The International Avenue of Service is one of many Committees of the Rotary Club of Canmore. This committee supports worthy charitable projects in counties other than Canada. Rotary Club of Canmore members ask that about 30-40% of our annual fundraising be directed towards International endeavours. Monthly meetings are held at which committee members research opportunities, prepare evaluations and project mix assessments, periodically request progress reports for on-going projects, and prepare and administer budgets and funding agreements
Areas of International Work
Process for Identifying Projects
- we are constantly looking for opportunities to do good in countries other than Canada
- we have set the following as Criteria we seek in opportunities:
- education for impoverished children with projects that have a large impact on individuals at low cost (Cambodian School, Building Lives Scholarships, Cabo San Lucas Scholarships)
- grass roots projects that fill critical gaps that otherwise would prevent children from accessing state education (Ideal Textbooks, Kathmandu School)
- support for the disadvantaged in areas without programs of care for the needy (Eating Stones Orphanage, Horse Therapy program)
- once an opportunity is screened against our Criteria, we have an application prepared, and two members prepare an Evaluation.
- In addition to the Evaluation, we prepare a Project Mix Assessment. This worksheet ranks the project against other projects we currently have to produce a portfolio of projects:
- does the project provide leverage to do a lot of good for little money?
- are we needed, or will the project proceed without us/
- is the project sustainable and will become more self-sufficient?
- is the project a duplicate of other we are doing?
- do we have a significant connection to the project?
- is our involvement substantial and engaging for our members?
- the Evaluation and Project Mix is presented to our Committee members and voted on to approve worthy projects
Active and Recent Projects
- Ideal Textbooks - Guatemala ($5,000) - providing Mayan/Spanish language teaching materials to students that can't use the state supplied Spanish only books
- Education for the Poorest Nepalese Children - Kathmandu ($7,880) - providing a "bridge" primary school for children unable to pass entrance exams to access state schools; providing scholarships for mandatory fees of $60 / year
- Grade School Scholarships - Cabo San Lucas, Mexico ($5,000) - scholarships for 10 impoverished students whose families can't afford school. We have committed to support them to finish Grade 12.
- DOHDAL School Project - Cambodia ($6,500) - supporting 55 rural students for a full year of English / technology training
- Eating Stones Orphanage (70 children) - Nairobi, Kenya ($5,000) - purchase of 21 beds
- Horse Therapy for Special Needs Children - Guatemala ($7,500) - purchase of a horse and pony in a therapy regime for up to 120 disadvantaged children
There are many ways to donate - cheque, publicly traded securities, bequests from your will, life insurance and perhaps the easiest for simple donations is to use this button.
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