President Brad Weiss welcomed members to the meeting. In anticipation of our Kenya-focused program, Linda Gerber offered a Thought for the Day from Kenyan Wangari Maathai, the first African-American woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, a women’s rights activist and, foremost, an environmentalist.

Announcements

Brad Weiss announced that a District-sponsored Grants Management Seminar will be held on Saturday, Feb. 18, from 8:30 a.m. – 11: 45 a.m. at Harper College. This will be an excellent opportunity to learn the specifics of Rotary’s various grant programs. In the afternoon, a membership-related session will be
held from 12-3 p.m. Linda Gerber is hoping to attend the morning session and others are strongly encouraged to attend as well.

Horton Kellogg announced that the Old Men’s Jazz Band will host its annual dinner/dancing event on Sunday, Feb. 26, from 4:30-7:30 p.m. at Monastero’s Restaurant on Devon Avenue in Chicago. (A brief video of last year’s event was shown.) Tickets are $35/person for dinner and entertainment with a cash bar. If anyone is able to help publicize the event with the Levy Center or the North Shore Senior Center, please contact Horton. Bruce Baumberger noted that there are always several tables of ELRC members at this fun event. Flyers are available. Please let Horton know if you’re interested in attending.

MaLu Simon explained District 6440’s Random Acts of Kindness Day scheduled for Feb. 17, 2017. The 5,000 members and 70 clubs of the District are encouraged to perform and publicize their ‘random acts of kindness’ (RAKs) on the 100th Anniversary of the founding of The Rotary Foundation. Business-sized
Rotary cards may be personalized to identify who is performing the RAK and provide info about our regular meeting date/location. It is also hoped that stories and photos will be shared, spreading the word and supporting our brand identity. MaLu and Marisa Naujokas will be available to share your efforts on Facebook or other social media if assistance is needed. Interactors and Rotaractors are also encouraged to participate! Take action, be kind, and have fun! “The great acts of love are done by those who are habitually performing small acts of kindness.” -- Victor Hugo

Marv Edelstein announced that the Young Leaders Committee will meet on Thursday, Feb. 2, at 7:15 a.m. at the RI Cafeteria. The Committee will be reviewing RYLA applications, discussing the March 3 Leadership Day at Rotary International, and planning an upcoming Skype call between Beacon Academy students and Haiti Interactors.

Marv also noted that the Club will need Audio/Visual help at our meetings, beginning in July. Please consider stepping up to relieve Marv and Linc Janus.
Gary Peterson explained that former ELRC member Sue Smith is planning a service trip with her Virginia Rotary Club to Tibet. If you’re interested, please contact Gary for more information. Always a busy and interesting woman, Sue will be continuing on to Mongolia, expecting a grandchild, and eventually
visiting Antartica.

Yves Lassere announced that there will be a brief International Service Committee ‘piano meeting’, immediately following our session, to discuss the finances associated with a current Global Grant.

Brad reminded the membership that we will NOT be meeting on Feb. 21. Instead we will be jointly hosting a Mayoral Forum with the Noon Club. More info on that event will be forthcoming.

Elaine Clemens announced that the Vocational Service Committee will meet on Wednesday evening, Feb. 1, at 7 p.m. at her home.

 

 

As part of the Vocational Service Committee’s effort to promote ethics in the workplace, new member Ann Weatherhead spoke about her career in Human Resources.

 

In various settings (non-profit, corporate, consulting, and most recently with a mid-size accounting firm), Ann has worked to create an
inclusive culture where everyone feels valued.

 

Ethics came into play at many levels – corporate (what you hang on the wall), professional (confidentiality, non-competes, etc.) and personal (how employees ‘live’ in the organization).

 

A multi-generational business, with a culturally (and religiously) diverse workforce, presented some challenges that were overcome with conscious efforts to talk, listen, mentor and foster commonality. New technology, flexible work hours, and mobile employees could have been a problem, but commitment to the profession and mutual trust and respect resulted in a productive and engaged workforce.

 

Like her most recent employer, Rotary is a multi-generational organization and the Four Way Test is particularly relevant. Honesty and transparency are critical. Differences must be respected and relationships must be fostered in an environment that is beneficial to all.

 

 

ABC’s of Sex Education Global Grant Project- Kufanya Uamuzi Bora
(Kenya)

Speakers: Kathy Tate-Bradish and Yves Lassere

 

Yves Lassere explained that our club is sponsoring the ABCs of Sex Education for a Global Grant. Today’s slide presentation, in addition to informing our members about the project, will be used to ask other clubs for their financial support. Yves and Kathy are seeking feedback, via sheets on each table or
personal contact.

