Announcements:
- Guests
- Darren and Graham from the United Kingdom
- Fred Batson from Buffalo (Our Honourary Member for the summer)
- Yolanda from NOTL (with Tabitha Foundation)
- Janne Ritskes (Our Speaker)
- Dues will be Due July 1st. Notice will be sent shortly.
- Bursary Update.... Still in Research stage
Our Speaker: Janne Ritskes (Founder of Tabitha Foundation)
In 1994, the Tabitha Foundation was founded in Canada to support aid efforts begun by Janne Ritskes. Their work focuses on the poorest of the poor in Cambodia, a country decimated by the Pol Pot regime in 1975-79 which promoted enforced starvation, mass executions and slave labour.
The name Tabitha refers to a disciple in the Bible who was “full of good works and acts of charity”.
Tabitha currently works with 38,000 people in 12 provinces of the country. Since 1994, Tabitha has lifted more than 4.6 million Cambodians out of poverty and despair, into lives of dignity, hope and active participation in their communities. Out of a population of 14 million, Tabitha’s impact on Cambodia is huge. [source: https://tabitha.ca/abouttabitha/ ]
Tabitha Foundation has a tremendous record of success with programs such as:
- Savings Program
- Wells
- House Building
- Cottage Industry
- Building Schools
- Women’s Hospital
All programs following the principles of our Rotary Foundation. Aide based on the principle of a “Hand up; rather than a Handout”. All Programs require recipient participation with planned sustainability.
The international Committee lead by Don Cruikshank has been a contribitor to The Tabitha Foundation for several years. Watch the presentation by Janne Ritskes to learn more about this tremendous organization that is a definition of the word "Charity".
go to Zoom Meeting Page for YouTube link