GEneral Business

• Reminder if you have not added your birthday or anniversary on the club website information, it will be missed out of Sparkle as information is pulled through and we all like to ensure we recognise birthdays and anniversaries of club members :)
• Anzac Day March next Thursday 25 March - meet by the CBA at around 10.30 to march.  Ken will lay a wreath on behalf of the club as President Ian Ash is not available that day.
• President's meeting coming up on May 3 - President Ian Ash and PHF President Elect Catherine Elfick will attend.
• Reminder Great Train Race Sunday 5 May, please contact Ian Wakefield if you can assist but haven't let him know.  We meet bright and early in Belgrave at 7am for a briefing and instructions on our volunteering positions. And yes, Catherine, there will be walkie talkies.
• District Assembly will be held at the Deacon Campus on Burwood Highway on Sunday 19 May for committee chairs in 2019-2020.  It would be great if all of Catherine's committee can attend to ear-mark the date.

Committee Chair Reports

• Great Community Raffle - kicks off 1 May and runs until 31 July - please tell all community groups it is on again and to contact Lorna for tickets.  A Nissan Qashqai valued at $35k will be the raffle prize.  Lorna will let the club know about the stapling evening date.
• FunFest raised $1,068 - thank you to everyone who helped out.  We will look at more involvement next year.
• Fundraising - Reminder to let friends and family know about Cocktails on the Catwalk over the holiday period.  Helpers and models have been provided with a registration promo code.
• International - RAM - Fundraising Lunch Sat 18 May 12.00pm - 3.00pm Gloria would love a table to come from the RC of Emerald and District - please contact Gloria to let her know you are going.

 

 

MUKTI - GUest speaker Karen Crawford

Karen provided insights into the work of MUKTI in India to assist women and girls.  MUKTI means 'freedom' and the organisation is certainly providing that from poverty and the cast system by giving women and girls an education and a safe haven to grow, thrive, learn and build confidence for the future.

 

Karen told us that many in the lower caste system are not recognised at birth and by providing an education, it means at the age of 12 girls can register their existence, effectively.  MUKTI is a closed community founded in 1889 which has grown to include 17 outposts in many Indian cities with over 1800 members.  The outposts are like large family homes with guardians and house parents to look after the residents. 

 

Those who do not go on to school, university or administrative roles are taught crafts.  This is what Karen helps with as well as now being a Board member.  She visits India at least once a year to help out.  Girls are taught how to sew traditional garments on treadle machines. Funds raised have purchased much-needed equipment such as solar panels to ensurea constant hot water system for sanitation.

 

4 years ago MUKTI formed an association with Wings of Hope in Sri Lanka which does similar work.  Karen provided a short video of Wings of Hope.  She related the plight of  tea pickers and how they are only paid $1 a day and if the pick 19kg instead of 22kg they are not paid at all.  Children are then co-opted in to help parents meet the picking weight but miss out on schooling.

 

Thank you to Karen of her amazing insights into a terrific organisation that synergies well with a lot of the work Rotary undertakes.