Community Literacy Coordinator - Quality Learning New Brunswick

Rotary's guest speaker on Feb. 04, 2008 was Cheryl Brown, Community Literacy Coordinator - Quality Learning New Brunswick. Cheryl gave a very informative presentation on the community-based literacy program - "The Reading Tent". Children of all ages take advantage of mobile libraries - "moved about the community on a wagon" - during the summer months. Moms and Dads also join in as volunteers and readers alike. The Rotary Club of Saint John is partnering with Cheryl's organization for its Literacy Project.

On Feb. 13, 2008, President John Buchanan wrote the membership and advised " I am pleased to let you know that we will be joining the Rothesay-Kings, Hampton and Sussex Rotary clubs in a joint partnership international project. The bullets below describe the project which as you'll see has a primary focus on childhood development. The district chair for WCS has actually been to South Africa to the community and seen the need firsthand. Our club's 'share' of the project's cost is US$1500.00.

• Main purpose: Haenertsburg Rotary aims to help improve the welfare and lifestyles of the people, by facilitating capacity building in the rural areas and by training women (and men) in a skill, which will enable them to improve the lives of their communities, and earn a living, in the Capricorn and Mopani areas of Limpopo.

• Services to be provided: Early Childhood Development: Training of teachers, Site upgrading through building repairs, fences, rainwater collection, and the purchase of educational toys. Skills development: Sewing courses and basic financial management.

• Beneficaries include: Preschool practitioners (50) and their families, Preschool children (1250) and their families, unemployed women (24) and their families in rural and deep rural areas.