ROTARY GLOBAL WOMEN OF ACTION 2015

Lucy Hobgood-Brown has been named as one of six six women honoured for leadership and humanitarian service.

 

Lucy is a member  of the Rotary E-Club of Greater Sydney and cofounded HandUp Congo, a nonprofit that promotes and facilitates sustainable, community-driven business, educational, social, and health initiatives to underprivileged communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

 

Congratulations Lucy!

 

Read the full story here.

 

 

Munching on caterpillars and travelling 600 km in a motorised canoe are just two of the exhilarating highlights experienced in August and September by e-Club of Greater Sydney members Dr Grace maano and Lucy Hobgood-Brown, when they travelled to the Democratic Republic of Congo on a four week medical training mission in August.  The self-funded team included three other Australians, Dr Vera Sistenich, Chris Coombes and Maureen Burdynski.

 

In cooperation with HandUp Congo, Rotary Australia World Community Service and, with the help of numerous donors including many Rotarians, the team took 400 kilos of donated medical equipment, eyeglasses, footballs and other community development resources to four locations.

 

NSW-based Dr Vera Sistenich, an Emergency Physician and Fellow of the Australian College of Emergency Medicine, provided training in neonatal, pediatric and adult life support, airway and trauma management, as well as fluid resuscitation for children.  Dr Grace Maano, a Locum Career Medical Officer based in NSW, trained Congolese medical staff in basic ECG reading and obstetric ultrasound scanning, handling obstetric emergencies and contraceptive (Jadelle) implant insertion.

 

Chris Coombes and Maureen Burdynski documented the medical training of more than 90 health care staff in the four venues, as well as more than 150 women receiving contraceptive implants.  They also roamed each training site, photographing local communities’ capacity building initiatives, including a Pygmy village in remote Equateur Province.  This village is accessible only by canoe, which inspired HandUp Congo to initiate regular Congo Canoe Challenges with skilled volunteer teams.

 

Many photos can be viewed on HandUp Congo’s facebook. A video of the 2015 Congo Canoe Challenge can be viewed here.

 

Listen to an interview about the trip here (25 minutes into the program).

 

Celebrate Congo and all the supporters of the 2015 Congo Canoe Challenge!

Sunday, 22 November 2015
12 noon to 4 pm
 

Blugibbon, 211 Pacific Highway, St Leonards = a short walk from St Leonards train station. Ample free parking.