Proposals due Oct. 1 for Worldwide Service Project

I'm a dietitian andhave traveled abroad some.  It looks like the best project would be towards malaria with DDT (check the facts and not the environmental smoke screen) or clean water.  Getting home filters is not so difficult.  some mission organizations have done this especially in Peru.  Does the work have to be done through the UN?  Their track record is not impressive and waste is massive.  Thank you for this opportunity to have a little input.  Grace Miller, member of Golden K in Carrollton Georgia

Kiwanis has long been advocating collaboration with existing organizations. Our Ambler club has supported the Smile Train

which is adddressing the problem of cleft palate throughout the world, training local doctors and setting up local centers. There are millions of poor children around the world who need this operation. Every operation changes the life af that child, borh ophyscially and socially,  immediately. The cost is about $250 per operation and takes less than an hour.. The project addresses all six of the project objectives.A collaborative effort would tremendously raise the bar on the effort to assist these suffering children. George Saurman Kiwanian from 1952

Kiwanis has long advocated collaborative activity. the Smile Train is an organization which has trained doctors in many countries and established centers there to make possible greater results in performing their operation to correct cleft palate. It takes less than an hour and costs about $250. There are millions of affected children throughout the world in need of this operation which changes both their appearance and their social statnding.Our Ambler Club has been a longtime supporter, but if Kiwanis International undertook this project it would raise the bar tremendously.

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A worldwide problem that would meet all of the criteria listed is the problem of child homelessness.  In the U.S. we have shelters for families, while in many countries children are abandoned daily, living on the streets or, in the best case scenario, horrendous group homes.

I agree with Grace's comments regarding attacking Malaria as a preventable, and beatable disease, as well as keeping this effort independent of the UN and our other projects in place through UNICEF.  My choice is to partner with Maria, No, More.  FIFA (soccer) is taking a leadership role and KI can have a tremendous impact and presence with them. And from todays "theoriginalwinger.com":  With the worlds attention getting set to be on South Africa over the next year, there is a major opportunity to get involved and help get rid of something terrible that is also very preventable.

Here are some astonishing facts about malaria:

Worldwide, malaria causes almost 250 million illnesses and more than one million deaths annually.

Malaria is particularly devastating in Africa, where it kills an African child every 30 seconds.

Annual economic loss in Africa due to malaria is estimated to be $12 billion, representing a crippling 1.3 percent annual loss in GDP growth in endemic countries.

Malaria kills more than 3,000 children worldwide everyday

I understand that chronic gum disease may be the top health cocern for American chilren, which likely means it is a huge problem worldwide.  I would think this is a problem that could  relatively simply and inexpensively be addressed, and it could immediately improve the lives of millions of children, without concentrating efforts on any particlar region.  Dental health is a prerequisite for good overall health

It seems to me that all suggestions above are worthwhile projects. However Malaria appears to me to be the most dominant one. A "good adversary" to tackle.

Let's tackle it!

Hans Koehler

West San Jose California

Dear members,

Kindly, would wish to inquire if  it could be possible for such organizations like kiwanis to help out disabled community that has been left behind and still straggling in Rwanda!

Please view my page.

Thank you

Teddy

Wow, thanks Jeff for the Malaria information.  Although I do not know if Kiwanis has the ability to attack the issue of Human trafficking of our worlds young people it would be good to speak out against it.

The Extent of the Problem

Unicef Estimates range from a low of 700,000 to a high of 4 million people that are trafficked annually worldwide. It is estimated that two children per minute are trafficked for sexual exploitation─an estimated 1.2 million every year. The sale of human beings is run by international organized crime. Human trafficking is a $10 billion (USD) annual business. Profits from human trafficking fuel other criminal activities.

After seeing their display at the International Convention in Nashville our club, the Kiwanis Club of Manatee Sunrise has partnered with Kids Against Hunger.

40,000 children die everyday of malnutrition, starvation and hunger related diseases.

