Dr Euler says that the maternity ultrasound project in Ukewere, Tanzania that was supported by T-C Rotary along with clubs in Meaford and Collingwood was a "sonic success". The new ultrasound unit has delivered incredible results, well beyond expected, at the Nansio Hospital which has 162 beds serving more than 500,000 people living in one of poorest districts in Tanzania.
International Service
Helping hands with a global reach
T-C Rotary has always supported our home community first. As part of Rotary International, we have also supported the wider international community, with a focus on health and education. Ultimately, our community and our children will fare better if everyone in the world fares better. Recent examples of our club’s international support are:
-
Ongoing financial support to help a group of street kids and orphans in Uganda achieve food security and complete school. This initiative is in conjunction with assistance from their local community.
-
Support for Dr. Karin Euler's projects aimed at improving maternal health on the remote Tanzanian island of Ukerewe, including the purchase of an ultrasound machine. Dr. Euler's practice is in Clarksburg.
-
Support for the pharmaceutical work of Rotarians David and Sonja Glass also on Ukerewe Island. David and Sonja are members of the Meaford Rotary Club.
-
Multi-year financial support of the Hands Up Cameroon project, a multi-club effort that installed wells for clean water in several remote villages in Cameroon.
-
A donation of school supplies to a remote school in Guatemala.
Many of the club’s international projects are undertaken in concert with other Rotary clubs and leverage the financial support provided by our Rotary District and Rotary International. This allows small clubs like ours to meaningfully participate internationally. We aim for activities and projects which are sustainable and fall within the key focus areas of Rotary International:
-
Fighting disease
-
Providing clean water
-
Saving mothers and children
-
Supporting education
-
Growing local economies
-
Protecting the environment
-
Promoting peace
Our recent efforts in Uganda take a slightly different path in that we are leading the assistance efforts. Through this process, we have forged a direct relationship with the Mbale Metropolitan Rotary club who have the needed local cultural understanding and relationships and who have also brought their technical expertise and commitment to be instrumental partners in achieving our goal of enhancing the lives of the street kids and orphans of the Elgon Ngoma Troupe. Our Uganda projects have become the focus of our international efforts the past two years and details about these effortsare provided in the section below. We also continue to support other international projects where appropriate.
The Elgon Ngoma Troupe, located in Mbale Uganda is a small community-based home for former street kids and orphans. T-C Rotary has been assisting them to become more self-sustaining, with the help of the Mbale Metropolitan Rotary Club (MMR). Several projects over the past two years have resulted in the rehabilitation of an abandoned farmhouse on a donated two acre farm in the nearby village of Mawululu on the lower slope of Mt Elgon. As well, there are now male and female latrines and showers, a rainwater catchment system, and a new kitchen and storage room. These projects have resulted in Elgon Ngoma Troupe's ability to farm the land and significatnly reduce their food insecurity as well as address overcrowding in their Mbale town rented home. But that's not all...these projects are having an amazing ripple effect on the youth and also on villagers in one of the poorest areas of Uganda. 
The members of the Elgon Ngoma Troupe in Uganda have dreams for a better life and are determined to obtain their secondary school degrees. Some want to go on to become professionals. Covid-19 made it extremely challenging because the pandemic closed schools, and remote learning is all but impossible for this group. When the government opened schools in October 2020, it was only for those students in their final year of elementary or secondary education. The aim was to allow those students to complete the graduating year they had barely begun when the Covid-19 lockdown started. Unfortunately, students have to pay fees to attend school in Uganda. Because of lockdown restrictions, the Troupe was unable to raise any money from performances so could not pay for school fees. With the help of some generous local donors, T-C Rotary was able to step up and fund the fees for four Troupe finalists. They graduated mid 2021 and have successfully navigated through the pandemic lockdowns and are now endeavouring to contribute to their local community and hoping to sontinue pursuing their dreams.The lockdowns finally ended early in 2022 and schools finally opened for all students in February 2022. The economy has been devastated after 2 years of severe lockdowns and although Elgon Ngoma Troupe has been able to resume its performances, it has been a slow start and the revenue per performance is, not surprisingly, down. This has made it difficult for them to raise all the required funds for school fees for all the youth. Several club members and friends of the club have generously donated towards the education sponsorship of several youth. If you are interested in learning about the needed sponsorships, please send us an email regarding your interest by clicking HERE.
