Rose Charities People

Heidi Krutzen: Music and Malambo

2012-01-23T19:03:00.000-08:00

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 !

2011-10-28T03:04:00.000-07:00

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)

2011-10-12T14:00:00.000-07:00

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.

2011-10-09T20:15:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-21T12:44:00.000-07:00

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)

2011-09-21T12:27:00.000-07:00

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

2011-04-20T12:39:00.000-07:00

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

2011-03-30T18:21:00.000-07:00

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

2011-02-03T16:30:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-10T21:19:00.000-08:00

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

2010-12-19T21:28:00.000-08:00

(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

2010-10-15T11:08:00.000-07:00

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...

2010-10-05T11:41:00.001-07:00

Jan and Bill Johnston depart Vietnam 2009

2010-08-27T05:49:00.000-07:00

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

Lori Ann and Lawrence Keenan - pure, quiet, unobtrusive, charity !

2010-08-09T13:45:00.000-07:00

It is hard to over-state the amazing work that Lawrence and Lori-Anne have done for the people of Sri Lanka, and Rose Charities. Within hours of hearing of the 2004 Asian Tsunami Lawrence was on a plane for Sri Lanka and was there to arrange all logistics and support for the Rose Charities - Vancouver medical relief team which followed some days later. From then on both Lawrence and Lori-Ann have worked tirelessly and continually on program after program in Sri Lanka, donating materials and time to these efforts with enormous generosity. Everywhere one turns with the Rose Charities Sri Lanka projects, one finds the work of Lori-Ann and Lawrence, every corner lurks some aspect of their generosity. Notable amongst these efforts was their work in setting up and running (to this day) the hugely successful Microcredit program which at time of writing supports over 1000 families, and is an absolute model of how such programs can work to help so many, and the pride of Rose Charities.

Lawrence and Lori-Ann Keenan are owners of one of Vancouver's English schools in British Columbia. For almost 20 years they have operated C.S.L.I (Canadian as a Second Language Institute) on Robson Street and Yaletown under the motto "Uniting the World with English". In this time they have encouraged their 20,000 students and staff to be actively involved in the community and have provided over 100 scholarships for students around the world, including a number through Rose Charities. Lawrence enjoys long distance sporting challenges and is planning a bike ride across the entire Trans-Canada Trail to draw further attention to the benefits of micro-credit in underprivileged communities, including the successful Kalmunai project by Rose Canada in Sri Lanka. Lori-Ann runs the English school and is an artist and a helicopter pilot. The Keenans began their involvement with Rose Charities immediately following the tsunami in Southeast Asia in 2004. They live in Vancouver with Elvis (the King), their husky-shepherd. www.csli.com CSLI facebook: www.facebook.com/unitingtheworld Rose Sri Lanka experience: http://unitingtheworld.org

Happy 60th Birthday Bill Johnston !

2010-05-12T17:11:00.000-07:00

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/album.php?aid=28226&id=1670376425

Seen at the Milk Gallery New York: FotoRelief fundraiser for Haiti

2010-03-23T18:26:00.000-07:00

Dr Pargat Bhurji - Rose Charities Canada

2010-03-04T12:08:00.000-08:00

Dr Pargat Bhurji: Leader 1st Rose Charities Pediatric team. Haiti. Feb 2010. Leader of 3rd Sri Lanka post tsunami team 2005

Dr. Pargat Singh Bhurji’s philosophy is: “The more we do seva [service], the higher consciousness we achieve.” For him, serving others is not just a duty, but a way of life. “When you lift somebody, god lifts you.”

Dr. Pargat Singh Bhurji is a pediatrician and neonatologist in Surrey, so making a difference in people’s lives is a given. But Bhurji, who studied at Lokmanya Tilak Medical College in Mumbai before coming to Canada in 1988, does even more than what the doctor ordered.
Currently, he is an assistant professor at UBC, and also enjoys spreading his knowledge through regular appearances on local radio and television programs. “The more we teach, the better we become,” he says. His love for storytelling and his spiritual approach to his work is evident in everything he does. He is living proof that one person can make a difference.

Bhurji’s philosophy is: “The more we do seva [service], the higher consciousness we achieve.”
For him, serving others is not just a duty, but a way of life. “When you lift somebody, god lifts you.”

It all started in 1993 with his first fundraising efforts. Bhurji worked with others to raise funds for BC Children’s Hospital, and hasn’t looked back since. A member of many social, religious and medical organizations, he has volunteered in many different ways.

In 2005, Bhurji was the leader of the fourth Rose Charities medical relief team sent to Kalmunai, Sri Lanka. There he set up a pediatric clinic after the Tsunami disaster.
“Children are the building blocks, the caretakers and leaders of our future. It is important to look after their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs. That is why I chose to specialize in this area,” he says.

