Saluting Charity Rose Laureates 2011 and 2012

All of Rose Charities salute two amazing people who make the world a better place...  bravo Joanna and Andrew.. !!

Charity-Rose Awardees:  2012 Dr Andrew Macnab (African Hearts and
Brighter Smiles Uganda),  2011. Ms Joanna Thomson: Founder  of
Rose Cambodia Rehabilitation Centre

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2011:  Joanna Thomson (Australia): Founder of the Rose Cambodia Rehabiliation Centre,  Takmau, Cambodia. 

For her outstanding work to provide physical rehabilitation services

 for the poor both through the founding, development and running of the Rose Cambodia Rehabilitation Centre, and her own unstoppable sense of charity.

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2012: Dr Andrew Macnab (Canada):  Founder of African Hearts & Brighter Smiles Uganda Projects.

For unstinting commitment to care for the homeless and disenfranchised youth of Uganda, his love of helping others by passing on his own knowledge and his continual efforts to contribute what he can, where he can to a world of almost  endless need 

Christina Leong, Dickson Ho, Jessica Toh and Rose Charities Singapore

Jonathan Riley (UK) and Dickson Ho 

 Rose Charities Singapore debuted at the Rose Charities IV Penang International Meeting and Conference in George Town and Tanjung Bunga from 22 to 25th March 2012.   From the moment of arrival they made their instant mark by contributing ideas, thoughts, wonderful humor and constructive plans and suggestions

Christina Leong, Dickson Ziwei Ho, and Jessica Toh flew in for the first day and were among the most enthusiastic  in attending every presenation, workshop and semin of the entire meeting.  These sessions included sector meetings on Sri Lanka, Hillman Fund (Africa, Pakistan, Cambodia and Afghanistan projects), Vietnam and Cambodia Rehab; workshops on the Logical Framework Approach (Ms Chim Sophak, [Cambodia], Josephine de Freitas and Mrs Maggie Francis [Canada])  and Social Networking .[Ms Rachel Greene USA]

Ms Christina Leong, Dr Will Grut  (Canada)
Ms Jessica Toh 

The Singapore team also contributed greatly to a special panel looking at restructuring of the Rose Charities International board and many of their ideas will be implemented in the coming year.

Rose Charities Singapore's  wonderful generosity was experienced by most of the field projects in the donation of 11 used laptops and a desktop. 9 of these were brought to Penang and presented to the field project representatives of Rose Charities Sri Lanka, Cambodia (including one for the Cambodia Physical Therapy Association), Vietnam, Pakistan (who took one extra for Afghanistan)

Rose Charities Singapore, no only 'hit the ground running' when it came into the network last year, but running at 'supersonic speed'.  Immediately on formation, emergency supplies (a container) were arranged for Thai flood relief, old peoples homes have (and continue to be) visited, parties arranged at childrens homes, and even local animal care assisted.

Clockwise: Christina Leong, Dickson Ho
Ung Sambach (Cambodia), Lee Parker (Aus)
Louis Lap Nguyen (Vietnam) 

The group consists currently of an informal core of friends and colleagues all caring to make the world a better place. While they may apply for formal Singapore registration in the future they will in the mean time simply continue to do what they can for who they can in the spirit of pure charity.

Rose Charities Singapore is an amazing group of people of formidable talent, charity and generosity.  By the end of the meeting they had  made friends of everyone and formulated plans to help several of the field projects. The City State should be very very proud of them indeed...

Some Penang, March 2012 attendees...

Shanmugalingam Rajeeshan (SL) Anthony Richard (SL)
 Nagamany Parameswaran (SL) Anne Uma George (NZ)

Jonathan Riley (UK), Linda Roberts (Can), Will Grut (Can)
Barbara Reade (UK)

Josephine de Freitas (Can), Jessica Toh (Sing)

Trish Gribben, Annette Cave, Ross Hardey: PIF Foundation and Rose Charities N.Z.