Richard Proudfit enlisted leading executives at Cargill, Pillsbury, General Mills, and Archer Daniels Midland to formulate a food that would meet all the nutritional requirements of severely malnourished children for physical growth and mental development.

The beauty of the food formulation is its simplicity. It is made from four readily available, dry ingredients (rice, soy beans, vegetables, and  a vitamin-mineral mixture) that are easy to package, keep for long periods, and requires only boiling with water to prepare. Despite the simplicity of the food’s content, it is a nutritionally complex and well balanced meal.

One package provides six nutritionally complete servings to feed starving children around the world as well as the hungry here at home and all for the low cost of 23 cents per serving. The stand-out difference of the Kids Against Hunger food is that, by eating it, starving children not only survive, they begin to thrive.

As the World Service Project of Kiwanis International starvation and hunger can be eliminated just like iodine deficiency in the world.

The problem of slum children or abandoned in the streets seems also very worrying  to me and exists on the five continents. Giving them access to schooling and education will at term break the impasse where they are.

Clean water for people worldwide is an issue that the CDC and a majority of NGO's are dealing with.  The CDC states, "Each year, an estimated 4 billion episodes of diarrhea result in an estimated 2 million deaths, mostly among children. Waterborne bacterial infections may account for as many as half of these episodes and deaths. "  Initiatives to provide potable water are not expensive; please look at on-line information about slow sand filters for water.  Initiatives to treat intestinal worms in children throughout the world are inexpensive as well.  Children with food are dying of starvation because of bacteria and worms in water.  This can be solved with Kiwanis intervention and inventiveness.

A project of this nature needs to be immediately implementable, sustainable, measurable, and affordable. All the areas suggested are ones that would change the course of child’s life, but can they meet the above criteria.

To take malaria off the threat board would be a great gift to parents in sub-Sahara Africa, but what about the rest of the world, including N. America. Many clubs are involved with the distribution of mosquito netting to stop initial infestation, but this is effective only while the child is under that netting. It seems to me that the real impact would come from a vaccine to prevent malaria, or one to cure the disease once a child is infected.  Breakthroughs have been made in the later, but the real issue is shelf-life.  So if we went the route of distribution of a malaria cure we would have sustainability concerns.

Potable water is currently a project CKI has taken on by partnering with UNICEF.  This project involves rehydration efforts and clean water efforts. Potable water initiatives have been in discussions within Kiwanis for many, and perhaps this is the time to join with CKI to have a larger impact.

Homelessness and hunger are issues in every country. The Salvation Army has a presence in more countries than we do, and in many cases actually work undercover. They would be an excellent source of information, distribution, and building resources. A partnership with the SA with KI acting as fundraiser could be very effective. They have assets on the ground and as an organization is a great value proposition. They know how to stretch money.

Throughout the history of mankind one of the greatest impacts on longevity, overall health, and quality of life has been our teeth. I see an oral hygiene program as easily implemented, sustainable, and affordable with the distribution of toothbrushes. Perhaps we could partner with WHO, and their doctors could oversee the oral hygiene training and measurement of effectiveness in children from 0-5. This could also double as a YCPO project for our clubs.

Amen to the erradication of malaria -- I've traveled through 5 countries in Africa and all medical leaders and government officials indicated this disease is "curable" -- wouldn't that be incredible if we united our resources to cure a problem that kills.  

While all of the above mentioned projects woud certainly be worthy of a World Wide Service Project, something to consider would be world wide project to end illiteracy in the world.  There is a coorelation between poverty and literacy.

Kiwanis could establish and work with reading academies, especially in, but not limited to Third World countries.  Academy graduates would then be sent out into the world to teach kids to read.  I see something like this as a Peace Corps type program, but with a very narrow focus.

Our Club spent much time brainstorming and decided leprosy seems to be back in the forefront and possibly this could be a project for us to take on.

Please send the proposal requirements forms to my email address.  bonnieseaberry@aol.com or mail to :

Silver Springs Shores Kiwanis Club

P.O. Box 831126

Ocala, FL  34483

Bonnie - There is a link to all of the information needed to submit an idea in the story above.