This year, when the earthquake devastated Haiti, Bhurji volunteered once again with Rose Charities to provide disaster relief. “It was not easy to be one of the first ones to go there physically. We were literally paving the way, clearing the thorns so that those after us could pass more easily.”

But Bhurji knew that children’s lives were involved, and he wanted to help them. He says he asked god for guidance along his journey: “God I am doing this out of my duty for mankind. I am doing this for you, so please help me out.”

One thing that Bhurji has learned from his volunteer experiences is that he wants to do more. He wants to assist in the improvement and implementation of services locally and globally.
“There is so much more to do. However, if there is devotion, there is a way. What we think we can do is more important than anything we do. The infrastructure comes,” he says.
“Let us all be full of nothing but love, kindness, respect, passion, brotherhood and consciousness.”

With that mindset, giving back is truly a given.

Sumiko Berat - Rose Charities France !

2009-12-12T02:50:00.000-08:00

Born in Japan, Sumiko Berat (ne Yamaguchi) has lived in France most of her life, studying and later marrying in that country. Sumiko has been a wonderful supporter of Rose Charities for many years. In 2004 she was visiting Canada at the very time of the Asian Tsunami and so was able to used her multi-lingual skills to help with discussion plans on disaster relief between AMDA Canada and AMDA HQ in Okayama. Sumiko is Rose Charities main representative in France but makes regular visits to her original home in Japan.

Linda Roberts - creator of Rose Charities International

2009-12-04T15:16:00.001-08:00

Linda Roberts brought her huge experience in international project development, administration and management to Rose Charities in 2007 and almost immediately became central to its operation in developing the international charter and international board. Holding qualifications in teaching, a B.A in Politcal Science (Whittier. California), and a Masters in Social Work (Dalhousie), Linda worked in almost every aspect of project running, both overseas (Africa, Nepal, India) and in Canada itself. Linda is currently (2010) Hon. Secretary of Rose Charities International and advisor to several Rose branches, notably Canada. She also works with other charities including the Grandview and Woodlands Alliance which implements the 'Under one Umbrella Homeless Fair' every winter in East End Vancouver which is is now being emulated in many other centers.

Mick Audsley: Rose Charities UK: Craftsman of film, music and scriptwriting.

2009-11-27T16:37:00.000-08:00

Mick Audsley, one of the worlds leading film editors, is 'ambassador' for Rose Charities UK. Originally from Sevenoaks, Kent, UK, Mick has worked worldwide. His early career included song-writing. Recording severaly orignial albums, he still plays with several bands. Mick has been part of Rose Charities UK since its founding in 1999. Mick has one a BAFTA award and has been shortlisted for others. Recently he has turned to script writing. The whole Audsley family are a group with many creative and artistic talents, from theatre production, to pottery, and music. Rose Charities UK is very proud and appreciative to be linked to such talent.

Dr Basant Raj Sharma: Recipient of the APO Distinguished Service Award 2009

2009-10-22T21:07:00.000-07:00

'Dr Basant' is one of the longest serving members of Rose Charities being in at the beginning at its foundation in Cambodia in 1998. He was a founder of the precursor Project IRIS program in that he brought the expertise to Cambodian from Nepal to organize the first of the IRIS Eye Camps in 1996, which brought the whole IRIS program into being. Basant then stayed with the IRIS program organizing many subsequent camps and running and providing expertise for many other aspects of the program before moving on into Rose Charities (which evolved from Project IRIS).
Dr Basant is a Consultant at the renowned Lumbini Eye Institute where he has worked for many years. His experience is international, with expertise from developing country field programs to high tech. He established the Oculuplastic Department following a fellowship visit to Vancouver. He also founded the National Nepal Phaco(emulsification) Training Program, as Consultant and Master Trainer in collaboration with Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh, AOCA Japan and JICA.
In 2009 Dr Basant was awarded the coveted Distinguished Service Award from the Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology.

Dr Basant is currently (October 09) Vice Chairman of the Rose Charities International Board

Dr Nous Sarom. Rehabilitation Surgeon, Charity Rose Award winner 2007 and founder of Operation FIRST

2009-10-21T21:36:00.000-07:00

Dr Nous Sarom has been with Rose Charities since its founding in Cambodia (originally as a divison Project IRIS) in 1998. His medical training was in Phnom Penh, followed by further surgical training with MSF, Operation Unis and with Rose Charities itself. He has undertaken further training periods in Hongkong, Thailand and Canada. Dr Sarom founded Operation FIRST together with Rose Charities at Chea Chumneas hospital in order to transfer Rose Charities surgical facilities to a proper Ministry of Health Hospital (previously it had been working out of medically inappropriate buildings of another ministry). Dr Sarom is Cambodias leading maxillo-facial and rehabilitative surgeon operating on land-mine injuries to burns to cleft lip and palate, and noma cases.

