India Matching Grant Project

In our life unexpected incidents do happen without our knowledge. Latha and I experienced one such incident during our vacation to India last year.

 

We were tired that day after a full day program of visiting friends and relatives. Our last stop was visiting a charitable home for the seniors. We thought of dropping that visit due to the heat, humidity and sheer exhaustion. Finally after a short discussion we decide to visit the place. It was twilight when we reached the place. Soon after we reached, there was the power outage in the building. We were left in candle lights.

 

They explained it was usual that the city cut off the power every day in certain announced times due to shortage of power. They did not have any back-up generators. It was dark, humid and no power. Later I learned that many of the seniors living in the facility were on medication and some of which were handicapped. I thought of probing the matter and discovered that they also were in the midst of a water shortage and lack of sufficient sanitation facilities.

 

Soon after my Rotary friend in India said there is a club who wants to do a matching grant. It was swift thereafter. Rotary Club of Cochin North, District 3201 offered to be the primary sponsoring club. I met the club President Nizam and offered all the help.

 

Cochin club did the primary survey on the needs of the senior’s home. They were kind enough to pledge $5000 (five thousand). I came back thrilled to develop an opportunity to serve our International community. As many of you know, the first step is to find if we have sufficient resources to support this project. I approached our TRF chair PDG George Wheeler. I still do not know if he thought the proposed project was going to be successful because paperwork from third world countries sometimes creates many bottlenecks.

 

I was new to cosponsoring an International matching grant. I approached Our Secretary Ralph Wirebaugh for his opinion. He encouraged me and submitted the project for discussion of the board. Our club has unanimously decided to support it. I am thankful to Kingman, Peoria, Good year, and Scottsdale Sunrise (5510) clubs for their generous support. Our then district governor Craig Wilson is a hand on project Rotarian who supported this project whole heartedly. PDG Jim Green was kind enough to guide me thru the process too.

 

District 5500 and 5510 governors also financially supported this project which became a Tri district matching grant project. We again proved “together we can do it”

 

The matching grant was completed by May 2014. It provided:

 

The total projected cost was US$ 44,000 (Forty four thousand). Due to currency exchange rate favorable to US dollar, we saved 65,458 Indian rupees, which is approximately $1,091USD, which was sent to Rotary foundation.

 

I realize that without your active support to this project, it would never been completed.  Thank you all