International
The committee’s aim is to raise the awareness and effectiveness of international and world community service provided by Rotarians at both the District & Club level.
International Committee Update
The International Committee looks to fund projects for people in need beyond our shores both directly and through other Rotary Clubs.
Indonesia:- We supported a cleft lip/palate project co-ordinated by a Rotary Club in Bali, Indonesia. During a two-year period this project provided life-enhancing surgery to correct this abnormality in some 200 children in partnership with Rotary Clubs in Sri Lanka, Canada and the United States. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pwzc4AJbJY0
Sri Lanka:- We supported a project in which 3D technology was used to produce prosthetic limbs for victims of mine explosions.
Africa and South East Asia:- We continue to work with Care International’s ‘Lend with Care’ microfinance project - providing around £400 each month of pump-priming money on loan to individual or small groups of entrepreneurs in developing countries – with the emphasis on women in Africa and south-east Asia. Over £11,000 has been loaned/recycled since inception with almost 100% repaid.
Uganda :- We continue to sponsor a young girl Ketra in Uganda through World Vision. Our annual donations go towards her well-being and her community. An effective channel of communication is established with her which is well received.
Africa :- we have recently had successful collection projects for Tools for Self Reliance in Tanzania and reading glasses for Specs for Africa. The response to both were beyond expectation.
Global Grants :- We completed a Rotary Grant in 2024 for a clean water project in Indonesia and contributed $2,000 to a new project organized through our Twinning Club in France, Bordeaux les Jalles, supporting a maternity hospital in Egypt. This year we are also donating to a project with the Minehead Rotary Club for disability equipment in the Copperbelt area in Zambia through a local Rotary club.
Worldwide:- Most significant of all is the Water Survival Box registered charity established by members of the Chelwood Bridge Rotary Club. This has provided vital humanitarian aid to more than 150,000 survivors of natural or manmade disasters in some 45 countries since 2006. It has distributed over 25,000 water survival boxes, water boxes and family water filters. See www.watersurvivalbox.org
Committee members meet once a month before the Tuesday meeting to consider worthwhile projects for the club to support in the upcoming Rotary year and to monitor those projects for which funding support has previously been agreed.
The other important role of the committee is to organise fund-raising projects that will pay for new projects. This is often the fun part of the committee's role as most fund-raising projects offer us the opportunity to socialise within the local community.
In past years through to now the Committee has provided funding support for: Clean Water systems for Schools and communities (Africa and the South-east Asia); Mobile Medical and Dental Clinic for street children (Indonesia); Lap Desks to assist children’s education (South Africa); and the Wheelchair Foundation (India).
Other projects include; Management development opportunities for young people (Mozambique); providing small business loans to people in developing countries (Africa, South America, and South East Asia), and, in partnership with World Vision, supporting individual girls in Malawi and Uganda through the early years of their lives.