Newsletter of the European Rotaract Information Centre
20
Health as a Gift
TOP
equipement and renovation of a medical centre
RAC Kyiv-Centre Olena Gyrenko, Country Representative Ukraine
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nfortunately, there are some rural medical centers in Heart of Ukraine that need urgent renovation and modernization. RAC ”Kyiv-Centre” has found one of such places in the small village of Besidka, 124 km from Kyiv. The medical center services 3200 people in Besidka and around. The nearest other medical facility was 30 km away. The building was run-down and its only equipment was baby scales and a gynecological chair. The canter is staffed by a qualified dentist, nurse and attendant. So “Kyiv-Centre” decided to renovate the premises with help from Rotaractors from around the world and to equip the center with basic medical equipment. The result was a great improvement of primary medical services to a poor, aging and ill-served rural community
Ukraine
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current state is below satisfactory level. For example, in Besidka village, where ”Kyiv-Centre” decided to equip medical center, there was no simple first-aid kit. The only two pieces of equipment we have seen were baby scales and gynecological chair. All inhabitants (more than 3500 people) had to go 30 km to get the simplest first-aid. The budget of the project was more than 9000 EUR, and RAC ”Kyiv-Centre” raised the whole amount step by step. In the beginning Ukrainian Rotaractors developed a strong advertisement campaign. The idea of the project was announced worldwide via Facebook and YouTube, ”KyivCentre” encouraged Rotaractors and Rotarians from all over the world to join this project.
So how & what was the project?:) “Health as a Gift” is at the moment the biggest project among Ukrainian, Polish and Belarusian Rotaract Clubs (District 2230). The preparation started in the end of 2010. First of all RAC ”KyivCentre” has made the promo video of the project and spread it on the internet (there are more than 1200 views of the video); the project was announced in TV-shows, magazines, publications of Rotary, Rotaract and E.R.I.C. The goal of this project was to equip and renovate medical center in the village of Kyiv region. In Ukraine institutions that really need significant help are rural hospitals and medical centers. Unfortunately their Thanks to active advertisement campaign, was found Rotaract Club Göttingen (Germany) that decided to support the project. They organized party “ Profs@Turnta” with University professors who were DJs during disco. This event raised high interest among all students in the city and helped organizers tocollect around 7500 EUR for the project “Health as a Gift”. So RAC ”Kyiv-Centre” immediately supported initiative of their partners decided to organize similar project where famous Ukrainian sportsmen tried themselves as DJs “Sport stars at turntables” attracted great attention of local media (TV shows, magazines, Rotarian publications and Kyiv-Centre”