Bridging the literacy gap

By Kath Gannaway
HAND-MADE books and computers are the tools the Rotary of Club of Healesville is using to bring children from Badger Creek and Nepal together.
Yarra Glen couple Ruth and Allan Davidson will leave on a Rotary Club visit to Nepal next week taking with them books made by Badger Creek Primary School students showing what life is like for young Australians.
The project aims to promote literacy and understanding and is part of the Rotary Club’s on-going work with The Women’s Foundation in Nepal.
With Healesville Sanctuary on their doorstep, Australian wildlife features prominently in the colourful books. But there are also holiday snaps showing the beach and the city, photos of the Commonwealth Games and family and school photos which give an insight into lives which are very different from their Nepali peers.
Ruth and husband, Allan, a Healesville Rotarian, trekked through Nepal’s Himalayas in 1999 and Ruth has spent time there as a volunteer.
Healesville Rotary is supporting a number of projects through The Women’s Foundation and the couple’s visit this time is to determine what the needs are and how Rotary can help.
Fostering communication between school children in Healesville and Nepal has been adopted as a Rotary Youth Project.
“The books are the first step,” Allan said.
“The Rotary Club is also providing a computer at the foundation and once that is set up we will get another level of communication going between the children over there and back here.”
Allan said Rotary plans to involve other schools in Healesville and Nepal.
“Our purpose on this visit is to have a look at the projects they have over there that Rotary may be able to help with.
“They will visit Jhapa, a village in the eastern part of Nepal where they are running a literacy program for women, look at programs such as micro credit.
“We will be visiting the Rotary Club of Kathmandu to look at projects which could attract matching grants through Healesville Rotary and Rotary International,” Allan said.
Ruth said a major achievement has been getting the Women’s Foundation registered as a charity in Australia which means all donations over $2 are tax deductible.