The Rotary World Help Container Project
ROTARY WORLD HELP CONTAINER PROJECT
Paul Gill, our president elect for 2007, and Greg Archibald, the club secretary, set out the possibilities of working with the RotaryWorld Help Organization to send containers full of needed material to third world countries. The material, (books, desks, chairs and other materials) is needed by many countries. Our club is considering the wisdom of joining with this project. The project will be discussed further before a decision is made.
The following article is courtesy The Rotary Club Of Coquitlam Sunrise:
The Rotary World Help Network (RWHN), is a District organization that coordinates the shipment of used and donated educational, humanitarian, medical, surgical, and hospital equipment to countries in need throughout the world.
Formally established in 1997, the RWHN, a registered non-profit society in the province of British Columbia and registered as a charity with the Canada Revenue Agency, is sanctioned by Rotary International as a District organization.
The concept for the RWHN started in 1992 when a group of Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Vancouver were in Kiev, Ukraine helping to set up a club charter for the very first Rotary club to be established in the fledgling country. This group from Vancouver saw the poor state of the medical facilities in Kiev and decided they had to find a way to help. From that first identified need, RWHN founding President Bill Richwa, Ralph Towsley, and the late Ted Segodnia organized the first shipment of medical supplies and equipment as a
Since its inception, the RWHN has sent dozens of container shipments to more than 20 countries throughout the world. To make certain the shipments are properly distributed, the RWHN only ships to countries where there is a Rotary Club willing to act as receiver and distributor. This helps to ensure that the goods get into the right hands and helps to build a worldwide supporting network. Security is very important since the replacement cost of these shipments range from $250,000 to $2,000,000. The value of the average container is approximately $300,000.
One of the key features of the RWHN is that it acts as a central clearinghouse for the province-wide collection of usable materials and medical supplies. All donating hospitals and organizations are able to deal with one organization rather than numerous clubs. This makes the collection and distribution of supplies very efficient.
One of the most amazing facts about the RWHN is that it has managed, through the cooperation of many organizations, to ship most of the containers to various parts of the world for an average cost of $3,000. This is remarkable considering such shipments would normally cost considerably more.
The RWHN is a wonderful example of the power of Rotary and how individual Rotarians can make a difference. The RWHN offers an ideal opportunity to help people in need throughout the world. It does not get any better than that!
The RWHN is operated by a board of directors made up of Rotarians from member clubs. Membership in this society costs Rotary clubs $10 per club member per year. These fees are used to cover costs such as local transportation, telephone, truck rentals, and subsidies of shipments when required. Member clubs can also sponsor a shipment to a Rotary club in another country for $3,000.
Click here to see a PowerPoint presentation by Past District Governor Bernie Pregler on the Rotary World Help Network (from November 2004)