Rotary is friendship and service
Finnish Afghanistan Project
RC Matti Honkala
Rotary in Change - 6 October 2011
Rotary is friendship and service
• Perhaps exceptional friendship among the
Finnish 2009-2010 governors and spouses
Rotary is friendship and service
International Assembly in San Diego 2009:
Matti: how to engage the Finnish Government
in PolioPlus more intensively?
Finlands Development cooperation
with civil society organisations
• Projects run by nearly 300 Finnish organisations
(NGOs) in 90 countries received a total of 83.7
million euros in support.
• The majority of the projects develop education,
health care, good governance and civil society.
• Most of the assistance focuses on Africa and Asia.
• Most of the projects are in Tanzania, Kenya,
Somalia, India and Nepal.
Rotary in Change - 6 October 2011
Rotary is friendship and service
– DG Tuomo Matilainen contacted a distant friend
known to be working in the Ministry for Foreign
Affairs and got information concerning NGO
programs available
– Matti Honkala and Tuomo Matilainen made a
visit to the chair of NGO programs department of
the Ministry (October 2009)
Rotary is friendship and service
Conclusions of the meeting
– Finlands Rotary is an eligible NGO to apply for a
grant
– The amount of a three year grant may be as
high as 1 M€
– In case of acceptance the Rotarians should provide
15 % of the total amount of the grant
– The grant can only be applied to benefit a country of
Finland´s sponsorship
Rotary is friendship and service
• Matti H. participated in a seminar arranged for
the NGOs and was able to inform the
participants about the success story of Rotary
in eradicating polio (early November 2009)
and also about experiences in Afghanistan
• The chair contacted Matti later in November:
the Government of Finland will provide an
extra grant for 2010 to be used in Afghanistan
Rotary in Change - 6 October 2011
Polio campaigns in Afghanistan - since 1997 – even
during Taliban rule
Polio Campaign posters on
armoured carrier and
mobilizing communities to
vaccinate their children
Polio Eradication in Afghanistan:
main risks and challenges
• Accessing children &
safety for vaccinators in
the southern Region
• High population movement
between polio-endemic
areas in Afghanistan &
Pakistan
• Maintaining high immunity
in polio-free areas of
Afghanistan
Low Risk
Zone
N u ris t a n
La g hm a n
K u na r
N a n g a rh a r
Gh az n i
U ru z g a n
P a k ty a
Fa ra h
(Southern Region)
Za b ul
N im ro z
K an d ah ar
H ilm a n d
P a k tik a
K h os t
Despite all difficulties, partnership resolve in
Afghanistan remains high
‘Drs. Kakar &
Taheri,
veterans of the
fight against
polio, died with
their driver in
the attack at
Spin Boldak '
Ambitious Afghan polio effort
proceeds despite slayings
National Post (Canada), 19 Sept 08
1st bOPV campaign
Afghanistan
16 December 2009
Rotary is friendship and service
– the time for the application was short
– only 10 % of NGO payment was required for this extra
grant
– the Board of Finlands Rotary approved the decision to
apply
– an e-mail to Challenge Chair John Germ
– Rotary wheels turned quickly, PolioPlus officer Kris Tsau
gave an immediate and thorough support
– Rotary family works: the action plan was translated into
Finnish by DG Virpi and daughter Emma
Rotary is friendship and service
– The grant of 250 000 euros was approved in April
2010
– The next application for a three year grant was due
by the end of May 2010
• again great support from Kris Tsau
– the grant was approved in November 2010:
2011 150 000 € from Rotarians 30 000 €
2012 300 000 €
53 000 €
2013 350 000 €
62 000 €
Rotary is friendship and service
The total amount for Afghanistan project is
1 220 000 € = 1 700 000 USD
• This doubles the amount the Finnish
Government has contributed to
PolioPlus during the previous 20 years!
Rotary in Change - 6 October 2011
What next?
• National Polio Eradication Collection
– The permission for two years
– different sponsors: national TV, sports teams etc
– Polio Guide for Rotarians
– media publicity all over the country
– First Collection Day October 24th (World Polio
Day)
– not all DGs and clubs want to be involved
Questions
– Are Rotarians ready to collect money in
public?
– Are we able to tell Rotary´s story?
– Might this be a great way to show what
Rotarians do?
– A way to combine service and positive public
image – interest of potential members?
Rotary in Change - 6 October 2011
End Polio Now Working Group
in Finlands Rotary
•
•
•
•
RC Matti Honkala , Chair
PDG Tuomo Matilainen
PDG Kari Kontula
RRFC Zone 15 Matti Wall
Rotary in Change - 6 October 2011
Rotary in Change - 6 October 2011
Rotary in Change - 6 October 2011
Rotary in Change - 6 October 2011
Rotary in Change - 6 October 2011