MERCURY SERIES - Making A Difference
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Kiama business leaders Ian and Carole Johnston have just returned from two weeks in Papua New Guinea, where they did humanitarian work with Rotary. But there were a couple of occasions on their visit that made them feel like they were still at home.
During their trip the JAi Events directors, who organise and co-ordinate events such as the Shoalhaven Coast Winter Wine Festival, came across Illawarra Mercury bags they had been involved in sending to PNG in recent years.
Mr Johnston, who is president of the Rotary Club of Kiama, said the club was involved in several projects in that part of the world and one of them was to send birthing kits to help pregnant mothers and newborn babies in remote villages. The basic kits contain items such as baby blankets and clothes, surgical gloves, string for tying umbilical cords and razor blades for cutting umbilical cords.
"Very basic stuff, but they have greatly reduced mother and infant mortality rates," Mr Johnston said.
"The kits are packaged in cloth carry bags, which the mothers can then also use after the birth. All contents and bags are donated to Rotary."
The cost of shipping and delivering the birthing kits is also covered.
"The story behind the bags originated a couple of years ago when JAi Events ran an event in Port Kembla that the Illawarra Mercury provided free newspapers and carry bags for," Mr Johnston said.
"At the end of the event there were a lot of bags left over and we asked the Mercury representative if they would like to donate them to Rotary, which they did.
"The result being that the bags are now in the field in New Guinea, helping save lives."
The Johnstons did other work while they were in PNG.
The visit was led by Rotarians from the Kiama club, which has had a relationship with the Rotary Club of Madang on the north coast of PNG for about 20 years. But there were also members from the Rotary Club of Gerringong and the Rotary Club of Berry.
"We ship container loads of aid each year," Mr Johnston said.
"They are made up of medical and school supplies. It includes kids' desks and chairs.
"The container this year had plenty of medical equipment, including two anaesthetic machines and more than 100 birthing kits. We go up to receive the container each year and distribute the goods and we always take on a project while we are there. This year it was to refurbish a local scout hall. It is also used for early childhood education and a community centre. We put on a new roof and doors and painted it," he said.
Money from fund-raising in the Illawarra pays for the ship container and materials, but the eight Rotarians who went paid for their own air fares, took their own tools, taught people how to use them and then donated them.