Jul 2021: International Projects Summary, 2013-21

Our Club has supported many international projects through the years: last year a large effort with other clubs and Rotary International (both monetarily and member involvement) was on the Tenwek Dental Clinic in Kenya. Additionally, over the last year and previous years we have supported programs such as the Rotary Polio Plus program, Shelter Box, as well as dental, medical, water, and child support projects in Africa, India and Central America. We have used funds from our annual Nickle Dickle duck races, Gourmet Wine Dinner, and flower fundraisers. Specific projects from 2013 to the present are listed below under "read more."

2020-21 International Projects: $9650

Tenwek (Kenya) Dental Clinic Global Grant

Over the past two years, the Waconia West Carver Rotary has initiated and has completed a $51,000 Global Grant to provide a dental clinic in Bomet, Kenya, with much needed dental equipment (we committed $2000 last year locally, and provided the coordination among a number of Rotary Clubs, plus Rotary International, to make this happen). Tenwek Dental Clinic serves a large area in western Kenya, as shown below. (See further photos at Tenwek Dental.)

The clinic was in great need of surgical equipment in order to become fully functional and self sustaining.

Located about 200 miles southwest of Nairobi, Kenya, the relatively new facility was dedicated in April of 2018. The need was brought to the attention of the local Rotary club by Tim Clavin, DDS, from Edina. Dr. Clavin has traveled several times to Kenya as a volunteer dentist.

The equipment, which includes a mechanical surgical table and overhead lights, will be used for the surgical healing of critically ill patients, according to Dr. Clavin. Previously, he and other dentists were unable to help many patients who were unfortunately left untreated.

Ron Kolb, local Rotarian, who chaired the grant project, reports that in addition to Waconia West Carver, eight other Minnesota clubs participated with donations. They were Buffalo, Burnsville, Chaska, Chanhassen, Eden Prairie, Maple Grove, Minnetonka, and St. Louis Park.

Waconia West Carver Rotary also partnered with the Nairobi Peponi Rotary in Kenya.

The Nairobi club assisted by being the 'boots on the ground', meaning that they supervised the delivery and the installation of the equipment, as well as officiating at the dedication ceremony in late May of this year. Photos of the dedication accompany this article.

This was the first Rotary Global Grant that our local Rotary has sponsored. However, there is another one in progress, one which will equip a hospital in Madgascar with solar panels. With only three hours of power daily, the hospital is severely limited in refrigerating vaccines, or performing surgery. According to Kolb, Waconia West Carver Rotary expects to raise over $170,000 for the Ejeda Hospital in southern Madagascar.

Mobile Cancer Screen Vehicle (India) = $3150 (thru the Rotary Club of Secunderabad, India)