Rotary Information Panel: Website: https://www.rnzwcs.org for further ‘edification’.
Rotary New Zealand World Community Service (RNZWCS Limited)
• What or who is RNZWCS Limited?
• What are the main Priorities?
• How does this fit in with Rotary Clubs?
History:
Rotary Overseas Aid Projects (ROAP) was formed in 1985 to promote Embox, now ERKS, in those days partially funded from VASS, set up by Norman Kirk’s Government.
In 1995 ROAP was advised by Ministry of Foreign Affairs + Trade (MFAT) that funding from VASS would no longer be able to be accessed.
ROAP met with Rotarian Minister Don McKinnon and a decision to review the MFAT decision was made.
Associate Minister Marion Hobbs suggested that we needed a legal entity, hence the formation of RNZWCS.
In October 2003 a limited liability company was formed under the name of RNZWCS Limited, representing 260 clubs in NZ.
Rotary was initially viewed as an Aid organisation rather than a Development entity addressing the Big Picture and meeting strategic needs.
In the last 24 years RNZWCS have received $35 mil in MFAT grants, $12mil for Polio Plus and $11.2 mil for the Rotahome Project in Fiji. This is additional to amounts clubs have contributed.
RNZWCS Limited is regularly accredited for continued compliance by MFAT & is well respected within the Council of International Development (CIDS) community, comprising some 60+ Non-Governmental Organisations.
What are the main Priorities?
• Funding worthwhile projects overseas (Conduit with NZ Govt)
• Emergency Response Kits (ERKS)
• Donations in Kind (Containers to Pacific Nations)
• Housing (Rotahome Village and others)
• Health (Rotary Pacific Water for Life etc.)
• Education (Faye Cran – Chem Chem School)
• Business Creation (Market and 3No. Dairy Projects in Tanzania etc)
• Emergency Response Kits (ERKS)
• Donations in Kind (Containers to Pacific Nations)
• Housing (Rotahome Village and others)
• Health (Rotary Pacific Water for Life etc.)
• Education (Faye Cran – Chem Chem School)
• Business Creation (Market and 3No. Dairy Projects in Tanzania etc)
Operates worldwide wherever the need arises. Apart from the South Pacific, we are very active in Africa and are regularly involved with others in India.
How does this fit in with Rotary Clubs?
• Each club is represented on the board by a district representative, elected for a three-year term.
• PDG Gordon Hooper - Cashmere Rotary served two terms on the board, plus a further year on Emergency Response Kits. Rod Finch - Burnside Bishopdale subsequently also served on the board and Valda Cordes - Riccarton Rotary, is our current district representative.
• PDG Stuart Batty is the Executive Director / ‘administrator’, which is virtually a full-time role looking after meetings with Government, other NGO’s, & the requirements of N.Z.+ S.P. Rotary clubs.
• RNZWCS is a registered charity and further has donee status under Schedule 32 of the Income Tax Act 2007. This fully allows clubs and their trusts to remit monies to RNZWCS, for specific use to fund projects etc, then RNZWCS remits overseas, the only deductions being bank fees, should they occur.