See here details of our International Projects in 2008-2009

During the past year we've focussed our international projects in Africa.

We've undertaken projects that make a difference in Sierra Leone, Malawi and South Africa.  One of our Rotarians is a native of Sierra Leone and our hardworking Friend of Rotary, Lisa Morris, has spent a considerable amount of time raising funds for projects in Grahamstown, South Africa, close to where she spent a year as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar.  

In Malawi we contributed funds to help fund microcredit schemes.  Microcredit is the extension of very small loans (often as little as £10) to those in poverty designed to spur entrepreneurship. These individuals lack collateral, steady employment and a verifiable credit history and therefore cannot meet even the most minimal qualifications to gain access to traditional credit. Microcredit is a part of microfinance, which is the provision of a wider range of financial services to the very poor.  The majority of borrowers, who have a 98% record of repayment, are women.

In Sierra Leone we helped with 2 projects.

 

The Wheelchair Foundation http://www.wheelchairfoundation.org.uk/ jointly funds the provision of wheelchairs for the disabled in countries where such things are beyond the means of many.  We provided sufficient funds for seven chairs to be sent to Sierra Leone

 

 

Christian Hope Primary School is located in Freetown, Sierra Leone.  When Rotarian Alan Wolstencroft, from the Rotary Club of Banbury, first visited in 2006 the upper Juniors were being taught under the trees as they had no classroom. Alan enlisted the help of his club, and then the help of other clubs in our District, to raise funds to improve the lives of all of the children at Christian Hope.  We are proud to have been part of a project that has so far seen £32,000 sent and real improvements in the accommodation they now have.  Progress is significant - the building is complete, the roof is on, all the windows and doors have been fitted and the ceilings are currently being installed in the classrooms.  The next stage will be the interior plastering and external rendering and then that will just leave the painting of the interior and exterior.