2008 Year End RoseCharities Report

2008 marked the 10th year of Rose Charities existence and was a year of continued rapid progress in the development of initiatives which have, consistent with the idea of 'rose charity' assisted many givers and receivers considerably. This decade of work was commemorated in the first Rose Charities international conference held in Penang in February 2008 . www.RoseCharities.net/penang-report.pdf Cheryl Anne Pine (Rose Charities Madagascar later wrote... “ Arriving at the conference on February 22nd we were immediately struck with the amazing passion and enthusiasm of the participants in the room. With individual representatives from over 12 countries including; Malaysia, Canada, USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Nepal, Sri Lanka and of course Madagascar, the conference offered a global perspective on what Rose Charities does and how community development is making a difference throughout the world.”.

Charity Rose Awards for 2006 and 2007 were presented to Dr's Hang Vra (Rose Charities Cambodia) and Nous Sarom (OperationFIRST-Rose Cambodia) respectively.

UPCOMING REGIONAL/INTERNATIONAL ROSE CHARITIES MEETING. Rose Charities Vietnam is hosting the 2009 meeting in Ho Chi Minh City, on the 28th Feb/ 1st March 2009. Please see http://www.rosecharitiesnews.blogspot.com/ for details. Everyone welcome

REGULAR UPDATES. The best place to be involved is on the Facebook group 'RoseCharities' (all one word) . Also however see http://www.RoseCharitiesNews.blogspot.com

Noteworthy in 2008 has been the hugely important work of Linda Roberts who joined the Rose network and volunteered her considerable organizational and international experience to meld the charter and rules for the the Rose Charities International hub as well as formulating the mission statement (from input from all the Rose groups). This has been a huge amount of work, now successfully completed
Rose groups around the world all have expanded their scope and involvements and this is summarized below. (not in any specific order)

SOUTH ASIA

Sri Lanka: Rose Charities Sri Lanka, continues with its panoply of community social programs. Educational support encompasses the entire spectrum from pre-school through to the University Education program. This latter program is one of the most successful and 'in demand' programs of the organization and to date has or is assisting around 40 poor students to obtain degrees. The program is also now partnered with in the http://www.educationgeneration.org/ network. The microcredit programs, organized and supported by the Rose Charities Canada microcredit committee have continued to expand with close to zero default rate, and both counseling/counselor training and community sports programs are operating at full function. All these programs (except Microcredit and University Eduction) are being supported by CIDA Sri Lanka. The very great success of the programs continues to be through the work of Rose Charities Sri Lanka C.E.O., Mr Anthony Richard. Expansion of programs in the area of child protection and community awareness of issues of sexual abuse and exploitation are now in progress. Rose Charities Sri Lanka now has a local membership of over 500 people from the community.

Nepal: RIC-Rose Vietnam http://www.roserehab.org/ . This close cooperation project, is for the rehabilitation of drug and alcohol victims combining both traditional, as well as 'western' methods. Founded and run by Mr Binod Aryal it has centers both in Kathmandu and Lumbini regions of Nepal. A second project, founded and run by Mrs Kunti Aryal focused on assistance of girls rescued from trafficking, as well as promoting awareness and preventing trafficking has recently commenced. Kind advice for this project has been given by Mr Philip Holmes, founder and organizer of the Ester Benjamin's Trust, http://www.ebtrust.org.uk/ one of Nepal's foremost anti trafficking organizations. Rose Charities New Zealand http://www.rose-charities.org/ is in planning stage with Dr Basant Sharma of the Lumbini Eye Institute http://www.lei.org.np/ to support a component of the Institutes program to train female village eye assistants to recognize and screen for eye disease. A coordination visit was kindly made by Georgie Pearson (UK) in late 2008 and will be followed by a follow up by Linda Roberts (Canada) and other Rose Charities members in 2009. A school sponsorship under RIC-Rose in the Lumbinie area is in planning stage

Pakistan (see Hillman Fund) .

