Rotaract

 

Our guest speaker, Christina Hassan (formerly Marchand) is no stranger to our club.  As a Rotoracter and co-op student at U. of Waterloo in health sciences, Christina worked both in Peel and in Uganda on placements.  Expecting to do administrative work in Uganda, she was surprised to be in the delivery room at a Maternity Clinic with inadequate equipment.  The first delivery she attended resulted in the death of the mother and Christina had to inform the husband of the outcome.

 

This radically impacted on Christina and her partner, Hyder Hassan (first president of the Brampton Rotaract Club).  They founded a not for profit organization, FullSoul to provide medical equipment to maternity clinics, along with community development initiatives such as partnerships with local Rotary Clubs and governments.   Work started in 3 pilot hospitals which were equipped with autoclaves (which are a pre-requisite for FullSoul involvement).  This means equipment such as scissors, needle holders and clamps can be sterilized after each use.  Each piece of equipment (bought in Uganda) is engraved with the name of the hospital.

 

In the three years since the distribution of the first medical kits 65,000 have been delivered safer.

FullSoul has three staff in Uganda and is looking for more hospitals to outfit, Rotary clubs and others as partners and a Global Grant. Currently 10 hospitals are involved, and the Rotary Club of Mukono (Central Uganda).   An evaluation strategy will be concluded in six months. including focus groups, stakeholder meetings and statistical gathering. A global grant would implement an holistic Mother-Family Friendly Hospital Initiative to address high risk pregnancies, as well as improved infant care, Issues to be addressed will also include water, sanitization, and hydro

 

Two upcoming trips (May, and December 2017) are planned and Rotarians can join this opportunity to see Uganda, see FullSoul in operation and do some sight seeing. Cost is about $5000 per person.  A short video of a recent trip had Rotarians giving outstanding praise for this well-organized experience.  Contact Christina at Christica@GullSoul.ca  Facebook is FullSoulCanada.  Donations for medical kits can also be made on line.

 

Christina started her involvement with Rotary as a 15-year-old exchange student to Germany.  She has been involved in RYLA, Rotoract and is now a Rotarian in the RC Fish Creek (Calgary).

After graduating with her Masters in Health Sciences from U of Waterloo, she was accepted into U of Calgary law school and is in her first year.    She has been accepted to work for the United Nations this summer in a policy/governance project on human trafficking (possibly in Thailand/Cambodia).  She and her husband, Hyder, are host parents to an exchange student from Brazil. 

 

Surely she is an outstanding role model for all members of the Rotary family, and an amazingly energetic and fully engaged woman dedicated to humanitarian causes.