Our speaker for 15th July was Mr John Kevan. John is a past district governor (2006-2007) and president of the Applecross Rotary Club (2014-2015). His wife, Melodie, also came along and she was the first female president of our club between 2010-2011. They are both still active members of the Mandurah Rotary Club.
John spoke to us about his pioneering work in Sumba, an Indonesian island 650km from Australia, with a population of 788,000. It is situated halfway between Australia and Bali. He is the driving force behind a Rotarian funded project, Water Connections and Malaria Prevention, in partnership with Lab Without Walls and Fair Future Foundation which concentrates on half the island -the east part - home to 300,000 people.
Primarily, the project focuses on water connections, sanitation and water tanks piping to the villages, along with malaria prevention by providing bed nets, education, volunteer health training and spraying houses against mosquito infestation. A typical house in East Sumba is made out of rough cut timber, with no onsite water supply, sanitation or power.
Since the program began, sickness and death due to mosquito borne diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, TB and even polio have been significantly reduced. A most important part of the program is sending volunteer health workers into schools to teach about good hygiene and hand washing. Posters have been produced to show correct hand washing methods. There are other Rotary produced posters displayed in public places about domestic violence, drinking and smoking. Other initiatives are the introduction of donated Buddy Lights which are solar operated, compiled by hand by children and checked by Rotarians to ensure they are safe and working. So far 600 of 2400 donated Buddy Lights have already been distributed. Rotarians achieved the check process in two days.
Rotary has also conducted testing of 150 people for malaria at a village, when they also received clothing. John personally delivered $1500 worth of medicines to nurses who administered them to villagers.
Lab Without Walls analyses water for malaria parasites.
Transport between villages and the main town of Waingapu is usually by motor bike or 4x4 over rough tracks and rocky terrain. It is a two hour drive to a medical centre and takes three hours to the nearest hospital.
One of the biggest successes of the program is educating children, not only in how to read and write, which their parents never had the opportunity to learn, but by providing them with clean water and sanitation, and teaching them proper hygiene to reduce and one day, stop, the spread of mosquito borne disease.
Rotarians - People of Action!
John presenting a certificate of appreciation to President Margaret for our club’s assistance with the East Sumba project
Dr Barry Mendelawitz is a key member of Labs without Walls, with past District Governors and Applecross Presidents Melodie and John Kevan
A poster displaying good hand washing techniques
for John's presentation