SOUTH-EAST ASIA

Cambodia . Rose Charities Cambodia http://www.rosecharity.org/ Sight restoration, blindness prevention and optometry (glasses) Continue to expand. 2008 will see around 2000 operations and 12- 15000 consultations. Dr Vra is half way though his official Cambodian surgical upgrade course, and Mr Bun has now qualified formally as a Cambodian refractionist. (Sponsorship from Rose Charities Canada and NZ) . Operation FIRST – Rose Rehab. Surgery Cambodia http://www.firstrose.org/ Missions of Operation Rainbow (B.C.) http://www.operationrainbowcanada.com/ and Operation Smile run with FIRST-Rose resulted in more than 250 rehabilitation surgeries. A minibus mobile clinic was purchased with targeted funds from Rose Charities Australia, UK and the Sechelt Sunshine Coast Rotary Club. Over 50 elective students visited in 2008. Dr Nous Sarom has now been promoted to Chea Chumneas Hospital Director. IMACT UK http://www.impact.org.uk/ and Smile Train are in the process of establishing local coordinations with Operation FIRST. As a Smile Train center, both the operative and training components of the project will further enhanced. In April 2008 Dr Nous Sarom made a training upgrade visit to Vancouver, sponsored by Operation Rainbow.

Malaysia Rose Charity Malaysia http://www.myrosecharity.org/ moves forward at lightning pace from its founding this year, organized by Vince Yeoh, Lawrence Cheh (Chairman) and others. A medical screening program for the indigenous 'Orang Asli' jungle dwelling peoples of the Malay Peninsular was carried out in November and this month they sponsored the Penang Health Expo in GeorgeTown http://www.penhealth.com.my/ihfe2008.html

Vietnam:.Rose Charities Vietnam http://www.rosevietnam.org/ has expanded and increased its programs considerably from its official registration in 2008. It continues to assist the Sia Blind Center in Hue Province in ares such as income generation projects and education assistance. The progress of Rose Charities Vietnam has been extremely rapid thanks to the Chairmanship of Mr Louis Lap Nguyen, and assistance of Mrs Jan Johnston. Other projects include assistance with local orphanages and a major involvement in cooperation with the Fred Hollows Organization, and the Standard Charted Bank's 'Seeing is Believing' program to start a corneal transplant service in the Saigon and surrounding area

ASIA- OTHER REGIONS

China - Hong Kong. Rose Charities has several initiatives and linkages in Hong Kong. Rose Charities NZ Consultant Grief Counselor Liese Groot http://www.liesegrootalberts.com/ is developing ties with a University of Hong Kong group training grief counselors. Dr Charles Gomersall of the Chinese University of Hong Kong who runs his own emergency medicine and intensive care international teaching program sent a teaching team to FIRST-Rose Charities Cambodia. This initiative was very successful and further teaching visits are planned. Igors Waterfront Restaurant gave considerable profile to the organization in Hong Kong (though no financial donations) which helped encourage a lot of interest in Rose Charities.

Japan. Following a kind visit from Dr Norihiko Kuwayama (psychiatrist, well known professional singer, and founder of the NGO Frontiers), Rose Charities opened informal links with the Frontiers organization and is investigating possible areas of cooperation. Frontiers specializes in psychological trauma relief, grief counseling and associated areas and works in Timor and Gaza. Rose Charities Canada's very close relationship with AMDA Canada continue and for the Myanmar typhoon disaster Rose Charities Canada and AMDA Canada elicited donations for the AMDA International/Japan relief efforts. www.amda.or.jp Because of AMDA's pre-existing links and projects in Myanmar, it was one of the few NGO's allowed to undertake medical humanitarian activities in Myanmar, running a series of health clinics in the southern disaster area. AMDA also was able (through AMDA Taiwan) to send very rapid human assistance to the Sichuan Earthquake disaster and plans were also put forward for AMDA and Rose Canada to assist in the area of post traumatic stress counseling through cooperation with contacts in Hong Kong. Early also in the course of the disaster, Dr Charles Gomersall (Chinese University of Hong Kong) had arranged a paediatric assistance team (all with mainland Chinese qualifications) to be implemented through AMDA. The team however was not utilized as sufficient personel had already been mobilized on site and through Taiwan.