Trish Gribben, chairperson Rose Charities NZ, with  Trish Gribben, chairperson Rose Charities NZ, with Annette Cave and local optometrist Ross Hardey   at the "Out of the Darkness" fundraiser held in Whanganui on March 1, 2012. The event, which was organised by one of Rose Charities NZ major benefactors, The PIF Foundation, raised more than $5600 for a truck to bring poor people screened at

 rural outpost eye camps in Cambodia to the Rose Eye Clinic in Phnom Penh.

Anne George: New Zealand

Anne George with family

Anne George.  Rose Charities N.Z

Annes connection with Rose Charities NZ has been through her work with the Poonga School in Auckland.

Poonga was formed in 2003 as a resettlement programme for Tamils living in New Zealand.  As part of Poonga, we now run a preschool, Tamil school, bridging education, youth group and parents group.   The preschool is run under the Ministry of Education.   To ensure effective resettlement, Anne  works with the wider refugee and non-refugee communities throughout New Zealand.   Poonga is run entirely by volunteers.

Anne has been a generous supporter too of Rose Charities Sri Lanka donating her family home in Jaffna for project work to help the community

Louis Lap Nguyen: co-founder of Rose Charities Vietnam

Louis Lap Nguyen: Co founder of Rose Charities Vietnam.



(extract from a letter from Louis to a friend.. it so well describes the Rose Charities principles...)


"Like yourself and many other Vietnamese overseas, I wanted to give back. When i sat down and thought about How, I recognize that most VN oversea simply do this on their own, often on trip either alone or with small group....kind of a personal mission and there are plenty of examples like this...building bridges, dropping off supplies, visiting orphanages...etc... these are all good and entirely out of great generousity. The personal mission feels good, however, there is limitation to how many trip a small group or an individual could make to VN and overseeing project from a distance through relatives also present its own challenges, not to mention some group were minimally assisted by the local government. Continuity and sustainable impact to the people being helped inevitably hit a road block at some point. 

Long story short, I wanted to have a solution...and sought out to establish Rose VN with a vision to unite generous individuals under one roof and pool our effort, resources and finance to do projects that are sustainable, authorized, and low to zero cost. All these came together when I met some Rose Charities supporters in VN and proposed to establish the VN Chapter. Rose Charites International had 3-4 other locations at that time. It is now present in 13 different countries..

For VN, I made sure that we are authorized to do charity in Vn and so took the painful route of registering with the governent of VN in Hanoi...It took 9 months. I submitted every single document as requested until the application was accepted.. So we are registed in VN and Canada and everywhere else we operate. Next, i wanted to ensure that 100% or nearly that of the donation will go directly to programs without administration cost. So, I made sure that our volunteers were just that: volunteers. I am very proud of the dedication in our volunteers and members. The office is entirely personal address and we use personal phone for contacts. None of us have salaries or any form of compensation. It is entirely through volunteerism and Rose VN have six regular members from all walk of life and geography (see Who we are on website). All this so we keep the full donation going to the people in need.

I also wanted Rose VN to be open, welcoming and completely transparent. I wanted donors to have as much say to where they wanted to designate the money to go to and so our donors have all the right to earmark exactly how it is spent. If a donor wanted donation to go to education, there it goes....If a donor wanted donation to go to orphanages...there it goes...etc. If a donor already have program and their own foundation, they can bring it to us and we work with them as partner without losing their program or foundation name. If a partner wanted to become a part of Rose then they are certainly welcomed. The idea is we will work with any one, any group who truely wanted to help people and if people in needs get help, Rose VN is all over that.

Heidi Krutzen: Music and Malambo

Two of Heidi's available CD's

Heidi Krutzen ,  co-founder of  the the wonderful  Malambo Grassroots Zambia program in Canada , is also one of Canada's leading harpists and Prinicpal Harp of the Vancouver Opera Orchestra  Heidi's glowing musical background and history are well documented. In short she has played, taught masterclasses, recorded, premiered new works and performed all over North America and many places in Europe.  The writer of this piece was fortunate enough to hear Heidi perform with cellist Ariel Barnes as their Couloir Duo playing contemporary pieces by Jocelyn Mortlock, Baljinder Sekhon, Glenn Buhr, and Niclo Muhly. This wonderful concert was also being recorded by CBC.

