Rotarians in District 9700 were treated to a rare visit from the standing president of Rotary International when Kalyan Banerjee arrived in Wagga during the week of 21 May. The Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga, as the first Rotary Club in the district, served as host and organised a very nice reception at the Wagga Wagga Country Club. Over 300 Rotarians and guests, many traveling several hours to attend, enjoyed an evening of comraderie and speeches from President Banerjee, DG Ian Simpson, and award recipient Alok Sharma, an optician from Wagga who received a “service above self” award for his “Darkness to Light” program that brings eye surgery to needy patients in India. Representing the Coolamon Rotary Club were President Marg, Garth Perkin, John Burns (who, as a recent Rotary inductee was pinned by President Banerjee), Ian Durham and Paul Weston. Despite having to stand for the duration of the event, a good time was had by all.

One of the most amazing chaps we met in Bangkok was this Indian gentleman and here is a description of him and his work. He is a Rotarian from the RC of Madras Midtown.

Here are the web sites he is involved in:

http://exnora.org/

http://exnora.in/

His business card is something else.

I quote a couple of things that he has on his card.

“Guess who I am?”

“People think of me whenever they see Muck and Garbage”

“Strangely my name is opposite to what you saw! It is sad that people don’t remember me when the see cleanliness”

“When you have Muck you need a Broomstick with broomstick in your hand you automatically get NIRMAL (meaning cleanliness) Appreciate my parents for the foresight of naming me Nirmal.”

I am Muck Broomstick Nirmal.

Dr. M. B. Nirmal.

We said in 1996 “Waste is not Waste until it is Wasted” and further on to say in 1998:

“It is not Waste management but Wealth management”

Our quotes “It is not TRASH but CASH”. It is not MUCK but LUCK” and it is not FILTH but WEALTH” brought fortune to hundreds who took our advice.

Waste made us popular than anybody & anything else.

Please learn the words! In Honour of our Scottish GSE Team members.

Sasa Designs is a jewelry business employing and providing fair wages to Deaf artisans in Kenya.With an estimated unemployment rate of 85% among the Deaf in Kenya, few will have an opportunity to discover their potential, work in dignity and earn a fair wage. Employers are simply not willing to deal with the communication issues of working with the Deaf.  After waiting for so long for an opportunity to appear, many Deaf people have lost hope.

Often Deaf mothers struggle to provide food for their family. Clean water and sanitary home conditions in the slums are often out of their reach. One way out of poverty is education, but Deaf families struggle to pay school fees, provide books or purchase the required school uniforms for their children.  Sasa means “now” in Swahili.  We believe that “Now is her time to shine.”

Sasa Designs gives Deaf artisans the chance they’ve been waiting for – the chance to learn new skills, to discover what she is capable of and to feel productive.The income these artisans earn gives them a way to support their families — to send their children to good schools, to provide better nutrition and healthcare for them.  Instead of always feeling like a burden to the family, she moves to a position of respect as one who contributes to the household income.

As she comes to work each day, she also enjoys the fellowship of other Deaf artisans with whom she can easily communicate through Kenyan Sign Language.  D.O.O.R. (Deaf Opportunity OutReach) International, in partnership with One Maker, has launched Sasa Designs in response to the overwhelming poverty and joblessness among Deaf people in Kenya.  Creating opportunities for the Deaf through this business is a tangible expression of God’s love for them.

Contact Megan MacDonald or John Glassford:   john at glassford.com.au