Posted by Janet N. Schmitz on Apr 16, 2014
April 16, 2014: Speaker Razia Jan - Razia's Ray of Hope Foundation update

Grand Club Meeting of 6 Rotary Clubs at Scituate Country Club!

16 April 2014

PRESENT: Cohasset (Ed Fox), Weymouth (Steve), Sharon (PDG Dave ao), Duxbury (AG George ao), Hull (very well represented by President Laura and ‘friends of Laura’-about 15 total), and Scituate-Pres. Jack, IPP Joe, PE JD (and 2 daughters), Joan, Janet, Bart, Bob, Sandi and daughter, Ben, Bernie and Bev, Lisa and David, Mimi, Walter, Sue, Lucille, Luella, Gov. Dietrich and Cynthia, Janice, Mike (good show, host club!), a myriad of guests and of course our honored speaker, Razia Jan. In total, we served 49 people dinner and I am told there were 51 people present including our new Mariner contact. Look for the upcoming story!

            No PA system but we began as usual with pledge, invocation, 4-way test (not quite a smooth exercise yet) and introductions. The hat was passed in lieu of happy bucks and we were able to present Razia with $1500 at the end of the meeting. Energy in the room was palpable and dinner was its usual quality including Maureen’s smiling service. She did 50 as well as 15! with minimal help here and there clearing and serving dessert. Great fun.

            Joe Kelley introduced Razia and talked of our involvement with her via the Sgt. Michael J. Kelley school in Afghanistan. (I met Razia at PETS in 2002 and she was Duxbury club president for the years I was their AG). Razia was instrumental in getting supplies to Michael’s school and in facilitating the leveling of a play area at the school this year. We are grateful for 2 grants from District 7950 to support these two projects and Razia for making them possible.

            Razia began her presentation showing us a 4 minute film about the school. It opened 7 years ago with 100 girls. It now has 460 girls and will have nearly 700 by 2016 when they have their first graduating class. The girls are described as just normal girls but they have pressures at home discouraging education. They are being educated to be hopeful, to believe all is possible, and to read and write. They learn that ‘hope is a thing with wings that perches in the soul.’ The school exists to teach the girls to problem solve, love themselves, enjoy life, and to better the lives of these girls. Looking at their faces and hearing them sing we can believe that they are succeeding.

            Grandfathers are thankful that their granddaughters read important letters to them and they do not have to go to village leaders to read their mail. The girls all come from a very conservative, strict village where children are important-they are given for marriage to settle family debts or alliances. Razia shared later a harrowing story of a girl who resisted engagement and ultimately won the right to continue her education.

            Razia journey and passion are beyond impressive or even amazing. She is fearless and relentless about changing the lives of girls in her home country. She is not quite confident in the future of her country but is totally confident that she has changed the lives of these girls in her school. Her staff  is equally committed – to the point of taking turns testing the drinking water each morning to assure that it is not poisoned before giving it to the girls. I am humbled in her presence and very pleased we were able to give her foundation a meaningful gift.

THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING – I know you are glad you did!

For Lisa,  Janet

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