International
Medical Aid for Oceania
On Friday MAFO saw the departure from Brisbane of Sofrana’s vessel AVRA C, carrying a pallet of medical instrument disinfectant from ANZGITA for the new endoscopy unit at Honiara’s National Referral Hospital. MAFO has organised every aspect of the logistics from the door of the factory in Newcastle to delivery of the pallet to the Brisbane shipping terminal, consolidation of the pallet with other LCL cargo into a container, shipment to the Solomon Islands, customs clearance in Honiara and delivery to the hospital.
Tara.Ed
Last year, through an innovative, online mentoring program using social media platforms, Tara.Ed trained 22 young women to be teachers in Afghanistan. All between the ages of 16 and 26 and from the province of Bamiyan, these young women were still studying themselves, but nevertheless made a commitment to educate other girls in their area and take classes in English and life skills before and after school hours. Between them, these young teachers provided quality education to 650 girls who would otherwise not have an opportunity to go to school.
The Australia-Afghanistan Teacher Collaboration Program {AATCP}, draws on research which suggests teacher-driven collaboration through action research and professional learning communities is the most effective form of teacher training. The program pairs one Australian teacher with an Afghan teacher for a six-month training program in which each pair has to research, design and implement an action research project that results in teaching innovation.
Each Afghan teacher was paired with an Australian mentor teacher from June - December 2018. Together the pair had to identify a classroom challenge and then work together to research, develop and implement practical strategies to overcome this challenge. At the conclusion of the six-month mentoring program, each pair had to present their action research project to the wider group through an online seminar, thus sharing professional knowledge and creating a professional learning resource for future teachers of Bamiyan.
The Australia-Afghanistan Teacher Collaboration Project is a relatively new addition to more than a decade of teacher training and school improvement projects run by Tara.Ed across lndia and Bangladesh. The organisation, supported by our Club since its inception in 2008, has changed the lives of more than 18,200 children. Tara.Ed founder and Club Rotarian, Jennifer Star, was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2019 Australia Day Honours List for her contributions to Education.
Afghan teachers in action in the classroom
A teacher reflecting on her journey with her Australian mentor.
Changeover Dinner
This highlight of the Rotary Year is fast approaching, and I have asked Geri Gardiner to help me get it organised. We are looking at a few venue options, and we will update you as things firm up. As a first step, we have settled on a date that fits in with our President Elect’s busy overseas travel schedule over the next 3 months or so – put Wednesday the 26th of June in your diaries. Could all Directors also start thinking about their yearly reports so I don’t have to chase you too hard on the final days.
