Report by Tav Macpherson
President Peter called the meeting to order and after a lusty singing of our National Anthem, Sandy Currie delivered the blessing.
There was a large and boisterous crowd at this meeting and seating for lunch was at a premium. Mary Canty introduced the visiting Rotarians and guests.
Bob Kains (Canmore, Alberta) and Steve Sharlow (Nepean, Ontario) were the visiting Rotarians. Guests were Larry Skaggs (Pablo), Aquiles Casana (Pablo), Gail and David Morton (Mary Canty) and Ryan Gisler (Janna Malo). Mary welcomed all our guests on behalf of the club.
There were two announcements from Past District Governor, Joan Firkins. First, she advised of the search for volunteers to ensure the success of our fundraising dinner (10th May). A list will be circulated. Please give your total support. Secondly, Joan requested that anyone prepared to sell tickets for the car raffle on Saturday, 19th April should contact her. This car raffle is another major fundraising event for the Oak Bay Club.
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| Tav (left) presenting the Ahuriri banner to President Pete |
Tav Macpherson presented a banner to President Peter. It was from the Rotary Club of Ahuriri in Napier, New Zealand.
Celebration Master, Peter Sou good-naturedly extracted treasure from those assembled. Those sitting furtherest away from the President (and closer to the food) were fined as were the delinquents with no badges and/or name tags as well as early leavers. Mary and Wolf had Happy Dollars and Eugen claimed the 50/50 prize - a good one this week!
Bill Burns took the podium to introduce our speaker of the day, John Jordan. John was born in Michigan but later moved to California. He has an MA in Theology and an MA in Psychology and as a therapist, counseled drug and alcohol dependent patients. He has also acted as a Corporate Employee Assistance Councillor, a Safety Program Coordinator and as a Trainer and Performance Consultant. John has four sons in the San Francisco area and moved to Victoria in 2004 with his wife, Toni. He was introduced to Rotary by Tricia Timmermans after exhibiting his house in the Heritage Tour of 2009.
John's presentation was entitled "Rwanda Rising - from Subsistence to Sustainability". It was accompanied by an excellent visual display of photographs and illustrations. The beautiful Republic of Rwanda exists in Central Africa with a population of 8.5 million people of which 90% are engaged in subsistence farming. The country was colonized by Belgium but the native population comprises 84% Hutu and 15% Tutsi. The two tribes had co-existed peacefully for over 500 years. However, the Tutsi had formed the government and a series of monarchs were also of Tutsi origins. Forty years of colonial bureaucracy had largely benefited the Tutsi and when Belgium withdrew from Rwanda, granting the country independence in 1962, ethnic rivalries were ignited. Three years before independence, the majority Hutus overthrew the Tutsi monarchs in 1959. Free votes allowed the Hutus to gain control of the country and pogroms against the minority Tutsi resulted in thousands killed and over 150,000 driven into exile. Rebel Tutsi groups
resisted Hutu dominance and the resulting civil war culminated with the genocide of 1994 in which 800,000 Tutsi and moderate Hutu were slaughtered. By 1999, the country had begun the healing process and its first post-genocide presidential and legislative elections were held in 2003.
Social and economic conditions have improved since. Despite progress, the country remains amongst the poorest in the world and the history of conflict has discouraged external investment. Poverty is rampant.
John continued his presentation by outlining the work that he has been doing with widows and orphans. Due to the ravages of disease and war, there are many women raising children or grandchildren without a male parent. The land is not infertile but agricultural techniques are not efficient enough to yield significant results. Many people earn as little as $1.00 per day and eke out a living by hard work and sacrifice. While there is no end of need, John spoke of breaking the cycle of poverty and thus giving the people hope and dignity. Recently, he has worked with 20 widows. The projects include upgrading housing, building roofs that will not only protect the inhabitants from the elements but also gather and store rain water. Making bricks and roofing have become local industries. Toilets can be upgraded not only to be more sanitary and aesthetically pleasing but also to provide a good source of fertilizer from treated human waste. Efficient horticulture can be taught and animal husbandry can add the benefits of protein to improve diets. More efficient stoves have been produced with a number of benefits including relief from smoke inhalation and the use of less wood which has to be gathered from a depleted natural supply in the forests. All of these improvements mean better health and more satisfying lifestyles. Entrepreneurial opportunity and efficient production methods are improving the lives of the people as is evidenced in the community.
John spoke of his mission statement "We empower vulnerable people through education and appropriate technology in partnership with local authorities.......".
John concluded by thanking the club for their support both financially and in terms of morale. The business of bringing new technologies to the widows and orphans has huge ramifications for their personal situations providing an element of pride that is obvious in community events. Inclusive communities will bring peace to the country and improved prosperity will follow.
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| John Jordan with President Peter Lawrie - receiving the OBR Mug |
David Phillips formally thanked John for his dedication to others and described him as an inspiration to us all. His actions speak well of not only his character but also of Rotary in action.
President Peter and his video display closed the meeting with a rendition of "This Land is your Land", a venerable Canadian folk song.
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