INTERNATIONAL SERVICE

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Rotary founder, Paul Harris, once declared, "I have no hesitation in saying that world peace could be achieved and made permanent if reared on Rotary's firm foundation of friendliness, tolerance, and usefulness."

The aim of International Service is to develop and maintain friendly and peaceful relations in a troubled world and to assist those who are less fortunate. Through this, Rotarians can reach across oceans and national boundaries to meet a multitude of humanitarian needs.

The Rotary Club of Elmbrook-Brookfield provides international service in three ways:

First, we're privileged to serve locally through hosting foreign exchange students, foreign study groups, and other foreign teams. We arrange professional, cultural, and social events and seminars for these delegates and host them in our homes. Some of these projects are conducted in collaboration with other District Clubs.

Second, club members, whose schedules can accommodate, travel abroad to research new humanitarian projects, supervise projects we sponsor, perform volunteer on-site work, or deliver supplies.

Third, our club, individual members, and local sponsors budget direct financial support for international humanitarian projects in a very needy world, primarily through the Rotary Foundation Matching Grant system.  A cornerstone of the International Service Programs is the Rotary International Foundation (TRF) it provides these grants which require collaboration with Rotary Clubs in the project country.

Rotary International and Elmbrook Rotary make a difference in the world through the following programs:

GUATEMALA VISION TEAM

Rotary International provides the world's greatest opportunity for ordinary people to do extraordinary things internationally. Elmbrook Rotary Club takes full advantage. More than writing checks, ERC offers its members an opportunity to make a difference with hands-on leadership in efforts that match member interest.

 

MICROLENDING IN VIETNAM

Elmbrook Rotary strives to give all of its members the tools to use turn their passions into significant results. A great example of this is a member's passion for the people and culture of Vietnam.

This member partook in several cultural exchange projects with Vietnam and the Vietnamese government. With Elmbrook Rotary's support, he was able to offer a hand up to people in Vietnam: Elmbrook Rotary became a partner in a program to provide a loan to women in Vietnamese villages who could invest in textiles and equipment to sell sewn goods. The program is a great example of intelligent investment: money spent in the developing world that goes as far as possible.
 


 

ECUADOR PHYSICIAN SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

 

ImageElmbrook Rotary has partnered with Andean Health and Development to provide high-quality medical services to an extremely poor population in a completely self-sustainable way, making sure that native Ecuadorians are taking ownership of their own healthcare needs through training programs. One of those individuals who has benefitted from Elmbrook's Physician Scholarship program is physician, Amanda Tene Rueda.

Amanda is Ecuadorian and from a poor family with seven siblings.  She is the only physician in her family, and was able to complete her residency with help from Elmbrook Rotary’s Physician Scholarship program.  As a result, the benefit to her country is 900 outpatient visits, 250 emergency procedures, 180 hospitalizations, and 80 childbirths per year just from her work alone. 

Most people need a hospital at a critical moment in their lives.  Without the kind of crisis care that Amanda has trained for, many people would suffer serious illness or die.  Elmbrook Rotary’s Physician Scholarship program has brought more and better care to this disenfranchised rural population.

“Hello Elmbrook Rotary Club, ….This year that you sponsored my medical scholarship, I delivered  babies, serviced mothers with severe pre-eclempsia, treated broken bones from farm and car accidents, worked with individuals and families that were dealing with depression and worked with cancer and other severe end-of -life issues.  Thank you very much for your support.”  Amanda Tene

HELPING REBUILD A SCHOOL IN YERCAUD, INDIA

ImageIn 2007 Elmbrook Rotary Club learned that a small school in Yercaud, India had requested help in building a small library. What started out as a modest donation to help fund the library has grown into an on-going partnership with the Rotary Club of Yercaud to enrich the lives of these very deserving, and needy children.

The school, for children from tribal villages around Yercaud, is administered by the Arcot Lutheran Church School Project in southern India. Since many of the  children are either orphans, or children whose parents have left them as they travel through India harvesting crops, the school also serves as their home, providing food and shelter in addition to education.

Following the library project, ERC partnered with the Rotary club in Yercaud to provide assistance in the construction of a second classroom, which also provides sleeping quarters for the children. Then, a year later we provided additional funding to construct a shower and toilet block so the children will have clean, sanitary facilities. Next on the horizon is a dining hall so the children’s food doesn’t have to be cooked outside in fire pits. 

Reaching out halfway around the world ERC is proud to do our part in helping children get a start in life.


 

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT EXCHANGE

Rotary International provides a great amount of opportunity for young people to spend time overseas. Elmbrook Rotary Club is an active participant in encouraging young people in our communities to take advantage of these opportunities, and of hosting international students in our own community. It provides a great opportunity for members to see the effect of their work as these students grow with an increased understanding of the world.

ERC also supports students in the World Affairs Seminar, an internationally recognized weeklong program to teach high school students about international political, economic and cultural issues.
 

POLIO PLUS

Polio Plus is a Rotary International program that aims to change the world by removing Polio from the face of the planet. Only one disease in the history of the world has been eradicated. Polio will be the second. While there are many governmental and intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations involved at this point, it was Rotary International who gave the initial push to start down the road toward eradication. Its commitment over the past 30+ years has not faltered: currently, Rotary has been tremendously assisted in this effort by generous matches from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Elmbrook Rotary is a full member in this effort. Our members give and give generously to the efforts that focus on immunization in places like Afghanistan and Pakistan.

 

 


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