In
one of the villages. A Rotarian with grandma and the child
The “Grandma Cares” Project is an initiative that
grew from a community program in 1992 providing psychological and social
support to families affected by HIV/AIDS. Run by Rotary Club of
ChiangMaiThinThaiNgam (RCCT), it assists older women who must care for
grandchildren whose parents have died. The program which trains
grandmothers and other relatives responsible for taking care of the
children of deceased or sick parents also provides supplements to basic
needs of these children and their grandparents. Volunteers also work with
family members who provide home-based care for people living with AIDS.
In February 2004, Rotary Club of Bukit Kiara
Sun-rise(RCBKS) Malaysia, Dist. 3300 and RCCT, Dist. 3360 (Sister Clubs)
launched the “Grandma Cares” Partnership Program in Kuala Lumpur. An
MoU under which Rotary Clubs around the world are invited to participate in
raising funds for the Project was signed by countries attending this forum.
As of July 2005, Partner Rotary Clubs in the “Grandma
Cares” Partnership Programm/Trust are:
Rotary Club of Chiang Mai ThinThaiNgam Dist. 3360,
Chiang Mai, Thailand,
Rotary Club of Bukit Kiara Sunrise, Dist. 3300, K. L.
Malaysia,
Rotary Club of Hong Kong Northeast, Dist. 3450,
Rotary Club of Singapore North, Dist. 3310,
Rotary Club of Bugis Junction, Dist. 3310, Singapore,
Rotary Club of Chungli Chung Shing, Dist. 3500, Taiwan,
Rotary Club of Markham Sunrise, Dist. 7070, Toronto,
Canada.
During December in 2004 the “Grandma Cares”
Partnership Program had its first Convention in Chiang Mai - a two day
program filled with activities and workshops, and in December 2005 the
second convention was held here, this time a three day event of Rotarians
and their families.
Activities consisted of Grandma Home Visits, plenary
sessions and a fellowship of friendship games in Chiang Mai with over 100
participants who came from the Rotary Club of Orewa, New Zealand, Dist.
9910 and Rotary Club of Hong Kong South.
Partnership pledges made on that day received a Matching
Grant from Homer, Alaska, U.S.A. Each country made their special well
received contributions for the GCPP/Trust. A sponsor can be a body
corporate, a Rotary Club or any other organization or an individual and the
annual sponsorship is USD 400 per beneficiary child and his/her
grandparents. The sponsorship will have to be channeled through the
“Grandma Cares” Trust. Also on the agenda are the distribution of
school funds on January 21, 2006 at the Red Cross Station #3, at 9:30 a.m
by Zonta International Chiang Mai collected during the “Biking for
Education” (a total of 120,000 baht was raised on that four day biking
event).
A total of 82 children from Chiang Mai, Doi Saket, Chiang Dao and Mae Ai
with Nike sponsoring shoes for these children and clothing and toys
sponsored by private donors will also be distributed.
Banner
exchange during the convention
Current
Secretary and President Elect Rachan Ponchevin, President Frank Weicks and
newly inducted member Jay Stevens onboard the cruise boat.
Little
Karen children