Rotary Foundation donates Rs.600 mn to Sri Lanka
There has been a donor funding of US$ 3.9 million dollars or Rs.600 million, given by Rotary Foundation to Sri Lanka, said the newly Elected Governor Dushansoza, at the Rotary Grants Seminar at Harbour Room, Grand Oriental Hotel recently.
Rotarians from across the country discussed the needs assessment of the changing landscape of Sri Lanka and how to engage Rotary International for a new set of Grants for the many projects in Sri Lanka and Maldives. Some of the focused areas that emerged were dengue awareness and prevention, diabetes awareness programmes, water projects and literacy drives given the social issues that keep emerging in the country said Soza.
The event was graced by Jennifer Berg, Regional Grant Officer of the Rotary Foundation who gave a global insight on how to tap into the 1.5 billion dollars of grand money that is available in the global pot from top international donors that Rotary International is linked to. “I commend the Rotary clubs in Sri Lanka for some of the key community projects completed and the impact it has made in changing the lives of a Sri Lankan,” commented Jennifer Berg.
Corporate personality Dushansoza voiced in his key note that:“thisyears theme is ‘Be the Inspiration’,” and in this background the key projects of the first human heart valve and tissue bank at Lady Ridgeway Hospital are classic examples of this theme in action. He went to conclude that: “In Sri Lanka, one the best project management services for humanity is provided by Rotary. We can implement a service project in a timely manner, at zero administration cost and efficiency. The best case in point was the US$15 million project to construct schools post the tsunami in 2004 and the Polio eradication programme that has made Sri Lanka Polio free today. We have some exciting projects in the year to come for Sri Lanka. Jennifer Berg, Regional Grant Officer of the Rotary Foundation challenged Sri Lanka Rotary stating that Rotary Global annually invests almost 300 million dollars to focus on the key issues of countries. “Sri Lanka is ranked very high on the strong implementing countries and we must apply and qualify for a higher share of the funding based on the needs of the country.” The Rotary Foundation Grants Programme is the funding mechanism from Rotary International where Rotary matches 1:1 fundsforevery club that is eligible to receive, based on a mechanism that is in place that helps bring service project ideas to life.