The Rotary Zambia Project Update
Dr. Charles Erickson & Dr. Peter Julius
Dr. Peter Julius, MD, is a native of Zambia. His family is from the same region of our Rotary project. He grew up in Livingstone where he worked his way through school by working in hotels and restaurants. He received his MD at the University of Zambia and then became a pathologist, with one year at the University of Nebraska College of Medicine. In addition to examining surgical pathology tissue, he is engaged in research with Dr. Charles Wood, Director of Virology at UNL. He is now working on his PhD here at the University exploring the cause of a eyelid cancer seen in HIV patients. He and his wife, Precious have visited the Muzya community, the site of Rotary's project and noted that the Siandwazi dam has enaabled the nearby families to thrive during the current severe drought. The total crop failure in the region has made it difficult for folks to be adequately fed.
His story is an inspiration to use because of what it took to become an outstanding physician.
ROTARY DISTRICT 5650 ZAMBIA PROJECT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Introduction: In 2003, Dr. Churck Erickson funded by a Yale Scholarship volunteered at Livingstone General Hospital. The Lincoln East Rotary Club gave $500 to purchase sinks for the pediatric ward and chairs for mothers to sit upon. Since then the District, many clubs, individuals, churches and other organizations have funded projects that support a water, agriculture and health and nutrition. The following list these achievements.
2003 - sinks and chairs for the pediatric ward at Livingstone General Hospital. 2005 - assistance in establishing amedical clinic at the Sons of Thunder Farm and Orphanage. 2006 - Rotary Matching Grant-funded a $9,500 complete blood count machine, furniture, latrine improvements, othjer lab equipment at the Farm and a computer at the school. 2007 - three boreholes at the Sons of Thunder Farm. Travel team to SOT. 2008 - a Rotary Volunteer travel grant partially funded a team that taught health and nutrition, constructed racks for mosquito nets for orphanage beds, assisted in the clinic at the SOT. 2009 - Rotarians taught health at the Sipatchuwana Clinic. Became aware of need for water. 2010 - Began work with the SAM project, Sustainability Through Agriclture and Microenterprise. Funded by an 1-CATCH Grant from the Section on International Child Health of the American Academy of Pediatrics to teach Community Health Workers needed skills and focus on improved growth for children at Nsongwe Village. Fundedf three additional boreholes.
2011-2014 - 1-CATCH Grant placed borehole at Nsonge Village, funded a nutrition garden, continued teaching. Funded bores at a school and three other locations. 2012 - funded four additional boreholes. Travel team to Zimba Hospital assisted in pediatric ward and evaluated children in four villages and taught nutrition. 2013 - Matching grant for seven boreholes and three gardens. 2015 - Rotary Global Grant for water, agriclluture and nutirition $150,000. Travel Team of two and two volunteers. Rotarians 50 children and followed them for 1 year. Established the project to be continued for four years. 2016 - Funded a vehicle ($6,000) for the SAM project. Funded a parts depot for repair of boreholes ($6,000). Repaired 13 non-functioning boreholes and trained villagers in maintenance. 2017 - A four Rotarian Travel Team followed up on the progress of the grant.
2019 - Rotary Global Grant -- $122,500 for water and sanitation in Masanzya a region nearly totally devoid of adequate water. Began a new Muzya nutrition program that will assess the nutritional progress and develop a sustainable project that will not rely on outside funding.
Chuck Erickson was presented with a check from Dan and Sharon Wherry for $5,000 to go toward the Nutrition Program that he is currently working on.
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(Left to right): Dan Wherry, Sharon Wherry, Dr. Chuck Erickson and Wayne Casper