2008 has been a great year for those who share Rose Charities and also a landmark one. In February the 10 year anniversary of the birth of the organization( in Cambodia and Canada in 1998) was marked by the first ever Rose Charities International meeting held in Penang, Malaysia.
The many achievement in 2008 will be expanded upon in a forthcoming newsletter (see www.RoseCharities.blogspot.com ) but noteworthy among them include :-
- Linda Roberts\' structuring of the central hub of Rose Charities, the drafting of Charter, unified mission statement, executive board and international secretary positions and many other essential structural components which will allow cohesion of the network without stifling the style of each individual national organization or linkage group / individual.
- The rapid growth, progress and projects of Rose Charities Vietnam and Malaysia groups, the consolidation and expansion of Rose Charities NZ, Australia and USA, and the exciting new (and continuing) Nepal projects of Kunti Aryal (Womens issues), Binod Aryal (alcohol/drug rehabilitation), and (through) Dr Basant Sharma (female eye health screening training.. sponsored by Rose NZ). The high level of dedicated service of Rose Charities\' Eye clinic (Dr Hang Vra) and Rehab Surgery (Dr Nous Sarom). The medical teaching visits from teams from Chinese University of Hong Kong (Dr Charles Gomersall\'s group) , Operation Rainbow (Canada) and from many individual professionals in areas such as physiotherpy .
-The continuing spectrum of multi-sectorial projects by Rose Charities Sri Lanka, chaired by founder Anthony RichardThe working/training visits by Dr Nous Sarom to Vancouver, and Dr Basant Sharma to New Zealand. The academic achievements, such as Mr Bun\'s qualification as a refractionist, and Dr Vra\'s formal admission to the Cambodian eye surgeon diploma course.
-The emergence of Rose Madagascar from the previous UCCAN, with its continuing grassroots school / community projects. The enthusiasm, energy and devotion of the Rose Madagascar group is phenomenal.
- The new community / village projects emerging in Kenya and Uganda through linkages with Volset (Uganda) and \'OneVillageAtATime\' (Kenya) . Rose Charities Canada\'s honour to be accepted to be the minder of the wonderful new \'Hillman Medical Education Fund\' which already has started funding students in Kenya.
- The local ( home-based) projects and assistances in N.America of Ni Mii Puu Nation youth instruction (film making and editing) in Idaho,(by RoseCharities USA), and the \'Under One Umbrella\' homeless street fair (Vancouver)
- The disaster assistance relief efforts for the terrible Sichuan Earthquake and Myanmar Typhoon.
-The fund raising events, carried out in the USA, Canada, New Zealand and Vietnam, in the form of fashion shows, dinners, musical events and sales (eg calendars) . Josephine de Freitas (Rose Canada / USA), Jan Johnston (Rose Vietnam), Noot Seear, Annie Henley (Rose USA), Trish Gribben (Rose NZ), Dr David Sabiston (Rose NZ) , Rosemary Jones, and many others (Madagascar, Uganda, Kenya groups have all been the fantastic organizers of these events. Through them, the working funds have been raised for all the many aspects of assistance - from sight restoration to child education, and a mobile clinic has been purchased for FIRST-ROSE Cambodia. (through a generous Rotary donation from the Secheld-Sunshine Coast, B.C. Canada, branch)
- The lovely wedding of our most experienced international disaster relief coordinator, Kirsten Reems and Christopher Schuld , the arrival of Rose Charities youngest member Madeleine (Rose Charities Vietnam), but the sad passing on of Sir Edmund Hillary, whose wife June Lady Hillary, is patron of Rose Charities New Zealand.
10 years has seen a huge amount happening. Wonderfully it has happened in ways which really follow the Rose principals of ground level, person to person, \'human scale\' initiatives. Everyone - organizer, donor, and recipient all benefit. Rose Charities is coming of age, but not, I am pleased to say, by adding layers of bureaucracy and rigid administration. Rose Charities remains what it always has been, and must always be; simply \'people helping people\'.Seasons Greetings, Peace, Happiness, and Thank You .. to everyone
William Grut. Rose Charities International Secretary 2008
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