Lunch time meeting - ZOOM Meeting our speaker this week is Yolanda Hilton President of the Rotary Club of Cowdenbeath talking about an Old Tools Project

On Thursday 22^nd October 2020 President Geoff Sampson welcomed 13 Club Rotarians, guest speakers Yolanda Hilton and Rotarian Tom Russell and Lee Brown to this lunch time meeting held by ZOOM.

Four Rotarians apologised for non-attendance.

Our speakers this week were Rotarian and president Yolanda Hilton and Rotarian Tom Russell from The Rotary Club of Cowdenbeath and Lee Brown from the Tool shed at the ecology centre at Kinghorn where some of the Rotarians had visited over a year ago. They updated the club on the old tools project that we will hopefully be looking to participate in.

Tools with A Mission was launched in 1984 and the charity was established in the Midlands. A Scottish base was stablished but was eventually withdrawn. With support from the allotment people at the Ecology Centre at Kinghorn they became involved with the Rotary Club of Cowdenbeath. The Scottish based charity aims to reduce poverty and empower vulnerable people through partnering organisations that implement sustainable grassroots development projects. They currently support projects in India, Kenya and Malawi. They have worked with partners in Malawi for 12 years to provide vocational training and start up tools to hundreds of adults with disabilities, helping them to start up small businesses and generate an income to support themselves and their families. In 2018 they secured further funding from The Scottish Government to continue their training programs in Malawi until 2023. Poverty is especially high in rural areas, where there is minimal infrastructure or access to services. It is estimated that of the world’s poorest people, those who lack access to basic necessities such as food, clean water, clothing and shelter, 1 in 5 is a person with disabilities. People with disabilities are more likely to live in poverty due to multiple barriers to accessing education, health care and employment. In addition, people with disabilities experience further challenges such as lack of disability aids and medical treatment, stigma and prejudice, higher chances of being subjected to violence, isolation, and disempowerment. People with disabilities have been widely excluded from many development processes. Women and girls with disabilities live with double discrimination due to existing gender inequalities. For many disabled people, supporting themselves and their families is extremely hard, and many are completely dependent on their extended families or are forced to beg to survive. Tools and sewing machines are donated in Scotland and Northern Ireland and are refurbished by volunteers at the Scottish Tools for Self-Reliance workshops in Edinburgh, Milltown and Aberdeen, The Ecology Centre and the Tools for Solidarity workshops in Northern Ireland. They are then shipped to Malawi and are used by their partners MACOHA and KODO, to provide vocational training in carpentry, tailoring and cane furniture making in Nkhotakota, Salima and Ntcheu districts. Their trainees receive 6 – 12 months vocational training, business training, AIDS prevention, reproductive health and gender awareness training. When they have completed training, they receive the tools and machines they need to start their business. All trainees also undergo organic manure training and are given a solar panel. Trainees receive on-going support and are visited by project workers at home to help them with the early stages of setting up businesses. Due to COVID19 this year’s shipment has been delayed but it is the clubs intention to be involved over the next year

The Rotary vote of thanks was given by Wilna Roger.

Last Wednesday 21st October 2020 at Thornton Golf Club members and friends participated in the clubs Presidents golf Trophy with this year’s winner being Will Wishart with 31 points.

This coming week Thursday 29th October 2020 at 1pm on ZOOM we will be given a talk by Louise Blanchfield a chartered physiotherapist and nutritional therapist

The Rotary vote of thanks will be given by Geoff Sampson.

If you were interested in supporting the community and international projects get in touch by Private message on The Rotary Club of Glenrothes Facebook page. You will be made most welcome[GS1] .