Posted: 2 years ago

will we have some photos or opinions about what you saw?

thanks

 GERRY

GERRY(Gérard EPIN)

Membership Committee Chairman 2011/12

France

Posted: 2 years ago

This week's programme got me thinking about certain basic statistics regarding my country - Kenya

Country Statistics Population 34.2 million; Land Mass 219,788 sq. miles; Life Expectancy 49 years; Infant Mortality Rate 79 / 1,000; Literacy Rate 74%; School Enrollment 76%; Access to Safe Water 61%; Average Annual Income (GNI per capita) US$530

 In addition I know that of the 76% children who enrol in primary school (I think it went up to 88% due to free primary education) only 50% get to high school (more boys than girls) and only 2% get to any kind of tertiary education. We have a whole generation that lacks employable skills...

This is made worse by the fact that vocational training is considered a 'dirty word' and so we no longer train young people for blue collar jobs (which are plentiful), the whole system prepares them for white collar jobs (which are scarce) - and vocational colleges have changed into professional colleges, universities even. Is it any wonder that 74% of your youth (defined by the government as age 18 to 35) are unemployed?

Does anyone have any new generations initiatives (ideas for initiatives) that might help address this?

Maloba

Posted: 2 years ago

Dear Elizabeth:

I just returned from the RI Convention in Montreal where I was a facilitator for Rotary Global History (which I will discuss under another post later), and attended a friend's Idea Exchange on "Three Cups of Tea" (bascially how one man changed the eduational system in Afganistan).

Here is what I would suggest: 1) read Greg Mortenson's New York Times 'best seller' "Three Cups of Tea" (the first cup is offered as a curtesy, the second means that you are a friend of the family and the third is that you are now an important part of that family). The three cups are Mortenson's symbol for getting change to happen. 2) Examine then his process for getting the job of educating girls (and then boys) done: He started by having one family behind him and his insight into the community through them to the need for schools in that village (he started by wanting to help build one school for girls). 3) Through his contacts with the family, he got the tribal elders (one to begin with) to support the idea of a school (especially for girls who were not, before that time, considered good material for education). 4) No matter why the elders agreed to the school (they wanted better educated wives so that child death and other complications did not happen): Get the project started- where it ended, many of the founders may not have seen coming. 5) If it works and the village is the proof: Think then larger and more expansive (Mortenson had 133 schools by the time he wrote his first book and many more now actually and in the plans since his second book came out). But it is run by the Afgans, not ourside sources (they help with funds). The formula that you will read is: Start small after the tribal elders 'buy in', say, a pilot project, find a little funding, get it to work, report to the world the success and how it changed the lives of those involved, and then think larger. It has to have a 'buy in' to make it work; it has to have the passion of one or a few persons locally to give it life; and it has to be a partnership between the local needs and the global resources.

Hope this helps. Keep me informed if you need more. I cannot do the local scene but I could help globally.

Posted: 2 years ago

Elizabeth, I re-posted this in our club meeting for the week of June 28th to give this important issue more visibility. I my announcement, I asked people to respond to you here in the forums. We have several educators in the club . . . I bet we can come up with some projects.

By the way, is this an issue that concerns people in the local Nairobi Rotary Clubs? If we come up with a project, we'll want to partner with a local club or cclubs (or district??) to make an impact in this.

Larry

 Larry Levenson / Prescott Valley, Arizona USA

Posted: 2 years ago

Last night I was installed as the 2010 President of our eClub by Larry, Mel and Judy in Arizona while I sat at home in Texas; today I took two weeks of recyclibles to the Center that picks them up for Kingwood, Texas. They bring a truck and instead of my separating everything then putting it on the curb in neat three to six containers, I am able to put aluminum and plastic together, cardboard and paper together (all I have to do is take a few steps and place mixed glass-unseparated when I drive the mile to the Recycle Center- I put mixed glass in the Mixed glass 20' x 10' container). I go each Sunday, about 10:30, before church lets out and the crowd comes in.

