Children's House for Hope in Apia

Each year District 9920 holds a PR Award with monthly submissions and the monthly winners being entered for consideration for the annual recognition.

This was the submission for August 2012 and describes both the project and the Rotary PR that accompanied this:


Club:  Rotary Club of Apia, Samoa in matching-grant partnership with donor Rotary Clubs from the Surfers Paradise area in Queensland, Australia.

Contact:  Rotary Apia: Project lead Maraea Slade and President Douglas Creevey

Project: 

The Children’s House of Hope (for SVSG: Samoa Victim Support Group) is a childrens' refuge that has been built to accommodate young children under-12 who are either been made homeless or taken away from abusive parents. Some of the children are kept in the care of the SVSG while their abusive parents or guardians are awaiting court trial.

Outcome:

The Rotary Club of Surfers Sunrise from Queensland had helped rebuild a preschool facility after the Tsunami in 2009 then searched for another project in the Pacific. Rotary Apia Club member Maraea Slade diligently pursued and convinced them of the idea of a Childrens refuge centre in Samoa for abused and abandoned children. After 2 years of correspondence, planning, matching grants applications, design and eventually shipment - the project was underway in July and voluntary Rotary members of several Clubs in the Gold Coast area travelled over in 1 week shifts and with local support of the Rotary Club of Apia and local volunteers the construction of the pre-fabricated facilty was erected and opened

Public Image Coverage:

Rotary Signage on the Building Front, Flags, internal Living Room signage

Articles in local media included:

http://www.talamua.com/a-house-of-hope-for-the-abused-children/
http://www.talamua.com/justice-vui-wont-tolerate-indecency-against-children/
http://www.samoaobserver.ws/local-news/projects/544-pm-opens-house-of-hope

Rotary Club of Apia Facebook Page: 
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.338891482868298.77277.256088727815241&type=1 - this has a number of pictures of the project.

Full Local Television coverage of Opening Day and Tour of the House of Hope.

Computers to Samoa

The Rotary Club of Kaitikati carried out a successful project providing computers to nine schools in Samoa.  Kaitikati Rotarians journeyed to Samoa where they received an enthusiastic welcome.   They returned with wonderfully written letters of thanks from the children.  Some of the letters were described by Katikati Rotarians as “worthy of being framed” for the warmth of the gratitude expressed by the children.

The Rotary club of Apia (Samoa) also provided support for the project which benefited as many as 6,500 pupils in Samoan schools.

From 'Rotary Rocks' - a District 9930 club bulletin extract

University education under way

The Rotary Club of Apia, Samoa in association with the Rotary Clubs of Pencarrow, Eastern Hutt and Wellington North have donated four scholarships valued at $3,000 each that will enable financially struggling students to enter the Foundation Year Programme at the National Univerity of Samoa.