Rotary Give Every Child A Future (RGECAF) continues to wait for news that our first child has been immunised!Never in the planning phase could we have imagined that this project to vaccinate 100,000 children against life-threatening rotavirus, pneumococcal disease and human papillomavirus (HPV) would be delayed by an epidemic of measles (Samoa late 2019) or rolled out in the midst of a global pandemic.
Neither could we have anticipated that this project would assist the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines in the project’s nine Pacific Islands.
This is the reality of RGECAF in 2021. Storage equipment to maintain the vaccine ‘cold chain’ (storing vaccines in a specific cool temperature range from manufacture to administration) has been purchased, distributed and installed. This consists of fridges/freezers to store vaccines, ice blocks and chilly bins to transport the vaccines to communities near and far, as well as temperature monitoring equipment. Communication strategies have been developed to educate and engage communities, policies and procedures drawn up and health care worker education is underway. These planned project logistics and activities are now also being utilised to support the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.
While Rotarians ‘down under’ are heartened that our Centenary project supports the battle to control COVID-19 in the Pacific we remain eager that the RGECAF project be delivered as soon as possible. Our partners, UNICEF, share our anticipation and are doing all they can to ensure that RGECAF vaccine programmes commence in a manner that is safe for both families and healthcare workers.Meanwhile, the efforts continue in Australia and New Zealand to fund the project. We’ve successfully applied for Rotary Foundation funding for our initial commitments, but need to continue fundraising to reach all of the 100,000 children we’re targeting.
District 9930 led the way in supporting RGECAF with essential District Designated Funds, being the first to commit US$10,000 every year for three years. During this current year DG Grant Spackman and Wendy made RGECAF their project of choice encouraging all clubs to get behind our centenary project.
So what can you do?
- Ask. What is my club doing to support RGECAF? Remember this is a three-year project and we would like clubs to support every year for three years.
- Donate. Every $45 could potentially save a child’s life, or protect a future family from losing a mother/wife/sister/aunt to cervical cancer.
- Gift. Young people especially appreciate gifts of giving. Kudos to your mokopuna maybe?
- Promote RGECAF and Rotary in your community. RGECAF is a fantastic project to showcase the relevance of Rotary in the 21 century.
How about a personal challenge? A Cambridge Rotarian challenged his club’s members to donate $45 for each of their children and grandchildren. Or maybe your club could count up the total number your members have and share the amount out equally across Rotarians to make personal donations. Do you have other ideas to share? If so, please email us.
Rotary Give Every Child A Future is YOUR Centennial project. Please get behind it. And a huge thank you to those clubs already committed to do so.
Rotary Give Every Child A Future Donations Rotary New Zealand World Community Service (RNZWCS) 03-1702-0192208-01 quoting Ref No 419 (RGECAF). Please include your club’s name to ensure Foundation giving recognition points |
For more information please visit everychildafuture.com
To request a club talk (in person or via Zoom) please contact our RGECAF District Champion michelle.tanner@everychildafuture.com
For the June RGECAF newsletter please visit here.