Events

Food Plant Solutions Rotary Action Group creates science-based educational materials that explain what nutritional food is, why human bodies need it and how to grow and use it. These materials are designed to empower people, mainly women, so that they can knowledgeably choose what plants to grow and eat to nutritiously feed themselves and their families.  The group is centred in Tasmania.

Volunteer agronomists use Food Plants International data base, created by Bruce French OAM who has been working on this for over 40 years, to identify information on what we consider could be potentially important plants for a country.  The database houses over 32,000 plants from all countries.

Programs are currently underway in approximately 40 countries in Asia, Africa, Caribbean, Western Pacific, South America and Central America.  The most important component in each program is a local partner. They have the local knowledge, networks, resources and they are invested in its outcomes.

Examples of the materials and current operations are on the group’s website www.foodplantsolutions.org

PDG Una Hobday OAM was the first female president of a Rotary Club, the Rotary Club of Hollywood Western Australia. She was also the first female District Governor in the southern hemisphere being elected DG District 9540, 1999 – 2000.

Una is Chair of Food Plant Solutions Rotary Action Group.

She has held many Rotary District roles in Western Australia and Tasmania, having moved to the Island State in 2001, and she is currently a member of Rotary Club of Hobart.  Her working life commenced as a General Nurse at The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne.  In latter years she has fulfilled administrative roles in health such as a District Health appointment, Manager Alcohol and Drug Service and State Manager for Adoption Services.

Una and her late husband have four adult children.

As we approach the end of this extraordinary Rotary year and look forward to the coming year, the Strategic Advisory Group and I have been giving some consideration to our planning.  The idea of a Sunday morning planning session doesn't seem to be the best use of members’ time at the moment as our club strategic plan is in its 3^rd year and remains relevant. So we are going to take a slightly different approach this year.

I would like the Club to reflect on the amazing work that has been achieved under very challenging circumstances. For example:

• The manner in which the Admin team adapted club meeting from face-to-face to a virtual platform, ensuring member participation and engagement was maintained throughout the pandemic.
• The fantastic fundraising efforts of the club, especially the dedication by Peter and Frank (and everyone else involved).
• The continued growth in membership and how quickly new members became involved and contributed ideas for new projects.
• The establishment of two new working groups related to Diversity & Inclusion and Environment & Sustainability.
• The successful Paul Harris Breakfast conducted online.

We can list many more achievements, but I think on reflection we would all agree that it has been quite a successful year.

This meeting will be dedicated to a Club Forum, where Neville Taylor will briefly explain the club planning process and its benefit.

The directors of the Avenues of Service will provide a 5-minute reflection on their committees’ achievements over the past year and how these achievements have contributed to our four Pillars - Progressive, Networked, Connected and a Catalyst for getting things done.

I encourage members to provide input and feedback to the planning for the 2021-22 Rotary year. There will be a number of opportunities to contribute over the next few months.

Ian will profile insights on the origins of Reconciliation and his thoughts as to how Rotary can further a commitment to Reconciliation with Australia’s First Peoples.

A Yorta Yorta man, Ian has extensive government and community sector experience, particularly at executive and governance levels. Ian has overseen major policy and strategic reforms for government and community organisations. He works with people from a vast array of backgrounds, managing complex and sensitive relationships to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.

Ian was CEO of a major Aboriginal community organisation from January to August 2018. Ian is involved in a number of Boards including Yarra Valley Water, Holmesglen TAFE, Australia Red Cross, Inclusive Australia and is Chair of Koorie Heritage Trust and First Nations Foundation. He is also the President of Community Broadcasting Foundation.

Ian is now devoting himself to improving the representation of Aboriginal people on boards and other high-level governance, through strategic action, advocacy and mentoring.

Ian is a member of Melbourne Rotary and was the 2021 host of the Women In Rotary International Women’s Day virtual event.

Afri-Aus Care Inc. provides culturally appropriate mental health assessment and a variety of support services to African Australian youth-at-risk, their families and those from other culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds.

We use UBUNTU guidelines and the Positive Change Model as the foundations of assisting people to live meaningful lives. Participants are then further referred to appropriate health professionals and other stakeholders for achievable outcomes. Afri-Aus Care provides placement opportunities for tertiary students from various educational institutions in Victoria.

I will talk more about the African people, the migration to Australia, the settlement challenges faced, what we do as a grassroots organisation, Rotary involvement, and the outcomes of our work. I will also discuss what we are planning to do with regard to our community centre in Springvale South.

Selba-Gondoza Luka is CEO and Founder of Afri-Aus Care Inc.

Based on her own lived experiences of family violence and intergenerational conflict with her daughter, Selba-Gondoza started working closely with African Australian mothers - with the aim of overcoming the intergenerational gaps that have been the main causes of young people ending up in the Justice system.

She is a multiple award winner and a Charter Member of Rotary Passport Club of Melbourne. Recently Selba-Gondoza was awarded Citizen of the Year by the City of Greater Dandenong for her work during Covid-19 pandemic. She has been at the forefront of major disasters in Victoria, assisting the victims of the bush fires in South Gippsland and assisting with food items distributions to the African Australians in three Local Government Areas in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Selba-Gondoza has been working as a task force member in a number of key government departments. She believes in the Ubuntu philosophy and she uses The Positive Change Model when working with at-risk youth and their families. Based on the outcomes of the crime prevention programs she runs at Afri-Aus Care, the University of Melbourne has published an article in relation to The Practice of Ubuntu in the Justice System.

Ubuntu - “a quality that includes the essential human virtues of compassion and humanity”.