Our Guest Speaker -
Posted by Vida Peterson
on Jul 26, 2013
...... His connection with Rotary began when he was a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar. He has spent the last 7 years travelling in 30 countries.
Our Guest Speaker today was Jashar Taheri-Keramati, our friend from Capetown, South Africa.
Yashar is 27 years old. His connection with Rotary began when he was a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar. He has spent the last 7 years travelling in 30 countries.
He told us about his adventure on Burke Mountain, when he went jogging, got lost, and fell off a cliff when it got dark. He spent the night on the mountain until the next day when a helicopter rescue team finally spotted him and got him down. It was a very emotional experience for him, and we all empathised.
He then showed us slides and described the disposition of the container we sent a year ago. They do have a donation of storage space, but everything was put to good use. They shared stuff with seven Rotary Clubs and over 20 community organizations. Lots went to Mamma Rosie. With the donation of the hospital beds they have been able to finally open the hospice which has been long in the planning.
Things they need most: hospital beds, wheel chairs, computer equipment, and sports equipment.
Yashar has started a new tutoring program: Each One Teach One.
He started this when they discovered that, in the poor areas, 84% of the students were failing at school, and the rest are really struggling. Yashar got students from the University in Capetown to volunteer to tutor. In a three-day recruitment drive he got 100 signups. They go to dangerous communities and squatter areas to help the children.
Recently they have started Life Skillls workshops for Grade 8 girls and boys to try to reduce the rates of rapes and teenage pregnancies.. South Africa has the highest number of rapes in the world; 1 out of every 3 women has been raped. The boys and men see it as a big joke and laugh about it.
They also have workshops to educate against drug use. Crystal meth is ubiquitous.
The only cost for these expanding programs is that of transportation
Yashar was particularly pleased that, for the first time, the programs are continuing while he is away. The volunteers make the difference.
A fascinating presentation by an amazing young man.
submitted by
Vida Peterson