Strong Drive for International Aid
The Rotary Club of Brighton Beach spearheaded in 2004 a number of international projects in the Philippines. With an initial objective to bring safe and clean water to an impoverished area of the Philippines and provide medical aid to an area displaced by the devastating eruption of the Mt. Pinatubo volcano in 1991, this small club has done more than that.
After the eruption, more than 75000 families from Porac were resettled in the towns of Madapdap and Bamban Tarlac, provinces of Pampanga, in Central Luzon Philippines. But the availability of clean water remained a critical problem as further tests showed the water was infected with toxic chemical wastes from then, US airbase. Women and children suffer diseases such as leukemia, central nervous system disorder, physical deformities, congenital heart disease, speech impairments; a number of women have breast cancer, forms of cysts and 19 suffered reproductive system problems, as spontaneous abortions, stillbirths, infantile deaths.
In 2004, Ruth Carlos
- Martinez, the International Director for Brighton Beach Rotary Club was looking for an opportunity to involve the club in a worthwhile overseas project. Ruth contacted and met with then Rotary District Governor of 3790
- Dr John Cadaing in Central Luzon Philippines who advised her to work with the Rotary Club of Metro Clark. A sister club agreement was forged and Ruth visited a number of sites with co-Chair Rebecca Bowman.
Since then, the following projects were completed and in progression:
- November 2004. Due to the illnesses in the area, Ruth requested a Medical Mission with Amherst Medical Center, New York along with provisions of medicines/personal needs/food supplies. Planning for a matching grant started.
- October 2006.
With the Club donation, "Safe Water Project
1" commenced with the installation of a water pump at Porac Resettlement, Madapdap, with the assistance of the Rotary Club of Metro Clark and final inspection visit by Ruth.
- Nov 2006.
Safe Water Project 2 commenced with a site inspection and planning of water pipe connections, again to provide clean, safe water to the malaria / sickness infected 3 mountain villages of San Martin, Sta Rosa. Burog in
Bamban, Tarlac.
- January 2007. Ruth instigated the shipping of donations with the assistance of
RAWCS-Donations in Kind to the impoverished areas of the Aeta community in above villages & Centre for Sexually Abused Homeless Teenagers, south of Manila.
- March 2007. The Matching Grant was approved for Safe Water Project 2 of US$30,000. And from May through to September 2007
- progressive installation of 5092 metres of water pipes, 15km coverage and three water head substations connected 3 three villages to the main spring water reservoir on top of the mountain. Ruth worked with the Rotary Club of Metro Clark to raise an additional US$13,000, funded from personal/private donations.
In 2007, this small club also donated a SHELTERBOX housing unit in a tsunami devastated town in Sri Lanka. Presently, another project is underway to adopt two villages in the malaria infested towns of Papua New Guinea under the Rotary Against Malaria international aid program.
Ruth believes that the above successful projects attest to the goals and truth behind Rotary which is
"We make a living by what we get, but it is through efforts and willful tenacity to help the underprivileged that
we make a life by what we give."
