Posted by Sam McCurdy
On 9th January, several Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Berwick and their friends gathered at Alameda Homestead Nursery in Devon Meadows to pack 53 toiletry kits for Primary School children in the Northern Territory. This formed part of the Rotary Districts of Australia Building Healthier Communities Project to "End Trachoma by 2020". The overall goal of the project is to deliver 2000 toiletry kits to 2,000 children in NT in a bid to end trachoma.
Australia is the only first-world country left that has not controlled Trachoma. It is a serious but preventable disease that can lead to permanent blindness. Prevention is the best method of control and that is why this project is so important. Knowing basic hygiene and having the right equipment to carry it out is the key.
The Club's Project Coordinator, Jane Moore, received the following encouraging update from the "End Trachoma by 2020" Project Administration Coordinator, Sandi Fulcher, from the Rotary Club of Chadstone/East Malvern
"I am so excited to share with you that we have exceeded our target of 2000 Toiletry Kits for 2000 Children in the NT. In fact, we have hit 2154 and that is thanks to all the Rotarians and friends who contributed!
The amount of support and engagement for this project has been amazing. So many people have got behind it and we cannot thank you enough. In fact, 52 clubs/groups in total were involved!
Some of the kits have already arrived, some are in transit or are nearly ready to depart and others are about to be created. Each Kit will have something special for our Indigenous Australian children based in the NT.
Due to the level of interest and support behind this project, we are looking to see what other groups would benefit from a similar type of project. We still have interested clubs making contact and have run out of 'orders'. Who would have thought that was possible? It is just so wonderful to be sharing this good news story with you today."
This project is a great example of Rotary Clubs and Districts working together to achieve a successful goal.