Sponsor of the Global Grant (GG), the ELRC is a strong club with 70+ members and active Community Service and International Service Committees. Projects are funded with the proceeds of our Holiday Sale, Taste of Evanston event, and member donations. The club’s International Service Committee boasts 15+ members, many with NGO experience around the world. The Club’s annual International Service budget ranges from $15,000-$20,000. In 2015/2016, the Committee supported projects that focused on Disease Prevention, Water and Sanitation, and Basic Education in Kenya, Guatemala, Uganda, India, Haiti and the Philippines.

 

With a budget of $15,000 in 2016/2017, the International Service Committee is focusing on fewer projects, hoping for a bigger impact. The Committee supports the ABCs of Sex Ed and is taking steps to bring a Global Grant to fruition. To date, an ad hoc advisory committee has been meeting, key participants have met with grant officers at RI, and efforts are being made to find an appropriate Rotary Club partner in Kenya.

Noting that ‘Kufanya Uamuzi Bora’ means Making Wise Decisions in Swahili, Co-Founder Kathy Tate-Bradish explained the need for comprehensive, fact-based, nonjudgmental sex education in Kenya. HIV is a critical problem in Kenya, affecting 6% of the population. (1% prevalence is considered epidemic.)

In some counties, the incidence is as high as 20%. The best way to reduce HIV exposure is to avoid risky sexual behaviors (which can also spread sexually transmitted infections and result in early/unwanted pregnancies). The consequences of these behaviors are felt most acutely in poor, rural areas with limited access to health care or sex education. Only abstinence is currently sanctioned by the Kenyan Ministry of Education. Research has shown that behavioral change depends upon knowledge matched with the skills to deploy that knowledge.

The ABCs trains rural Kenyans (primarily women) to teach HIV prevention and sex education in their local languages, reaching a large and underserved community. The comprehensive sex education program combines thorough education with discussion and practice of the skills needed to employ the
HIV prevention strategies (Abstain, Be Faithful, Use Condoms) and includes role play addressing real-life situations. Skill development is most successful when the topic is understandable and urgent, exposure is repetitive and there is face-to- face practice.

Kathy presented a brief timeline. In 2004, as a volunteer, she was asked to answer some basic sex education questions and display an actual condoms. She began working on a presentation which could be shared with women’s groups in western Kenya. In 2007, a Community Needs assessment was undertaken and Kathy was asked to train others. In 2008, she began training locals and that effort grew until she and Phylis Magina co-founded The ABCs of Sex Education in 2014.

 

In 2016, The ABCs received its International NGO certification, registered in Kenya.

At present, the Board of Director is comprised of six Kenyans and Kathy. Their next annual meeting will take place in April. The ABCs has one full time employee (Managing Director Phyllis Magina) and 15 paid educators who receive small stipends. Seventy-five others are under the umbrella of three partner
organizations.

 

Currently operating in six counties in western Kenya, the ABCs has improved its output measurement and can boast the following results: 20% increase in HIV testing, more free condoms distributed (500-1,000/month, obtained locally), 10% more condoms sold, 25% fewer girls dropping out due to early pregnancy, more married men using condoms (anecdotal).

In 2014, more than 50,000 audience members were reached, but a decision was made to focus – going forward -- on quality (five interactions per audience member) rather than quantity. The organization  plans to expand its impact by embedding the program (Curriculum, Training Practices, Teacher
Evaluations, and Measurement and Evaluation) in partner organizations. In 2017, the ABCs will hire two trainers to recruit, train, and supervise seven new partner organizations, expecting each to deploy additionaleducators. By the end of 2018, the ABCs expects to reach 95,000 unique participants with five sequential teaching sessions.

Currently funded by individual donations and small foundation grants, the ABCs is exploring ways to leverage its subject matter expertise and will continue to collaborate  with the Kenyan Education and Health Ministries. The ABCs fits two area of Rotary focus -- disease prevention and maternal and child
health. As a teaching project with revenue stream initiatives, sustainability plans are in place. The organization is working to develop a Memo of Understanding with a local Rotary Club. The organization forecasts a budget of $100,000 in 2018, primarily funding management payroll and educator stipends.

 

 Guests

Luiz Abreu, Inbound exchange student
Marlena Karwowski, guest of Harvey Newcomb
Evan Cauble-Johnson, guest of Harvey Newcomb
Sabina Puspita, guest of Kathy Tate-Bradish

Birthdays

Steve Carlson and Bill Glader – January 31
Sam Lovering – February 1
Chris Joyce – February 2
Keith Sarpolis – February 5
Nancy Franzon and Zbig Skiba – February 6