Heidi co founded Malambo Grassroots along with her mother Coco, and Jocelyn Baynard in 2009 to support the amazing work of Jocelyns aunt in Zambia who runs village health, education and income generation programs. Recently Heidi organized a collection of donated musical instruments and sent them by container to one of Zambia's few music schools for poor children.

Heidi's sister Erica was the first of the Krutzen to become involved with Rose Charities after she had assisted with rehabilitative art therapy for traumatized children in Sri Lanka after the 2004 tsunami.  She has been supporting, volunteering and assisting Rose Charities ever since.   The Krutzens are a truly amazing family, and Rose Charities is incredibly fortunate to be linked with them

Libby Madden (Australia): Joining Rose Vietnam Board !

Libby Madden at Be Tho Orphanage

Rose Charities Vietnam is delighted to welcome Libby Madden to our Board.   Libby and her husband James live in Brisbane, Australia.  They work in the aged care sector to which Libby brings her considerable skills, including degrees in Nutrition and Gerontology.  

Libby went to Vietnam for the first time in 2003 and "fell in love with the country and the people".  She has been back seven times, visiting Rose VN projects in Ho Chi Minh City on a number of those occasions.  Libby has given Rose VN a great deal of support over the years.   

In 2010 Rose Vietnam shifted its focus to Hue, where we now have a number of projects including building houses for the poor, education support, a school for blind adults and income generation. Libby plans to visit Hue in 2012,  (and is currently learning Vietnamese!)   While there she will evaluate a new community development project in Thanh Thien village. 

Libby joins current board members  Mr. Phuoc Chi Nguyen, Louis Lap Nguyen, Hanh-Thuc Nguyen and Jan Johnston.

The wonderful Canadian board of Stand Tall Education, Uganda (Rose Charities Member Project)

Stand Tall Education Uganda, is a fantastic project helping deprived Ugandan kids with education and other skills . Please see their dedicated website for more details (click).  Rose Charities Canada is proud to be associated with Stand Tall Education as one of its finest member projects.

