International Service - India Project

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Rotary Foundation Matching Grant Approved

for School Projects in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh!

In January 2008, a delegation of Rotarians from St Ives, accompanied by members of five other clubs and our District Governor visited India.  The 18-day trip included tourist destinations in Kerala, Jaipur, Agra, and Delhi, but it also focused on visiting Rotary projects and Rotarians.  We had amazing encounters with Rotarians in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Guntur (in Andhra Pradesh), Jaipur, and New Delhi.  And, we learned about the wonderful projects underway to combat basic needs of water, sanitation, health and education.

The chronology of the trip is covered in a special edition of our newsletter, the Waratah, dated 13 February 2008.  It is available in the Newsletter section, or by clicking here.  The team discussed their trip at a club meeting on Wednesday, 6 February, 2008.   

We were able to participate in the ground-breaking ceremonies for five of the ten toilet block projects we are sponsoring (along with other Rotary clubs in our district, and the host club of Guntur Aadarsh) at secondary schools in and around Guntur.  The schools consist of buildings and classrooms, but lack student toilet facilities, electricity, lighting, and school desks. 

The needs are immense!  But the efforts of local Rotarians are also amazing.  In February 2008, District 3150 in India will be celebrating a variety of projects with representatives of Rotary International and our own PDG Bruce Allen. 

We will be continuing our support of schools in Andhra Pradesh by donating school desks for the students in the schools we are supporting in Guntur.  For more information on the school desk program, please see Doing Good in India

Close up of Guntur area in Andhra Pradesh.

Maps (c) 2008 Google and others. 

INDIA PROJECT UPDATE - 8 November 2008

Last year, our Club members donated over $10,000 to a Rotary Matching Grant project with District 3150 in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh in India.  The project's goal is to provide Toilet facilities in public schools in the region to reduce the drop-out rate of female students when they reach puberty.  A group of Rotarians from our District attended the ground-breaking ceremonies in January 2008, and we have just received word that the toilet blocks have now been commissioned.

Our Club sponsored the Toilet Block at the CAP School in Guntur, which is a residential school for girls who have been rescued from child labour or who have been living in the streets of the city. 

 The Toilet Block has basic toilet and shower facilities.

For more information about the Toilet Block Project, please click on the following document - Shattered Dreams Rebuilt.