OCEANIA

Australia. Rose Charities Australia http://www.rosecharities.org.au/ as moved from being a N.S.W based to a national Australian organization, with members now from Queensland, Victoria, and W.Australia Support is being focused on Operation FIRST- Rose Cambodia on physiotherapy as well as other areas. Joanna Thomson (Physiotherapist and Rose Australia Director Perth) made two training and assessment visits to Chea Chumneas. Sarah Miller (Syndey, Rose Aus. Director) is currently based in Cambodia (with another organization) but is assisting FIRST-Rose in her spare time. Support has recently been given in assisting FIRST-Rose to purchase and fit out a mobile clinic.

New Zealand: Rose Charities New Zealand http://www.rose-charites.org/ maintains its considerable support of Rose Charities Cambodia Eye Clinic http://www.rosecharity.org/ . Visits in 2008 by JohnVeale, Mike Webber (Optometrists) and Dr David Sabiston and provision of equipment greatly assisted. Dr Basant Sharma of the Lumbini Eye Hospital, Nepal (and one of Rose Charities Senior Consultants) was sponsored by Rose NZ to visit NZ for training experience. This visit stimulated a further Rose NZ support project for Nepal village female eye screener training for early identification of eye disease at grassroots level (early identification can lead to saving eyesight..eg. Glaucoma). Sadly Rose Charities Patron, June, Lady Hillary lost her dear husband, Sir Edmund Hillary.

AFRICA

Madagascar: Rose Charities Madagascar http://www.rosemadagascar.com/ http://www.madakids.blogspot.com/ Maintains full, hands-on and financial support of its Mahatsara education / community projects. Has now published its lovely 2009 fundraising calendar, and held several Vancouver fundraisers. Regular assistance visits to the community have been made by Canadian members of the group.

Uganda Rose Charities Canada has made a preliminary cooperation with Volset Uganda http://www.volsetuganda.tripod.com/ to assist with community and village projects in child education particularly for children orphaned from AIDS. This partnership was commenced in November 2008.

Kenya . A preliminary cooperative initiative with the One Village at a Time Network

http://www.onevillageatatime.org/ was started in November/December 08 and aims to support both education and other community initiatives

AMERICAS

Canada: Rose Charities Canada http://www.rosecharities.ca/ supporting the upcoming 2008 Vancouver Homeless Street Fair through the Watari Organization http://www.watari.org/ and Grandview Woodlands Drug and Alcohol Coalition http://www.gwadac.org/ . The Sechelt Sunshine Coast Rotary Club www.clubrunner.ca/Cprg/Home/homeD.asp?cid=773 has generously assisted the FIRST-Rose Rehab Surgery unit to purchase a minibus to be used to help patient transport from villages as well as a mobile clinic.

Hillman Medical Education Fund http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/hillmane/aboutus.htm RoseCharities RoseCharities Canada has been privilaged this year to be chosen to to run the Hillman Medical Education Fund. This fund, set up by Prof. Liz Hillman in honour of her late husband Don Hillman, has been established to assist the education of health professionals in its main focus of Africa, but also other parts of the world. (eg. Pakistan). Professors Liz and Don Hillman are known to great number of people in Canada and we at Rose Charities are simply some of many who salute and laud the lifelong work of the Hillmans Both Liz and Don are just recipients of the Order of Canada. The fund linked to Rose Charities this year and already has started by funding the training of trainers in emergency medicine through the Kenya Paediatric Association. Dr Elizabeth Hillman, and Dr Young visited E.Africa mid year to explore other possible projects for the fund to support. The Fund also is assisting community teaching in Pakistan through Frontier Primanry Health Care www.fphc@brain.net.pk

USA: Rose Charities USA http://www.rosecharities.us/ continue support of the Idaho Nee Mee Po First Nation in their project to teach youth video and editing techniques. A very successful 'Bebare' fashion fundraiser orchestrated by Annie Henley and Noot Seear raised funds for this and other Rose field programs. This was kindly assisted by sponsorship from several organizations including the Cortes de Cima Vinyard, Portugal www.cortesdecima.pt

Guyana Boys Home : www.RoseCharites.net/guy-news2007.pdf
continued to be one of Rose Charities UK's support projects throughout 2008, organized by Noelle de Freitas.