	NICOLE SCHOUELA, President Nicole enjoys learning and new challenges. She has extensive small business experience, both as past owner of two café/restaurants and present owner of Esscurve Fitness. She also has a passion for the arts both as viewer and maker and has completed her Bachelor and Masters degrees in Fine Art. She has volunteered in schools teaching dance and art to children, and in 2008 spent five months in Uganda working with youth. She believes that a good education is a right that has a profound effect on the individual, as well as her community and country. Nicole is the President of STEN and acts as coordinator between the Vancouver and Ugandan teams. She lives in Vancouver and travels to Uganda regularly.
	LORISA SCHOUELA, Secretary/Treasurer Lorisa brings to the team a passion for travel, an interest in foreign cultures and a life-long commitment to serve. Along with her experience in hospice work she is an activist, philanthropist, meditator and humanitarian. She is dedicated to making a difference in this world. She stands by her belief that ultimately what you do determines who you are.
	CHLOE BECK, Vice President Chloe is currently a secondary school counsellor with the Vancouver School Board. She has a teaching degree and a Masters in counselling psychology and has experience teaching and counselling both elementary and secondary school students
	MELISSA JURCEVIC Melissa is a small business entrepreneur and co-owner of a women’s fashion boutique in Vancouver. Over the years, she has been involved in charities such as The Mustard Seed, Amnesty International, and Habitat For Humanity. She believes that creating educational opportunities in impoverished areas is the cornerstone for improving lives and communities around the world.
	HONEY HALPERN Honey Halpern has worked as a literacy consultant throughout BC and internationally.  She teaches in the Language and Literacy department of the Faculty of Education at UBC and has also taught in elementary and secondary schools in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. She spent the month of October 2010 as a volunteer at Stand Tall Training Center, teaching  child-centered classroom programs and creating a handbook describing her classroom strategies to guide both the regular teachers and future volunteers. One day soon, she hopes to return to the school and continue her work with the teachers and children.
	KAREEN HUDSON Kareen has 22 years experience as a social worker in community-based social services, child welfare and in the Vancouver school system. Kareen managed the Children Affected by Family Violence Program at Family Services of Greater Vancouver for the past 14 years and most recently has been involved in creating the RSVP program, an early intervention and targeted violence prevention program for at-risk children and youth that is now widely implemented in Vancouver schools. Currently, Kareen is responsible for overseeing the effective development and sustainability of counselling and outreach programs at Family Services of Greater Vancouver’s Kingsway office. Her education and training includes receiving her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work and Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of British Columbia.
	SUSAN COMAY Susan Comay is a family doctor in Vancouver. She is the medical manager at the Pine Clinic treating adolescents as well as adults with no medical insurance such as new immigrants and other marginalized patients. She works with the BC Women’s Hospital on-call service for sexually assaulted patients. Born in South Africa her deep connection to the continent has taken her back there frequently both to travel and work. She has worked as a doctor in Tanzania and more recently as a medical volunteer in Ghana.
	CLAUDIE AZOULAI Claudie is a teacher in the Vancouver public school system, as well as a fibre artist. She has taught for the past 25 years and has brought her art experience to children of all ages as well as to adults. She has also had the opportunity to have several years involvement as an integral member of the Education Department at Or Shalom Synagogue, a Jewish religious institution in Vancouver, BC.

Wonderful wedding for a Rose Charities Australia founder.

On October 8th, at beautiful 'Bird in Hand' Winery, in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Sarah Miller wed Gareth Wilson. Sarah was one of the founders of Rose Charities Australia and spent 2 years in Cambodia both mainly with the FDCC Organization but also assisting where she could with Rose Cambodia education and physial rehab projects. She is a trustee of Rose Charities Australia.

Everyone in Rose Charities wishes our couple a lifetime of happiness..

Video - Sarah's father Wayne, accompanies Sarah to meet Gareth.

Copenhagen wedding for Hon Patron of Rose Charities Malaysia

 Hon Patron of Rose Charities Malaysia (Penang), Mr Martin Bek-Neilsen and Tine Madsen married in August, this summer (2011) in Holmens Kirke in beautiful Copenhagen 

All in Rose Charities extend all congratulations to Tine and Martin, and wish them a lifetime of happiness

Pip Neville Barton (Auckland NZ) and Dr Diana Carter (Vancouver, Canada)

Pip Neville-Baron (left), ESL Consultant and director of Rose Charities New Zealand,  in discussions
with Dr Diana Carter (right), Consultant Psychiatrist, Vancouver

Three amazing 'givers' to Cambodia

Three amazing 'Givers' to Cambodia.  Left to right, Dr Hang Vra (Cambodia), Mr Mike Webber (NZ), and 'M' (USA)
Dr Vra has given most of his adult life to helping poor Cambodians with their eye problems. Through hard work he has not become one of Cambodias leading eye specialists. In 2002 his clinic was looted and vandalized by a crooked expatriate, leaving it as a bare shell  Despite this he kept on coming to comfort the throngs of expectant patients who had been deprived of treatment by the looting.
Mike Webber of Wanganui, NZ , consultant optometrist, has contributed huge amounts of time, resources and know-how on a completely voluntary basis to the clinic, flying up from NZ many many times. Without him (and colleagues, Dr David Sabiston and Mr John Veale) the Sight Center would not now exist
'M' an international philanthropist donated the YAG-laser' seen in the background. This remarkable machine revolutionizes the treatment of many post-cataract complications as well as enabling effective treatment of glaucoma.
The good that these three individuals have done for poor Cambodians is outstanding.  Many thousands have benefited: 