Operation FIRST is a gateway center for a number of international groups which conduct training and operative missions to its center and/or use its staff. Apart from Rose Charities, it is a SMILETRAIN, Operation Rainbow and IMPACT center and a focus for teaching for the Chinese University of Hong Kong

In 2008 Dr Sarom was awarded the 2007 Charity Rose Award for outstanding humanitarian service at the Rose Charities International Meeting in Penang

Liese Groot Alberts. Grief, Trauma, and Hope Counselor

2009-10-20T21:17:00.001-07:00

Liese Groot Alberts is one of very few specialist grief and trauma counselors working with Rose Charities (and others) see www.LieseGrootAlberts.com . She has considerable international experience in Europe, Asia, Australia and her home New Zealand (Auckland) She trained initially with Dr Elizabeth Kubler Ross. For many years she was pivotal in the 'Starfish' program of introducing palliative care into hospitals in the Philippines, an area very much neglected in the majority of developing (and many developed) countries. She has conducted seminars and trained counsellors in Malaysia, Hongkong and India. At the time of writing (October 09) she is in post tsunami Samoa, carrying out training of local counselors, assisting victims directly and conducting workshops.

Dr.Yoga Yogendran: Director of Canadian Advanced Technology Programs

2009-10-18T22:18:00.001-07:00

Yoga came to Canada from Sri Lanka. In Canada he completed his PhD in engineering in Alberta and worked as a consultant for the energy sector for four years. He moved to BC in 1991 to work for BC Hydro's Powertech labs and became the Director responsible for the Clean and Renewable energy programs. In 1996 he completed an executive MBA program at SFU after which he shifted from science to management of technology development and commercialization. In 2004 he moved to National Research Council as a Director of Technology Deployment and Commercialization at the Fuel Cell Innovation Institute and is focused on technologies to mitigate climate change and improve the environment. Since the Tsunami in 2005 he has been involved with Rose Charities and worked with Sri Lankan and Vancouver groups to implement a number of projects.

Josephine de Freitas: From Mineral Technology to Microcredit (with other careers in between !)

2009-10-09T21:46:00.000-07:00

Ms. Josephine de Freitas has a BSc in Mining Engineering (Imperial College, London,1974) She spent 25 years in international development starting with a war widows cooperative in Zimbabwe in 1978. In 1994 she volunteered at the BC Children’s Hospital to create their International Health Programs and initiated projects in South Africa and Guyana. In 1996 she assisted UBC to develop the Centre for International Health and organized “Bridging the Pacific” APEC conference on distance education. In 2004 she managed the CIDA funded project in Guyana “Strengthening Public Health in Guyana” a $5 million CIDA funded project on HIV/AIDS and TB. She is a member of the board of Rose Charities Canada.

Josephine is one of the the most pivotal person in Rose Charities. After she joined forces with the, then small, organization in 2004, numerous initiatives, programs and linkages evolved which has increased its scope and size many times. In addition she has organized several major fundraisers both in Canada and the USA. She was one of the founder members of Rose Charities USA in New York in 2004. Josephine is the mother of three daughters with her first husband, one of whom is Noot Seear (see this site)

Amanda Yogendran, co-founder of the Rose Charities Sri Lanka University Scholarship Program

2009-09-14T14:08:00.000-07:00

Amanda Yogendran

Amanda and he friend Chais together founded the Rose Charities Sri Lanka University sponsorship program Originally named 'UniversiTEA' to incorporate sponsorship from some of the Sri Lanka tea companies, the girls saw how pivotally important it was for young people to be able to achieve higher education. They saw that a degree or diploma will lift the recipient, their families and children (then or future) out of poverty and dependency , probably forever.

In addition Amanda and Chais realized that graduates have the power to influence their communities and inspire their own generation to greater achievement and education levels for a greater quality of life for all. The sad fact was however that many highly talented students, even having been offered places at university (where tuition is free), were still not able to attend, simply because they could not afford he living costs. Such costs include, accommodation, food, books and study materials, transport etc.

Amanda and Chais project has been in operation now for 4 years with Rose Charities Sri Lanka and over 60 students have been assisted or have qualified since then. It is one of the most popular of all the Rose Charities programs.

