Week 4 Blog

Friday breakfast saw many new faces to breakfast.
 
Garry Bradford from Global Alms was there to tell us about the problems that are faced by the stateless in Burma / Thailand, our new inbound Youth Exchange student, Amy Hedevang Fris was there to tell us about her first impressions of Australia, and Linda, Chloe and Tommy were there to catch up on how Chloe is going with her preparations as an outbound Youth Exchange student for Brasil. 
 
Amy Fris
 
We're delighted to hear that Amy is settling in well with hosts Stuart and Karen, and that she has already started at Siena College. Here's Amy with past Principal, our very own Graeme Hight. 
 

Garry Bradford from Global Alms was our guest speaker, and what a broad ranging talk it was on International aid, but with a local message. Fantastic to hear of an organisation that has taken its goal to help the greatly disadvantaged, traumatised kids in a small village (Tak) and works so purposefully and positively to "make a difference". It was particularly apt, when Garry explained the context the recent case of the young football team trapped in a cave in Thailand, and why being "stateless" is such a crushing situation to so many people in this part of the world. Below is a short extract from the great work in the "Yes, she matters" campaign that these folks are doing, without any Government help, and with a comprehensive strategy of involving the local people in their solution, and making the solution permanent. 
 

Yes She Matters ...some information...

The ‘Yes She Matters’ program provides women an opportunity no matter their race, religion or documented status, to receive immediate help if they have been raped, sexually assaulted, abused or caught in domestic violence.The ‘Yes She Matters’ Emergency Assistance Team are all female, trained across several fields and on call 24/7 to provide immediate help meeting victims in their homes, at the police station or local hospital.

Global Alms provide Emergency Packs (clothes, undergarments, sanitary items, toiletries), a ‘Yes She Matters’ Case Advocate is allocated to offer one on one support (especially during police interviews & medical exams), Mental Health support, Training options, Personal Protection and Safety Plans.

This is a free program provided for survivors in Tak, Thailand. If you would like to support women in need who have survived unspeakable trauma, please visit www.yesshematters.org today

 

 
We also acknowledged the efforts of our own Bob Thompson during the week. Bob was lead speaker at both Immanuel College and at AIME at USC where we spoke on WorkLife Interview preparation and how to present yourself well at interview to get that all important job. Bob is going on leave from Rotary for a few months, but not before keeping his commitment to Maroochy State High School on Wednesday for more coaching of kids on mock interviews. !! We wish Bob and Marg a great holiday in Europe !!
 
 
WorkLIfe Book gets international Interest
 
Also PP John has been inundated with comments and support following on from the July Rotary Down Under article, which has attracted interest from Queensland, NSW, South Australia, Tasmania, and more recently UK, USA and there even from the First City Rotary in Ketchikan, Alaska !!
 
The club has put the book on its google drive, details from the secretary's email. RCAHsecretary@gmail.com