EUROPE

United Kingdom; Rose Charities UK http://www.rosecharities.org.uk/ has continued to support Rose Charities projects in Nepal, Cambodia and Guyana. Plans for 2009 include the development of a more specific focus in activity, most probably in the area of primary education in Africa and other areas, Closer linkage with Rose Charities Madagascar is being investigated.

OTHER AREAS.

Emergency Relief. Rose Charities is not primarily an implementing emergency relief organization though has over the years partaken in many initiatives both linked and solo (Asian tsunami, Indonesian earthquake, hurricane Katrina, Pakistan earthquake etc). The main focus of Rose when humanitarian disaster assistance is needed is to support AMDA Canada (and hence AMDA International ) humanitarian relief missions. In contrast to Rose, AMDA has disaster relief as its main focus and very great experience in implementation http://www.amda.or.jp/ and http://www.amdainternational.com/ This was the way in which the 2008 Myanmar disaster was able to be assisted.

APPRECIATION

Consultants. Rose Charities benefits hugely from the kind donation of expertise in its informal network of professionals who donate their knowledge and experience and advice. They come from all areas and disciplines from law, accounting and management, through to medicine, surgery, optometry, physio and speech therapy etc. Many are from highly respected establishments such as Basel Institute of Tropical Medicine (Dr Sophie Biays Odermatt), The Innsbruck University Hospital HIV/Aids Institute (Dr Maria Kitchen), Lumbini Eye Hospital (Dr Basant Sharma), B.C's Childrens Hospital (Dr Collin Yong, and others), Chinese University of Hong Kong (Dr Charles Gomersall( or distinguished legal firms in UK (Fiona Darroch) and USA (John Leggo). It is impossible here to list all the many who give to Rose their professional advice so generously but we are enormously appreciative.

Accounting services. It is impossible to overestimate the importance of proper, transparent, professional accounting for Rose organizations and thus it is most appropriate to mention Eric Vanderluit of Vanderluit and Associates http://www.vanderluit.com/ (Vancouver), Jane Midgley of Midgleys Co. (NZ), http://www.midgleys.co.nz/ and Barbara Reade http://www.betaways.biz/ (UK) who have continued to donate their services to their various local Rose groups gratis. Enormous appreciation. Philip Francis in Vancouver (Finanacial management) has also donated services in financial management.

Rose Charities People - Events

Three lovely weddings this year Kirsten Reems and Christopher Schuld (Canada), Emma O'Loughlin (NZ) and Isumi Berat (Japan/France) and Angela Seear (Canada) and Malcolm Forsyth (NZ) . Huge congratulations and happiness to you all. Kirsten is Rose Charities Canada's most experienced emergency relief nurse, Angela is pivotal in much of the graphics and design work of Rose Canada (and other groups), and Izumi links many with his wonderful enthusiasm, linguistic abilities (fluent Japanese, French, English etc), and which has been of huge help in past emergency relief situations

One sad 'farewell' to Sir Edmund Hillary. June, Lady Hillary is Rose Charities NZ Patron and to her we extend all our sympathy and share in her loss.

Qualifications.. Mr Bun (Cambodia) obtained his diploma of refraction training, and Dr Hang Vra (Rose Charities Cambodia) passed his first year of advanced ophthalmology training.

CONCLUSION.

It is impossible to encapsulate in a short report such all that Rose Charities has encompassed in 2008, or in any other year. The reason for this is that there that the network has few rigid defined borders. Wherever one looks and in any direction Rose contacts of friendship, communication and cooperation extend off into the distance and it is hugely difficult to draw a line which will limit what will be included in the report. There will thus be aspects of Rose Charities work as well as individuals who may not, but should have been more greatly emphasized. Rose charities now runs a blog-site www.RoseCharity.blogspot.com to which contributions are invited of ideas and endeavours consistent with the ideal of charity of any sort, and of human linkage and friendship.

Rose Charities has come a huge distance since its foundation in 1998. The road has not always been easy: but what has won through in the long run has been the absolute adherence to the principles of honesty, openness, transparency and quality of input. These, coupled with the 'rose charity' principle that 'to give is also to receive' have taken the organization down a rainbow road of ten thousand friendships and a million smiles. And the journey still continues...

William Grut M.D.
Rose Charities International Secretary 2008