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Major Donors step up in fight to finish polio
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 Major gifts (US$10,000 or more) are helping to fuel Rotary's US$100 Million Challenge at a pivotal time in the battle for a polio-free world. Rajashree Birla, an honorary member of the Rotary clubs of Mumbai and Mulund, India, led by example when she made a $1 million gift to Rotary's challenge. Then she arranged a meeting on polio eradication with Usha Mittal, wife of Lakshmi Mittal, the prominent businessman who leads ArcelorMittal, the world's largest steel maker. At Birla's encouragement, Mrs. Mittal generously responded with a $1 million contribution to the challenge.
Inspired by his wife, Martha, a polio survivor, Wilton Looney, of the Rotary Club of Atlanta, Georgia, USA, made a $100,000 gift in August 2007 and another $100,000 gift in January 2008. Both gifts challenged fellow club members to raise matching amounts, an effort extended districtwide by 2007-08 District 6900 Governor Bill Woulfin. Atlanta Rotarians R. Charles Loudermilk and Howell Adams each stepped forward with contributions of $100,000, and the effort raised a combined total of $595,448. A 50 percent match from PolioPlus Partners increased the amount to $893,171 -- enough to pay for Rotary International's share of the social mobilization costs of India's NIDs in January and February. Contributions received by The Rotary Foundation after 1 December 2007 were counted toward Rotary's challenge.
Robert Durchslag, a roofing contractor in Elgin, Illinois, USA, decided he too wanted to support polio eradication in a major way. In April, just six months after joining the Rotary Club of Elgin, he made a gift of $10,000 to Rotary's challenge.
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Rotaractors rally against polio in Pakistan
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Six Rotaract clubs, 69 Rotaractors, and 687 hours of work over five days added up to a big victory for thousands of children in Karachi, Pakistan. Joined by other volunteers, the Rotaractors helped immunize 4,276 children under age five against polio in the city's densely populated Kemari Town.
Organized at the urging of Past District Governor Abdul Haiy Khan, Pakistan's National PolioPlus Committee chair, the Rotaract-led effort took place during Pakistan's Subnational Immunization Days (SNIDs) from 1 to 4 July. Teams of Rotaractors and volunteers went house to house, giving children drops of vaccine, marking the fingers of those immunized, chalking house doors to identify families covered, and recording information on tally sheets.
"There were many friendly competitions to see which team could cover the most houses, and two teams reached 150 houses each [on day three]," the Rotaractors wrote in a report. "By the end of the day, each team member looked ready to collapse, but each one was begging, 'Can we do just a few more houses?'"
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Afghanistan forms National PolioPlus Committee
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Afghanistan has overcome conflict, lack of infrastructure, and other public health barriers to establish a National PolioPlus Committee. Dr. Ajmal Pardis, director of public health in Nangarhar Province and a member of the Rotary Club of Jalalabad, chairs the committee. With five Rotary clubs now active in Afghanistan, the country is even better equipped to work with the World Health Organization, Rotary International, and the other major partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.
"[Afghanistan's] polio campaign is nothing short of heroic," said Martin Bell, UNICEF's ambassador for humanitarian emergencies. "It is setting an example to the world of what can be achieved under the most dire circumstances."
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Pharmaceutical group's US$100,000 gift benefits Rotary's challenge
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To help support Rotary's top goal of eradicating polio worldwide, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, known as PhRMA, has donated US$100,000 to The Rotary Foundation. The gift will help meet Rotary's US$100 Million Challenge.
PhRMA is an industry trade group that represents the leading pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies in the United States, including sanofi-aventis and Novartis, two of the primary distributors of the oral polio vaccine.
"Our relationship with Rotary is very much part of our efforts to advance innovative and responsible approaches to providing access to sustainable health care," said Chris Ward, PhRMA's deputy vice president for international alliance development. "Rotary is a leader in public and private partnerships that rely on the spirit of volunteerism and community service. PhRMA is honored to be on Rotary's team."
Ward hopes PhRMA can serve as a conduit to approach pharmaceutical companies to support Rotary's challenge.
"We're happy to do what Rotary asks of us," he said. "Rotary's message is definitely something we want to promote."
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| G8 renews commitments to polio eradication |
The statement by the G8 nations at their 8-9 July summit meeting in Japan was resolute and clear. "We will meet our previous commitments to maintain or increase financial contributions to support the Global Polio Eradication Initiative and encourage other public and private donors to do the same."
Together, the G8 countries - Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States - account for more than half of all funding of the initiative and provide key advocacy support for ending polio.
Ending polio worldwide remains Rotary's top goal. Vital to helping achieve that goal is Rotary's US$100 Million Challenge to match the Gates Foundation's $100 million grant to The Rotary Foundation for polio eradication.
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Club foundation rises to
Rotary's challenge |
The Rotary Club of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, through its Niagara Falls Rotary Foundation, has contributed C$25,000 to Rotary's US$100 Million Challenge. In announcing the contribution, Ron Mergl, also a member of District 7090's polio eradication committee, challenged his fellow club members to match it over the next three years.
Rotary club and district foundations can play an important role in supporting the global effort to end polio once and for all.
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Rising to the Challenge
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Rotary's US$100 Million Challenge 2008 totals*
US$25.2M
*As of 16 September 2008
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Major gifts to Rotary's
US$100 Million Challenge* |
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| Polio Facts & Figures |
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For the latest on the number of polio cases, progress reports on polio-endemic countries, and other information, go to
www.polioeradication.org.
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