In 2013, our first project was a Women’s Weaving Cooperative in Kathmandu, Nepal, in the Himalayas where we partnered with the Jawalakhel Rotary Club and it is still functioning rather well.
In 2014, 2015 and 2016 we became involved with the Cambodia Academy, a Rotary sponsored school. Many of our members became involved by sponsoring students and we provided for the cost of putting down turf and grass to develop a playground, provided eye screening exams with SEVA and eyeglasses and provided delivered many, many new books. In 2016, we installed a clean water filtration system.
In 2017, we became involved in a clean water project in Myanmar and installed new flushing toilets, sinks and a clean water cistern We installed a water cistern, worked with Rotary Club of Yangon. The Junta had shunned Rotary and said they didn’t want us there but soon changed their minds and welcomed us back. The 25 children were thrilled and amazed at how the toilets worked and ran around flushing them very often during the day.
In 2018, we returned to the Cambodia Academy and helped install flushing toilets and clean water for hand washing stations and sanitation there as well.
In 2019, we headed off to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where we built a school lunch cafeteria to serve as a cafeteria for students attending St. Timothy’s School. Gangs would come through and steal the food from the students, so this provides a secure place for them to eat their meals.
On to Tanzania in 2019 and 2020 where we partnered with the Camberwell Australia Rotary Club to clean up an area next to a school where there was nothing but holes in the ground serving as toilets. We financed the refitting of the toilets and attached water spigots so the children could wash their hands. The restrooms were outfitted with steel partitions for privacy and separate entrances/exits were provided for males and females.
In 2022 our club tackled a project in conjunction with the Rotary Club of Karachi Sunset Millenium District 3271 in Karachi, Pakistan. We, along with the Korangi District of Karachi, rehabilitated and improved a polio vaccination center and government dispensary. Located very near the border of Afghanistan, who would not allow polio vaccines to be distributed in that country, Pakistani young women are being trained to approach the Afghanis and inoculate the children with polio vaccine. We also drilled a well at the clinic. This was an outstanding project and is still going well.
In 2023, we partnered with the Singapore Sentosa Club, to collect 1171 bicycles that needed to be refurbished and supplied each with baskets. We had a fundraiser and each bike was distributed to a student in Cambodia to use to get to school. The sponsor’s name was attached to each bike, and the sponsor received a photo of the student and their bike.
In 2025, we partnered with the Rotary Club of Welland, Ontario and the Rotary Club of Davao, the Philippines and began working on the COMPLETE renovation of the Macatabo Early Childhood Development Center in Mindanao, Philippines, putting back together a decrepit 20-year-old school for four- and five-year-olds. We Installed 3 new toilets and completely replaced an area they called a kitchen that was nothing more than sticks on the ground to heat up a caldron. Classrooms were filled with moss, and ceilings were collapsing. Mindanao is a very rainy, rural, tribal location. These improvements have taken these 6-year-olds who have never worn shoes and didn’t know how to access a school and helped them with the skills to do so.
The parents are now very proud of the improvements and wanted to support our efforts but needed help in restoring the remainder of the property. They went to their local Rotary who joined with Jamestown and Welland Rotary Clubs to develop a true backyard, which was turned from a vacant muddy space into a roofed over community meeting center with a stage for the children. They built new walls, added a roof, floor and tiles, benches and seating and now have an area for people to come together.
In 2026 in Kathmandu,Nepal, we were approached about the idea of funding and providing direction for establishing a new science-based classroom procedure for a STEM lab in an outlying Middle School to serve 6, 7, and 8th graders in conjunction with the Rotary Club we first worked with 12 years ago developing the Women’s Weaving Cooperative.
Nepal is ornate and religious, cultural and very devout. The area has wonderful natural resources, but the government has so many obstacles, it is very hard to accomplish much.
Dr. Subash Pyakurel, a member of the Jawalekhel Rotary Club, hosted and set the strategy and logistics of the STEM project for the Jamestown and Welland Clubs. Opening day of the school was April 27, 28, and 29 when David and Marissa were on site to meet with local teachers and students, the principal and officials along with the support membership of the Rotary Club of Jawalekhel. Subash reported that university graduate students in engineering, who have been involved with 32 other STEM laboratories and projects locally have trained selected teachers and school staff in the process.
A wonderful building was secured for the project, and it was newly painted. One side was designated the Innovation Hub, and the other side of the building was designated the STEAM (note…they have added ARTS to the curriculum) lab. They have already started a new class in robotics! Their equipment was very rudimentary, basic glassware, beakers and old microscopes. Most of the $5,000 budget went towards equipment. A professor, Dr. Manoj, assists in setting up the project there and in other areas of that part of the world while other schools have asked to come in and observe.
The classes were started in May working on topics such as drone education, cartography, (STEAM - science, technology, engineering, arts and math)) architecture (planes and forces), functional lap top mouse building, anatomy such as producing scale models of kidneys, Bluetooth diodes to enable them to run two programs simultaneously, remote controller, a new way to spin a wheel with a combination of solar and wind, measuring things at a distance (we could buy this device at Home Depot, but these kids made their own). This is a new approach to teaching kids – 45 kids this year. Special consideration was given to females and not necessarily those interested in engineering.
Every member of the Rotary Club of Jamestown should be so proud that WE ARE CHANGING YOUNG PEOPLE’S LIVES!!!! These children are not starving - we are enhancing their education.
All of these projects as well as the provision of distributing water filters in Jalisco, Mexico were carried out by carefully utilizing money that you club members have earned in our Auction, our golf tournament and various other fundraisers we have promoted – all facilitating better lives for our fellow men and women.
YOU SHOULD BE PROUD OF ALL WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED!
Our Rotary International slogan for the year is
“GO FORTH AND CREATE LASTING IMPACTS” and that is exactly what we are doing.
Melissa and David Troxell, our world-traveling Jamestown Rotary representatives presented on our two international projects.
Dr. Subash Pyakurel, a member of the Jawalekhel Rotary Club, hosted and set the strategy and logistics of the STEM project along with Rita Bhandary, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Welland, Ontario. Opening day of the school was April 27, 28, and 29 when David and Marissa were on site to meet with local teachers and students, the principal and officials along with the support membership of the Rotary Club of Jawalekhel. Subash reported that university graduate students in engineering, who have been involved with 32 STEM laboratories and projects locally, have trained selected teachers and school staff in that process. Seventy-eight students are expected to be exposed to the program during this first year.
