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非洲社長會議探討衛生、發展等議題

African conference tackles health, development issues

 


 

 

國際扶輪社長陳裕財敦促與會者「走出去,用力服務」RI President Bhichai Rattakul urged conference participants to "go forth and serve mightily."
AP/Steven Morris

 

愛滋病毒/愛滋病的危機,成為2月底在肯亞奈洛比舉行的國際扶輪社長和平及發展會議的討論重點。這場為期3天的會議吸引39個國家的780名扶輪社員出席,會中各演講者分享對抗這項疾病的經驗。愛滋病已經重創非洲的經濟與社會基本架構,並讓數百萬名兒童淪為孤兒。

The HIV/AIDS crisis dominated discussion at the RI African Presidential Conference of Peace and Development in Nairobi, Kenya, in late February, a three-day event attended by 780 Rotarians from 39 countries. Speaker after speaker shared experiences with battling the disease, which has devastated African economic and social infrastructures and has orphaned millions of children.

當國際扶輪社長陳裕財宣佈捐出一筆1萬五千美元的扶輪基金會配合獎助金,協助提供15間低成本住所給肯亞某村落的愛滋病孤兒時,獲得如雷的掌聲。社長會議地主地區的第9200地區及第9300地區(南非)是這項由14個非洲地區支持的計畫的主要贊助者。

Thunderous applause greeted RI President Bhichai Rattakul when he announced a US$15,000 Rotary Foundation Matching Grant to help provide 15 low-cost shelters for AIDS orphans in a Kenyan village. District 9200, the conference host, and District 9300 (South Africa) are the primary sponsors of the project, which 14 African districts support.

除了愛滋病流行的問題之外,會議的主題還包括結核病與其他衛生問題、教育及識字、迷你企業與職業訓練、根除小兒痲痺等疾病計畫、以及扶輪國際研究中心。計畫展展出近40項扶輪社在非洲等地的工作,吸引莫大的興趣。

In addition to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, conference topics included tuberculosis and other health problems, education and literacy, microenterprises and vocational training, PolioPlus, and the Rotary Centers for International Studies. A projects fair showcasing close to 40 efforts of clubs in Africa and elsewhere attracted great interest.

會議的演講者之一,肯亞的副總統瓦莫瓦讚揚扶輪社員的服務活動,表示沒有一個政府可滿足其人民所有的需求。陳裕財社長在演講中說這項會議「讓扶輪之間以及扶輪與外界的組織及政府合作的策略,更臻至完善」。

Saying no government can fulfill all its people's needs, Kenya's Vice President Kijana Wamalwa, a conference speaker, praised Rotarians for their service activities. In his address, President Rattakul said the conference refined "strategies for partnering with each other and with organizations and governments outside of Rotary."