Guests: Man, our inbound exchange student.

 

Foundation Minute - we didn't have a foundation minute this evening, but President Rob reminded us of the Foundation presentation last week and that we can contribute to the Rotary Foundation online. You can ask Rob for an application form, or you can go to https://www.rotary.org/myrotary/en/take-action/give to complete an online application. President Rob has challenged the club to contribute to the Rotary Foundation, if you aren't already doing so.

 

 

Richard and Holly Benoit will be hosting our inbound student, Man, for the next few months.

 

Our monthly breakfast was this past Saturday.

 

A reminder that the Comox Rotary Club will be at our meeting, November 15th and will be selling smoked salmon as a club fundraiser.

 

 

Program:  Bill Robinson - An update on Sihlengeni, Zimbabwe school

 

Doug Ante, a Comox Rotarian, went to Zimbabwe and took pens and rulers to hand out to students/children that he would meet. He met some young people and gave them a pen and ruler each, and was rewarded with big smiles as they turned and ran towards what he found out to be Sihlengeni School. He had quickly handed out all of the pens and rulers and was introduced to the Head Master. The Headmaster introduced Doug to the problems that the school had and the difficulties these problems created for learning and keeping students. When Doug returned he spoke to our club about what he had seen and the challenges that the school had. Bill Robinson decided that he needed to do something, and see the school for himself. 

 

In 2002, Bill went to Sihlengeni and was quickly introduced to the school and some of the difficulties that they had. The students and faculty were drinking ditch water, the school had no glazing in the windows or doors in the entrances. The floors were in bad shape and the rooms were crowded and uncomfortable for learning. In addition to all of the that, the electricity had been disconnected because they had an outstanding $68US bill. Bill had also delivered laptop computers for the new computer lab.

Bill promised that he would return and that the club would do even more than this. 

When Bill returned in 2005 he had funding from our Club and others as well as funding from District and RI. The money was enough that many of the improvements that were desperately needed, were completed. The computer lab was built. The students formed an Interact Club and some of the money was used to seed a fundraising project. The project was a popcicle business that continues today.

The improvements have changed the lives of 1200-1800 students, the faculty have now got the living quarters and basic amenities that they need. 

THANK YOU BILL. It was a rewarding and inspiring presentation that makes us feel proud to be rotarians.

 

Next week:  Rebound Exchange Student Andrea Van Rensburg and a Club Update from the Directors.