Rob Rose Reports from Nepal!
Global Grant, to which Bellevue Rotary and TRIFC contributed collectively $8,000 to an overall $36,000 grant total, identified 203 cases of disability and referred 42 for surgery and other intervention. Rotary is improving lives across the world!
My non-profit organization – TRIFC collaborates with the Rotaract Club of Dhulikhel to provide nutritious foods to blind and visually-impaired students at the Sanjiwani School in Dhulikhel. The club also celebrates holidays and other occasions with the students. Past BRC Youth Exchange student, Seema was once a student at this school. We visited recently and treated the kids to delicious boxed snacks—samosas, bananas, sweets, and Nepali crackers! We also discussed some of the challenges the Rotaract Club is facing, such as declining membership (due to many members leaving Nepal for studies or jobs in the Middle East and Korea) and the burden of mandatory dues for membership. The children performed some touching songs for us before we headed back to our Himalayan Horizon hotel.
Usha, one of the students we’ve known for many years, sang such a beautiful love song for us…
Gina and I recently attended a board meeting of the Rotary Club of Patan, who have been partners with Bellevue Rotary Club on numerous Rotary grants, both large and small. One notable collaboration was the Nepal/USA Disability Awareness Campaign, a $330,000 program that ran from 2008 to 2012. This initiative raised awareness about the capabilities of people with disabilities in Nepal. Bellevue Rotary Club was directly partnered with the Rotary Club of Patan to fund and implement the project.
Currently, we are working with the Rotary Club of Patan on phase two of TRIFC’s (www.trifc.org) organic farming program, which will now be located in the charming and scenic hill town of Bandipur. TRIFC has also partnered with RC Patan on a club-to-club program in Nepal, where local Rotary clubs submit project proposals to support their communities, particularly those with disabilities. TRIFC, the Rotary Club of Patan, and our implementing partner here in Nepal, The Ability Development Society of Nepal (ADSoN), match the funds for the selected projects.
We’ve also met a number of past Rotaractors from the Rotary Club of Patan. Rotaract is the youth-arm of Rotary, for people aged 18 – 30. There are 9,000 Rotaract clubs and nearly 120,000 members in 189 countries! Our old Patan Rotaract friends are now in their 40’s, some are in Rotary but all feel that their Rotaract experience enhanced their careers and lives!
During his trip to Nepal, Rob Rose has been engaged in numerous meaningful project and program conversations with Rotary, Rotaract, and Interact clubs. He is pleased to share that, with the support of a Rotarian from the Dillibazar Rotary Club, an international Interact partner/twin-club opportunity has been arranged between the Newport High School Interact Club and the Dillibazar Interact Club.
This partnership marks an exciting step toward strengthening global understanding, youth leadership, and cross-cultural collaboration.
More updates to come as the connections continue to grow!