I normally take with me one plastic bottle of water which I give to the man who is there all weekend, in 91-98 degrees temperature (with it getting to be 101-120 degrees with the humidity in Houston, Texas). He has gotten to know me and we exchange greetings. Today, though, the City of Houston sent two men with the truck (and I only brought one bottle of water which I gave to the last man that helped me- in return, I never had to get more than three steps from my car since they came over and unloaded my Toyota Avolon). I said to him, "I am sorry. Normally, there is just one man with the truck. Please enjoy- on this hot Sunday day." He said, "Thank you", and returned to the truck as I drove away. it bothered me all of the three minutes that it took to return home.

Therefore, I got another bottle of water and returned to the outdoor Recycle Center. I did not see the second man (who I had not a bottle of water for on my last visit) so I gave the second bottle to the man who got the first one. When I drove up, I motioned him to the driver's side (there was a strange look on his face as he knew that all my recycle stuff had gone into the truck, but that changed to the broadest smile when I showed him the second bottle of water). I said, "I had to come back. Please give this to your buddy. It is a hot day, water will taste good." He said, "It even tastes better when someone goes out of his way to bring it. That does not happen often." "It does with me," I said, "you give me a service and I bring you a little token of my appreciation. Sometimes, all I have to give is a "thank you." The smile was still on his face when I left. The smile is still inside me as I write this. It is not the big things that make a difference; it is the little things that make big results.

Fellowship is not hard, even with an eClub, it just takes making up your mind that you need to offer someone something in appreciation (a word, a gesture, an action, a service) and the music of the smiles seem to never die. In fact, the music never dies.

Posted: 2 years ago

Hello Joe!

Congratulations for being our new president...I know that you will be a great president, and I like your sense of humour...I appreciated it in Montreal...It was nice to meet you. About your bottle of water story, you are right, a simple gesture is easy to give but most of the time, people don't give anything if they receive nothing in return. 

Posted: 2 years ago

You were there at my session with Gerard. You did not see the smile on my face later.

Sometimes, a return comes later but it always comes I find. I gave the water for my own reward, even if there seems to be no return. People are not used to generousity which is asking for nothing in return (and at first, they are asking themselves: "What does this guy want of me?". You do it because it is right and you want to say, "Thank you," or you just do it and not know why. The only time that I feel slighted is when my gift is thrown back in my face with malice. Even then, it will not stop me from giving service for service. It will not stop me from singing in the rain.

And thank you for your words.

Posted: 2 years ago

It was a great year -- and now I'm happy to move on to other eClub functions!  :)

This year I'll be working with:

• Membership on establishing two new working groups
• New Generations to re-establish our eRotaract Club
• District 5510 on their web committee to develop policies and procedures
• ad hoc Convention Committee to plan for RI Convention 2011
• District and Zone to promote eClubs

Guess I won't be bored!

 Larry Levenson / Prescott Valley, Arizona USA

Posted: 2 years ago

Hello Larry,

I learn that you will be in charge of the RI Convention 2011...You know what...? Why don't you try to organize something for all the eclubs...a booth, for example! I was so surprised to find no one in Montreal convention! A booth where every member of an eclub could go and talk with other cyber members! it would be great! No? What is your opinion about this idea? So, have a good rest! you deserve it! And now, Joe is knowing what kind of job will be his functions, next year...He has time for getting himself ready! 

Posted: 2 years ago

Well.. first of all, I am proposing an ad hoc committee to organize our club member's attendance and booth at the 2011 convention. Board has to accept the proposal (board meeting is tonight via Skype). Then I suppose since it's my idea that I'll end up chairing the committee. . . and YOU will be my first committee member! Hurray!!! ;)

We have had a booth in years past, but no one wanted to organize it for this year. Thanks for "volunteering", Francoise!

 Larry Levenson / Prescott Valley, Arizona USA

Posted: 2 years ago

Hello Larry,

I dug my own trap!!! I am joking! I am very happy to volunteer for this booth...I am very honored to be one of your committee members! Tell me what I have to do...I will be helpful! You can count on me! 

Posted: 2 years ago

Thanks, Frances. I'll pretty tied up until the week of July 12th -- I'll get back to you then.

 Larry Levenson / Prescott Valley, Arizona USA

Posted: 2 years ago

Hi Larry!

Get it! You called me "Frances" I like this nickname! It could be my american name...OK! See you later and take care!

