GORONGOZA UPDATE

Posted by Steve Merrill, Boise Sunrise on Feb 12, 2017
 
We received word on December 2nd that the Global Grant for the Gorongosa Mobile Medical Services Expansion GG#1530732 has been approved.   This initiative has raised the funds necessary to purchase a Toyota Land Cruiser 4x4 vehicle to transport trained medical staff to remote communities of the areas surrounding Gorongosa National Park.  These medical staffs provide an array of services - Mobile Health Brigades vaccinate and examine and treat patients having no other medical service, Model Moms and Traditional Birth Attendants provide pre and neo-natal care, Community Health Workers reside in their communities and educate the population on preventative health practices and techniques.  The purchase of the vehicle will extend these existing services to communities not currently served.  Additionally, any funds left over from he purchase of the vehicle will be applied toward the training of additional medical staff.  If you would like to learn more about these programs I would recommend you take a look at the description of these programs at http://www.gorongosa.org/our-story/community/health.
 
Our pledged funds stands at $48,098.  $6,800 of these pledges have been received and are on deposit in a Boise Sunrise bank account with Banner Bank here in Boise.  Thank you for your support!  This includes the donations from:
 
- Rotary Club Lakeville, MN $1000
- Rotary club of Emmett , ID $800
- Boise Metro $500
- Boise East $500
- Boise Sunrise $4,000
 
Additionally there is $7,000 in this account from the Rotary Night at the Zoo fundraiser.  I will submit these funds to the Rotary Fund along with a completed Rotary Foundation Multiple Donor Form to Rotary International.  The remainder of the amount is of course coming from matching contributions from District 5400 and the Rotary Fund.
 
Now that the grant is approved we request the three clubs who pledged funds but have not yet remitted them to send them to the Rotary Fund so that the funds may be transferred to the fund administering the grant.  The funds (preferably by check) must include the grant’s number on the form.  Please place this in the line in line #2 after checking the block for Approved Foundation grant which is 1530732.  I would also recommend writing this number on the check memo line just to help ensure it goes to the right place.  The Rotary Foundation Contribution Form which must accompany this check is attached with this email.  The address to send the payments are included on the form - The Rotary Foundation14280 Collections Center Drive Chicago, IL 60693 USA
 
Rotary St. Anthony, ID $1,000
Boise Southwest $1,000
Boise Centennial $500
 
Please don’t forget that your club’s contributions will result in Paul Harris points based on the size of the contribution.  
 
I would like to thank everyone who has supported us on this project.  I am confident this project will be extremely effective at meeting the primary area of focus of this grant - to provide medical treatment and precent disease among the population surrounding Gorongosa National Park.  Time is of the essence - the economy of Mozambique has hit a rough spot and the annual inflation rate is now over 20% so this is eating into the amount of money that we will be able to use for training new health care workers.  I would ask the the clubs who have not yet remitted their pledge to let me know when this is done so I can track the progress.