Bob Williams dropped off 1.6kg of coins and notes this week. This contribution is worth about $50 for UNICEF.
In these last ten years Rotary has sent off 840kg of coins plus a large number of notes valued at $29,908.60 and with the latest contribution from Nunawading we now have 15.2 kg towards our next 60kg shipment. We have had valuable contributions now from five Australian Rotary districts. We also organised for Star Casino to send coins they’d collected which were valued at $4,705 and were credited to us, making our total contribution to UNICEF $34,613.60.
When we first contacted UNICEF back in 2015, the UNICEF Partnerships Manager Eamon Bryant emailed “We see Rotary and UNICEF as a perfect match, a dream fit”. UNICEF works in over 190 countries for the rights and welfare of all children. It supports children’s health needs, clean water and sanitation, quality basic education, and protection from violence, exploitation, and HIV. It has the same ideals as Rotary.
This project contributed over $32,000 to the Rotary Give Every Child a Future centenary project set up in collaboration with UNICEF to immunise 100,000 children in the Pacific which is now completed.
UNICEF pointed out that they partner with very few organisations. They only want their names linked to world class organisations. Qantas and CBA are just about the only ones apart from Rotary.
In summary, this is a NO COST project for Rotary, apart from the effort of all those people who donate the coins and notes. Over 40 Rotary clubs have contributed along with some churches, some branches of the Bendigo Bank where clubs hold their accounts, a Sikh temple, a Hindu temple and of course the many friends of Rotary. The coins and notes are sent in secure courier bags to a company Change Global Exchange Pty Ltd who pay all transport charges. They value them and give A$’s to UNICEF.
For more information, coin pick up etc contact: Ron Brooks or 0413-042-043
Bunnings