Presidential Ponderings
P1 was welcomed with much enthusiasm and gave Joy the opportunity to recite the 4 Way Test (she failed miserably...) then proceded to inform us of events significant to today:
- 80 years ago saw the end of WWII from which 39,000 Australian Defence Force personnel didn't come home.
- Napoleon was born on this day in 1769.
- India declared Independence Day in 1947
- Today is International Elephant Day just in case you have one secreted away somewhere.
Guest Speaker - Erin Hegarty "Mama Respond"
Erin is the founder and CEO of Mama Respond International, an organisation that supports mothers with special needs children in Kenya and Australia. Their Mission Statement is “Transforming lives through improved health, quality education and lasting independence – empowering children with special needs and their family to thrive”.
Erin first went to Kenya in 2013 as a 21-year-old volunteer teacher at the Noonkopir Primary School, located in the Kajiado County. This is the same school where the Special Needs Unit is located today. She had gone across with $3,000 fundraised through friends and family. Asking a young girl one day “what do you need for the school?”, she was told “Erin, I need a better future…” That’s where Mama Respond all started.
As a registered NGO here and in Kenya, they have moved from focussing on children to focussing on mothers with special needs, “Strong Mamas” as they are called. The mothers meet weekly for peer support. In Kenya, mothers with special needs children often find their husbands leave and they are ostracised by family and the community.
The initial meetings went from two “Mamas” to 94 within two months! They are given 18 weeks of training in:
- Mental and maternal healthcare
- Group dynamics
- Disabilities in general, and
- Financial literacy
This is followed by group outreach to collect data, bring other Strong Mamas to the group and their children to the unit.
Through support from Rotary and Wheelchairs for Kids, they have done three shipments of wheelchairs to Kenya. They also run the Armadale markets for fundraising and supporting outreach here.
Through two Rotary Foundation Grants (led by Applecross Rotary Club), Mama Respond has built a Special Needs Unit at Noonkopir Primary School and an ambulant toilet block. It was built from public school land and assisted by
Mama Respond has moved into advocacy, pressuring the Kenyan government for more teachers and to register as its own school with direct funding, its own Head Teacher and a Board. Building dormitories is next. With continued Rotary support, they have created “Inclusive Spaces”. This is to create accessability in the area and build additional ambulant toilets in surrounding schools, all to Australian disability standards.
Through the Armadale Markets, they are also supporting Australian mothers and children with disabilities. “Arts Unbound” is a project to enable kids to learn through art, whilst their mothers are getting peer support and respite. This is the Perth “footprint”, with plans to take it to the Wheatbelt and Kimberley.
Erin thanked us for the opportunity to talk to the Club. Assistance is requested through art supplies, old laptops and donations.
Directors' Reports and Member Announcements
- Tricia : Great vocational trip to the Kids Cancer Research Centre last week.
- Raelene : Thanked her 'stand-ins' whilst she and Andy were away and amazed us at all the places they visited whilst being absent for three and a half months (too many to mention) - and yes they are still married!
- Angus : Fundraising committee meeting today.
- Brian J : Club Service committee meeting today.
- P2 : Board meeting next week 6pm at the John McGrath centre, please send any agenda items to Alison.
Another Fine(s) mess we got into...
Wayne the Elder bedazzled us with brilliance whist stupefying us with statistics as well as raising $$$'s from...
- Scotty for his 'big fish' story (he wasn't kidding just look at this monster... see below) $1 for each foot - or should that be "fin" - apparently it fed the whole hotel that night!
- The naughty table consisting of Marg Walton and Peter Dowling
- Raelene for her 'travelogue'
- P1 falling back on historical fact to gain attention
- Himself, Ken P and Mike C for being born in 1943 and stupefying us with the statistics therein contained in the book "1943" which was a birthday present to him on 9 August and he just had to share the following...
If you were not born in 1943, you are fined $1.
Here’s a list of other notable people born in 1943:
- Terry Venables, footballer and manager
- George Harrison, singer and guitarist
- Bobby Fischer, chess player
- Michael Palin, actor and presenter
- Cilla Black, singer
- Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, rock heroes.
Now that’s a bit amazing because 1943 in the middle of WW2 was a year with a very low birth rate. If you have heard of any on my list, please add another $1.
Winner of Heads and Tails
Attendance
40 attendees in all, including guest speaker Erin Hegarty, visiting Rotarian Bill Boekman and visitors Mike Smith, Lucy and Nargie Gasiorek, Melanie Kekall, and Carol & Shaun O'Brien.
