Dong Kurn (D.K.) Lee
President, Rotary International
Dear fellow Rotarians,
The beginning of the Rotary year is always an exciting time, with new club and district officers, a new theme to work with, and a renewed sense of purpose for our service projects. The beginning of this particular Rotary year is, of course, especially exciting for me as I lookforward to meeting Rotarians throughout the world and seeing firsthand the many
remarkable projects you are carrying out.
In planning how your club, and each one of you, can Make Dreams Real this year, I ask youto consider the millions of children who never even have the chance to dream. Every day, more than 26,000 children under the age of five die from preventable causes. As appalling asthat number is, it is a decrease from the figure of 30,000 that first caught my attention and spurred me to bring this matter of grave concern to Rotarians.
UNICEF’s State of the World’s Children 2008 report states that “by 2006, the most recent year for which firm estimates are available, the annual number of child deaths globally fell below 10 million, to 9.7 million, for the first time since records began.” I would guess that some of the improvement in child survival rates can be directly attributed to Rotary projects that have been successfully addressing problems related to health, hunger, water, and literacy for a number of years now. So I asked myself: “What would happen if 1.2 million Rotarians focused their service efforts on keeping even more children alive?”
I think we already know some of the answers. If Rotarians provide insecticide-treated bed nets, fewer children will succumb to malaria. If we dig wells and address sanitation problems, more children will have clean water to drink and more hygienic surroundings. And if Rotary clubs carry out effective nutrition projects, we can save some of the almost five million children who die each year from undernourishment.
UNICEF estimates that fully two-thirds of the 9.7 million deaths in 2006 were preventable. With Rotarians working to provide vaccines, oral rehydration therapies, accessible health care for mothers and newborns, and other relatively simple interventions, I’m confident that many more babies will not only survive but go on to live healthy, productive lives. Let’s Make Dreams Real by giving these children the chance to grow up and have dreams of their own.
Dong Kurn (D.K.) Lee
President, Rotary International, 2008-09
Josefina "Josie" Ang
District Governor RY 2008-2009
My dear fellow Rotarians,
Rotary has become an important part of our lives. Our Rotarian friends are amongst the best that we have and each of our club have become our second home. Together we embrace the ideals of service and we join hands to make our communities a better place.
Sharing governor Francisco "Paco" Atayde led us through a year of caring and giving, His dedication to service was unrelenting, his commitment, steadfast as he and his team showed that truly "Rotary Shares."
I congratulate Sharing President Jonathan Teng of the Rotary Club of Raha Sulayman-Manila for giving time, talent and resources in the name of Rotary service. The satisfaction of leading and serving for good purposes is yours.
As the wheel of Rotary leadership turn, Induction Ceremonies become a celebration for accomplishments and the handover provided continuity for our most values traditions. It is with great honor that I join you in this momentous event.
The Legacy Team is proud to have President Norberto Y.T.C. Kwong to lead the Rotary Club of Raha Sulayman-Manila in a year that would focus on marginalized children, and in trying to bring down the ghastly infant mortality problem around us. Together with the new Club Officers, we will move to allow children to dream and will pave the way to "Make Dreams Real."
Cheers!!!
Josefina "Josie" Ang
District Governor
RY 2008-2009