Teaching team for Sri Lanka: March 2011

Left to right:  Sonya Herndier, Amanda Yogendran, Lawrence Keenan, Josepine de Freitas, Linda Roberts

Professional educator Sonya Herndier and Amanda Yogendran are about to leave for Rose Charities Sri Lanka where they will teach Engilsh and make a curriculum assessment for some of the advanced education programs including those of the Vibe center .  This important inititative has been generously  orchestrated and supported by the Keenans .  Sometime after her return Amanda will be traveling to the UK to carry out advanced studies at the London School of Economics.

Joanna Thomson: Incredible physiotherapy work in Cambodia

Dr David Sabsiton (Order of Merit NZ). teaches at the Rose Charities Cambodia Sight Center

Dr David Sabiston a NZ (Hamilton) Ophthalmic Surgeon of unsurpassed international experience. For the past 6 years he has assisted developing establishing the Rose Charities Cambodia Sight Center, generously donating his expertise in teaching and carrying out surgeries. He has organized donations of equipment and funds. Along with colleagues Mr Mike Webber and Mr John Veale, and under the directorship of Dr Hang Vra and his wife Natalia the Rose Sight Center has and established itself as one of Cambodias leading centers for the delivery of sight restoration and blindness prevention for the poor.

Rose Charities Canada members enjoy a Christmas get-together

(click photo to enlarge)

Some Rose Charities members enjoy a Christmas party courtesy of Tim Maguire and Louise Aaronson

Left to right: Dr Yoga and Pricilla Yogendran (Rose Charities Canada and Sri Lanka),  Dr Will and Anne Grut (Rose Charities NZ, UK & Canada) , Dr Collin Yong (Rose Charities Canada & Rotaplast), Louise Aaronson,  Oeung Jong, Sangita and her husband

Annie Henley - Rose Charities USA - NY

After 13 years as a top fashion model for campaigns, high fashion magazine covers and ads, Annie Henley thought how great it would be to use what her life has blessed her with and to find a way to give back. Enter Rose Charities. After attending a brief meeting with the Rose Board members in 2007, all she could think about was, “How can I help?”.
Annie’s first involvement was the famous BeBare fashion auction in Vancouver in August 2007, where she walked the runway in a Marchesa dress and won the highest bid for the night, raising over $30,000 that evening for Rose Charities. Determined to bring BeBare to NYC, she proposed the idea to fellow board members and co-founder, Noot Seear. It was game on! Two months later, on October 6th 2008, amidst the largest stock market crash since the great depression, “BeBare, New York’s Naughtiest Fashion Show” at Milk Gallery raised over $50,000 and was a huge success.
In February 2009, Annie, along with fellow Rose USA board members Jason Rosenstock and Noot Seear, visited Vietnam and Cambodia for the annual Rose Charities International meeting. In Vietnam they visited the Be Tho orphanage and facilities to meet the children who benefited from Rose Charities fund-raising activities. In Cambodia they visited the Rose Charities Eye Clinic and FIRST Rose rehab surgery, where proceeds from Be Bare raised money for a van, which allows Dr Sarom to make trips to those who are unable to make it to the clinic. Their journey was rounded off by a visit to an orphanage where Jason gave an art class, Noot demonstrated runway walking and Annie a yoga class. The didn’t want to leave………
Annie is a dedicated yoga instructor and has studied Vinyasa yoga at Atmananda in NYC. She has been practicing yoga for 13 years.
Annie has also launched her own line of surf wear called “Surfkini” which is a comfortable, sexy swimwear collection for the surfer on the go. Surfkini was featured in Transworld Surf magazine and proudly sponsors world-class surfer Pucha Garcia.  www.surfkini.com

Noot at work...

Jan and Bill Johnston depart Vietnam 2009

Jan Johnston. Charity Rose 2008 Award Recipient and Bill: Co-founders with Louis Lap Nguyen of Rose Charities Vietnam