clean water and sanitation facilities to prevent the spread of infectious diseases including polio. I am proud that Rotarians in our District have contributed wholeheartedly towards this very important cause. Rotary Clubs in our District have installed Water Filtration Plants, provided water Coolers and Water Filters in Schools and hospitals, dug wells and provided tube wells and hand pumps in the Thar desert region. Also renovated and rebuilt toilet facilities in many Rotary adopted government schools. But much more is needed and much more should be done. One of the important source of information, ideas and partnership to serve in this area is to join and be part of the Water & Sanitation Rotary Action Group WASRAG - wasrag.org. WASRAG was founded in 2007. They support Rotarians and Rotary clubs in sustainable water and sanitation projects around the world by providing reliable planning and alternative sources of matching funds. Their mission is to improve the life and livelihood of those in need by helping provide safe water and adequate sanitation by facilitating access to well-developed sustainable projects and funding sources. I would urge you to be part of this Action group and undertake projects that truly Make a Difference in the lives of our people, by helping to provide clean drinking water and sanitation facilities for a healthier and happy living. The most important thing to remember is that the project doesn’t belong to the Rotary Club or District - it belongs to the people it serves. With warm regards, Your teammate in service Your team mate,
IAN RISELE Y REMINDER: TORONTO 2018
Ovais Ahmed Kohari District Governor
Ian Riseley personally invites you to attend the 2018 RI Convention, 23-27 June 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This Convention is sure to be the most inspiring Convention yet with an impressive turnout from Australia and New Zealand.
The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams and work for their dreams. ~ PRIP Bill Boyd
G O V E R N O R ’ S M O N T H LY L E T T E R VOL. 09-2017/18
MARCH 2018
Editor
KISHWAR T. ALLAWALA Layout Concept & Design
ABBAS LAVINGIA Please submit articles to: Editor: Kishwar Tariq Allawala; Penthouse 1, 143-M/2, PECHS, Karachi 75400; cellular: +92 333 2291708; eMail: gml.d3271@gmail.com District Chair Publication: Abbas Lavingia, 503 Alamode Apartments, Block 8, Clifton, Karachi 75600, Pakistan; line: +92 21 32635257; cellular 0300/0321/345 8239019; eMail: abbas@lavingia.net District Secretary: Ali Hafeez Azmat; 4-C, Mohammad Ali Housing Society, Saeed Hai Road, Karachi 75350; line: +92 21 35214418; cellular: +92 333 2298098; eMail: ali.h.azmat@gmail.com District Governor: Ovais Ahmed Kohari; 17 M. A. Jinnah Road, opp. KGA Ground, Karachi; line: +92 21 32250703, 32257213; cellular: +92 331 2713271; eMail: ovais.kohari@hotmail.com News Media Coordinator: Jawaid Babar; cellular: +92 300 3313252; eMail: jawaidbabart@gmail.com Send stories, queries, tips and photographs by mail or e-mail (high resolution digital images prefered). We assume no responsibility for unsolicited materials. Published monthly by District Governor 3271, Pakistan. Circulation restricted to rotarians only. Concept, layout and printing by: Capricorn Printers; eMail: abbas@lavingia.net Drop Mail You are welcome to make contributions to the GML. However, the editorial board reserves the right to edit or reject the material for reasons of suitability, accuracy or space. Please send your articles, club activity and attendance report to: RotarySecretariat3271@gmail.com. If you have old file photographs of any memorable events related to Rotary at district or international level, you are welcome to share with the GML team.
Serving people through Rotary made me humble with a broader understanding of human need for help and assistance. ~ PRIP Carlo Ravizza
Editorial March is the Water and Sanitation Month in Rotary calendar. This is one of the Rotary’s area of focus. Clean water, better sanitation and hygiene education are basic necessities for a healthy environment. Through water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs, Rotary’s people of action mobilize resources, form partnerships, and invest in infrastructure and training that yield long term change. At least 3000 children die each day from diarrheal diseases caused by unsafe water, a grim reminder for Rotarians who make providing clean water and sanitation an organizational priority. While very few people die of thirst, millions die from preventable waterborne diseases, providing the impetus for members to provide toilets and other clean water initiatives in underdeveloped countries. Members also teach these communities to maintain new infrastructure, and organize educational projects to promote hand washing and other good hygiene habits. The Rotary Foundation is changing the world by providing grants for projects around the globe to improve water supplies, sanitation, and hygiene. TRF has invested in more than 1000 WASH projects in more than 100 countries. It invests in building the knowledge and skills of WASH professionals through global grant scholarships.
www.rotary3271.org
SAVE WATER, SAVE YOUR FUTURE.
Kishwar Tariq Allawala Editor
Handwashing is key to good health Toronto, Canada Friday, June 22, 2018 Delta Hotel by Marriott, 75 Lower Simcoe Street, Toronto across from the Toronto Convention Centre Registration: 7:00 am Program: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm
“Water crisis is a Health crisis” WASH & Health - this year’s Summit theme Your Summit Team is putting together an interesting program on themes of relevance for all Rotarians interested in WASH projects. The morning breakouts will follow two tracks: WASH & Disease Prevention and WASH & Healthcare Facilities. Eminent speakers, including incoming - Barry Rassin, RI President 2018-19 - Peter Lochery, former director of CARE’s Water Team - Silvia Gaya, UNICEF Senior Advisor Water, Sanitation and Hygiene - Chris Dunston, The Hilton Foundation - Rob Quick, Center for Disease Control (CDC) - Mark Balla - a passionate Rotarian advocate for WASH will inspire us all. In the afternoon we will have a series of round table discussions on a wide series of topics. We’ll be in touch soon so you can tell us what YOU want to talk about. Join your fellow WASH enthusiasts in small groups to discuss topics such as: - Empowering the community - WASH in health care facilities - Doing a community assessment - Training - essential to all projects - Applying for a Global Grant - Rotarians as advocates - Profitable sanitation - understanding the cycle - Protecting our wetlands WASH in schools - Menstrual hygiene management - Planning a major WASH program - Finding the right partner/project - Accessing expertise - Blindness prevention WASH has a profound impact on the health of developing societies. More than that, it is the key to the social and economic well-being. Every 90 seconds a child dies from water-related disease. 3.5 million people die annually from water-borne disease – cholera, dysentery, diarrhea and typhoid. Understand the issues in bringing water to Health Facilities where medical staff lack clean water for maternity and child wards. Learn how Rotarians are taking the lead in eradicating water-borne disease.
