The Rotary Clubs of Birigui, Brazil and Jackson Hole, Wyoming came together to propose and fund a Rotary International project to buy medical equipment required to operate a neighborhood clinic in Birigui. Birigui is a town outside of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The local government could fund the building but not the equipment for the walk-in clinic.Rotarians (and Past District Governors) demonstrated the power of relationships and mutual goals by developing the concept of the project, supporting the preparation of the Grant Applications, developing the equipment list and budget estimate, and responding to questions from The Rotary Foundation.
The total budget of $44,000 was funded by $5,000 from a member of the Rotary Club of Jackson Hole, $5,000 from Rotary clubs in Birigui, $12,100 from the Rotary Districts in Brazil, and $19,500 from the Global Fund of The Rotary Foundation. The equipment will provide the means to offer medical support to a neighborhood of 10,000 citizens.
The project was considered and approved as supporting a Rotary area of focus of child and maternal health. The staff of 1 doctor, 1 nurse, 4 nurse technicians, 6 health community agents, 1 dentist, and 1 pharmacist expect to treat 500-999 children under the age of 5 in each three month period while also training 100-499 health professionals in each three month period.
The Rotarians of Birigui and Jackson Hole continue to work together to strengthen the health, education, and understanding of Brazil and the USA. Many thanks are due all Past President Tony Paulus and PDG Stuart Palmer for organizing the USA portion of the project and to President John Goettler of the Rotary Club of Jackson Hole for final approval of the support from RCJH.
Rotary International is a worldwide service club with six areas of humanitarian support. There are 35,000 clubs totaling 1.2 million members in 174 countries.