Mike Webber (N.Z. Order of Merit)

2009-09-07T08:42:00.000-07:00

Mike Webber has spent a liftime in optometry and is one of New Zealands most distinguisted experts with considerable international experience. He is a trustee of Rose Charities New Zealand His work with the Rose Charities Cambodia Eye Clinic has helped lift it to one of the foremost eye projects for the poor in that country and he continues to assist, advise and implement programs for Rose Charities eye programs and involvments in Cambodia, Vietnam, Nepal and Sri Lanka

In 2006 he was awared the New Zealand Order of Merit

The short film below shows Mike carrying out refraction training in Camboida

Prof. Elizabeth Hillman (Order of Canada)

2009-09-07T08:04:00.000-07:00

Elizabeth Hillman grew up in Northern Ontario where she lived in and attended School in School Car no.1 (a railway car converted into a school and home) for Fred Sloman, her father, who taught children in the northlands for forty years, where there were no schools or roads She was admitted to Medical School at UWO and graduated in 1951. My postgraduate training in paediatrics was at UWO, McGill, Great Ormond St. Hospital in London, England; Harvard, and the Liverpool School of Tropical Health. She became Director of Ambulatory Paediatrics including Emergency, management of Child Abuse, and the Poison Control Centre at McGill's Montreal Childrens' Hospital for 20 years including 4 years in Kenya with the McGill - Kenya CIDA funded Project to develop a Paediatric program at the University of Nairobi. Elizabeth and her husband Don moved to Newfoundland where Don was Chair of Paediatrics and subsequently taught for three years at the University of Sains Malaysia, McMaster, and many other international assignments together in medical education in Bhutan, Laos, Viet Nam, South Africa, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda etc.

In 1994 Dean Seely at U d'Ottawa asked Don and Elizabeth to come as faculty Professors to help develop international health undergraduate and postgraduate learning at U d'O. They were both cross-appointed in Paediatrics and Epidemiology and Community Health. Elizaberh was the first woman President of the Medical Council of Canada and both she and Don were both active in the Canadian Paediatric Society and the American Academy of Pediatrics where they were both consultants to the Executive Committee of the AAP Section on International Child Health.

Elizabeth and Don were were both awarded the Order of Canada in 1994, and awards from the Royal College . Don My husband died in July 2006 and Elizabeth and her family founded the Hillman Medical Education Fund (HMEF) , entrusting it to be administered through Rose Charities Canada

Prof. Elizabeth and Don Hillman's work for Canada and the world of pediatrics, medical and health worker training, and almost every aspect of child, mother and family medicine has been massive. Rose Charities is truly honoured to be be associated with Elizabeth and her late husband and to help administer the Hillman Medical Education Fund ( click to contact )

Professors Don and Elizabeth Hillman

Trish Gribben: Acclaimed NZ Childrens Book Author

2009-08-25T04:39:00.001-07:00

Mrs Trish Gribben. Chair. Rose Charities New Zealand.

Trish is an aclaimed author of many bestselling childrens books an international traveller, sailor and adventurer. She joined Rose Charities NZ in 2006 and took up the Chair a year later. Trish has traveled extensively to all parts of the world and a long and distinguished career in writing which continues to this day.

Noot Seear, Rose Charities USA founder, (' Rose Charity ') is Heidi in New Moon

2009-08-19T12:07:00.000-07:00

Rose Charities USA Founder, Supermodel Noot Seear, is playing Heidi in New Moon. Noot was born in Vancouver B.C. but lives in New York. She started her modeling career at the age of 15 . Rose Charities USA supports projects in Cambodia, Sri Lanka, and in the USA in sight restoration, land-mine and general rehabilitation surgery and youth training. Noots talents not only lie in modelling and acting but also in sport, competing at Provincial and National levels in Fencing and Riding (Noots great uncle William Grut of Sweden was the 1948 Olympic gold medalist in modern pentathlon). Noots charity work has taken her from orphanages in Vietnam to surgical projects in Cambodia.

Dr Collin Yong (Canada) awarded ASEAN-Canada Association 'ASEAN Hero' Award 2009

2009-07-16T19:53:00.000-07:00

Dr Collin Yong, of Rose Charities and AMDA Canada, Chair of Vancouer Chinatown Rotay Club, Consultant Paediatrician and active team member of many Rotaplast international teams has been awarded the ASEAN-Canada Society 'ASEAN Hero' award for his humanitarian services to mankind. Here seen duing the Rose Charities Emergency mission to Kalmunai Sri Lanka Feb 2005.

Dr Yong writes.." would like to take this opportunity thank all members of ASEAN Canada who have nominated me for this prestigous and honourable award. This is indeed a great honour not only to myself but to all the team members of the many organizations which made the overseas missions possible. In particular I would like to thank Rosecharities Canada for the effortless strive to ensure that all missions are well organized and logistically sound. I am very proud to witness the incredible numbers of Canadians who have taken their own initiative to make changes in the lives of many overseas. This is indeed a testament of the giving and humanitarian nature of the Canadian people. It is hope that these will be footsteps for our children and generations to follow."

Short film below shows Dr Yong being interviewed during the Sichuan Eathquake emergency 2008