Posted: 2 years ago

This is the first time that I have been able to open any place on my computer since about 11:30 this morning (six and a half hours ago). Houston is in the middle of a tropical storm, whole major highways are under four feet of water and some of the bayous (which overflow their banks even with a little rain) are expanding over parking lots, under houses on stilts, and capturing cars and trucks of people trying to get home for the 4th of July holidays. The TV which just came on again for a brief moment showed an 18-wheeler submerged to the top of its tires. Outside my window the wind is howling and the pounding of the rain has increased. It will be a night where we will be without electricity (again), no television (again) and certainly no computer (again today). I am glad that we got in our first Board Skype meeting last night because it would have been impossible in this torrent of rain tonight. We missed Hurricane Alex which was just south of Texas but Houston is not that far from the ocean and torrential and tropical wind/rain has taken over.

Given that, if I can finished, let me tell you about a story at the YMCA where I work out each morning (if the storm allows this computer to stay on). I was finishing my workout and went to the front desk where all the keys are thrown in one drawer. I could not find them at first. Linda, the new trainer, was behind the desk and said, "Professor, why don't you just take all the keys? It might be simpler." As an ex-football player who never passed up a chance to run with the ball when it is given me, I responded: "Wonderful idea. I will take all the keys, go to the parking lot in the rain, find which cars that they fit, leave the keys in the door of those cars, find my car and drive home when my wife gets out of the swimming pool. I am a Rotarian and service is one of our major emphasis. This would be a major service to all the members who are working out here and will have trouble finding their keys too." She looked surprised at my answer and said, "Professor, didn't you know that I was just kidding?" To which I smiled and retorted, "Didn't YOU know that I was just kidding?"

When I got to my car, waiting for my wife to arrive, I thought: "Service is one of the criteria that Rotarians are judged upon. But it cannot be 'selfish or foolish service' but "service above self". Taking all the keys and making people worry about where their car might be if the wrong person drove it away is not "service".

When we do service in a foreign country (and even in our local scene, some areas, some cultural differences, make that place a 'foreign land'), it is like the YMCA if I did not know its culture: we can think up a service that WE think is really helping others, but if we don't know the culture, don't know the situation that the people that we wish to serve goes through each day, and do not check with them as partners in the service, we are doing what I suggested to Linda. No kidding, really! Any service is like ballroom dancing. It takes two working together to make the service beautiful.

And I am surprised that the rain and storm allow me to write this much tonight. The electricity stayed on for a few minutes. Oops, there was that click which means it may go off any minute....

Posted: 2 years ago

Dear Maloba

it is not easy to answer such a vast problem

You have a beautifull country I love so much,but how to solve so many questions at a time??

I just try to give you a small idea..small rivers produce large falls....

why not think about e-learning?internet schooling?distance training?

let me give you an example in my field,business,whith my MBA school HEC in Paris

they have recently launched a program on...itunes

http://itunes.hec.edu

there, are proposed courses,with high level of interactivity,and several podcasts specially designed for this site

you know,modern technology can be a better answer sometimes than "brick and mortar" schools..but it is just an idea to help you think about it

I wish you good luck

GERRY(Gérard EPIN,France)

This week's programme got me thinking about certain basic statistics regarding my country - Kenya

Country Statistics Population 34.2 million; Land Mass 219,788 sq. miles; Life Expectancy 49 years; Infant Mortality Rate 79 / 1,000; Literacy Rate 74%; School Enrollment 76%; Access to Safe Water 61%; Average Annual Income (GNI per capita) US$530

 In addition I know that of the 76% children who enrol in primary school (I think it went up to 88% due to free primary education) only 50% get to high school (more boys than girls) and only 2% get to any kind of tertiary education. We have a whole generation that lacks employable skills...

This is made worse by the fact that vocational training is considered a 'dirty word' and so we no longer train young people for blue collar jobs (which are plentiful), the whole system prepares them for white collar jobs (which are scarce) - and vocational colleges have changed into professional colleges, universities even. Is it any wonder that 74% of your youth (defined by the government as age 18 to 35) are unemployed?

Does anyone have any new generations initiatives (ideas for initiatives) that might help address this?

[/quote]

GERRY(Gérard EPIN)

Membership Committee Chairman 2011/12

France