WASRAG - Providing human, technical and financial support to Rotary clubs and districts that are seeking to help communities to gain sustainable access to water, sanitation and hygiene.
| Governor’s Monthly Letter | March 2018
The Rotary Foundation Chair Paul Netzel Visits Pakistan In his brief and hectic trip, the Rotary Foundation Chair Paul Netzel commenced his schedule by participating in the February 2018 polio NIDs and vaccinated children at the Sind Emergency Operations Centre. A brief presentation by polio partners was made on the current polio update, challenges and way forward, followed by a discussion with the Sind EOC Coordinator. The Trustee Chair then met with Pakistan National PolioPlus Committee members, the District Governor, District Governor Elect and District Governor Nominee, and thanked them for engaging in polio eradication. He said,‘it is becoming increasingly difficult to raise funds, as people often ask him, that the disease is on its way out with so few cases worldwide, but we still need funds for polio.’ He further said, ‘to certify a country as polio free, we must continue with the same fervour, until we have no case for three consecutive years.’ He then reiterated, ‘vaccination must continue in all endemic countries until no trace of the virus is found in any part of Pakistan.’ He appreciated the work being done by the National Chair Aziz Memon, and all the Rotarians in the war against polio. The Chancellor of Habib University Mr Rafiq Habib hosted a corporate lunch in the honour of TRF Chair, followed by a tour of the University. A meeting with the Sind Governor Muhammad Zubair at the Governor House followed. Paul Netzel lauded the effort of the Government and thanked Rotary for playing a pivotal role and their unflinching support in polio eradication. An Intercity Meeting at the Marriott Hotel followed by a Foundation Dinner hosted by RCK Centennial and RCK Sunset Millennium was arranged at the Pearl Continental Hotel the same evening.
PP Navaid Khan from RCK Centennial called the meeting to order. DG Ovais Kohari in his welcome address talked about the Foundation that receives contributions and distributes funds in support of approved humanitarian and educational activities through districts and clubs. Its mission is to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education and the alleviation of poverty. The DG stressed on the importance of giving to the Foundation which eventually comes back to our own district. National Polio Chair Aziz Memon said that $12 million have already gone in towards polio eradication. Rotary has created medical history towards polio eradication. Earlier, it was small pox that was eradicated from the globe. The polio chair called for commitments towards TRF. He informed that the annual target is $300,000 but so far $75,000 has been committed. During his address, TRF Chair Paul Netzel stressed that 100 years of Rotarian dedication made TRF’s success possible. He stated that CNBC has ranked TRF #3 among the top ten charities of the world and Charity Navigator has ranked it a 4 star charity. He further said that for every dollar Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation matches by $2. He motivated all Rotarians to cultivate the habit of giving, saying that it is not the size of the gift but the size of the gift in relation to the capacity to give. He spoke about Rotary’s Areas of Focus, Global Peace Centres producing about 100 peace fellows each year and there being 1052 peace fellows online around the world, Rotary’s PolioPlus Initiative, Rotary’s Polio partners under Global Eradication Initiative. He thanked the National PolioPlus Chair Aziz Memon for his passion in eradicating polio. He said that he especially wanted to come to Pakistan and was very impressed to be here, hearing stories around. RCK Sunset Millennium President Masroor Peshimam proposed a vote of thanks. This was followed by dinner and folk music.
Rotary must make haste even to keep up; but we must do more, we must lead. ~ Paul Harris
| Governor’s Monthly Letter | March 2018
Rotary Club Karachi Gateway
Rotary Club Khipro Sunders
RCK Gateway under Rtn Farooq Dadi arranged a meeting on 13th March with Guest Speakers Dr S Tariq Shah and Dr Mrs Naseem Tariq. It was a very informative programme where they highlighted the efforts they are making in Telemedicine. They have set up a centre in Mirpur, Azad Kashmir, and are extending medical support to residents of several villages.
Dr Jewat with school children with polio awareness poems.
Dr Jewat Sunders presented a painting to Culture Minister at Literature Festival and talked on Literacy with special reference to RPLM and Polio eradication.
Dr Jewat receiving polio certificate from the polio ambassador, Salman Ahmed.
Rotary Club Karachi Sunset Millennium
Rotary Club Karachi CPEC
Rotarians participated Walk A cause - Go Greene
Each Rotarian is a connecting link between the iadealism of Rotary and his trade or profession. ~ Paul Harris
| Governor’s Monthly Letter | March 2018
Rotary Club Gambat
Rotary Club Nawabshah
Rotary Club Khairpur
Rotary Club Sukkur
Rotary Club Naushero Feroze
Rotary Club Khairpur Green City
There has never been a strike- breaker to compare with service Ăą service by the employer, service by the employee. ~ Paul Harris