Signature Projects

Below, we have highlighted a few of our repeat projects and programmes that we undertake annually (pre-COVID-19):

 
  • Provision of eye-testing and glasses for the prisoners at the Maximum Security Prisons for over 20 years through Dalton-Brown Optometrists
  • Provision of music teacher and lessons for the La Sieva RC School students
  • Provision of SEA teacher for the La Sieva RC School Std 5 students to give extra lessons 
    • We saw the students perform extremely better from the last SEA exam where the top student passed for QRC which was a first for the school
  • Work with the Rampanalgas RC School to improve literacy and aid teaching
    • Provision of 40 tablets over the last few years 
  • Agriculture and cooking classes with the students of the St. Ann’s/Cascade Life Centre
    • The students grow their own kitchen garden in the school compound and then use the produce to learn to cook simple meals.
    • These cooking sessions are facilitated through our members, friends and family

Fundraisers

Jazz Under the Stars
We would have hosted the 9th version of Jazz last year but due to COVID-19 we did not have it. This event, over the years, saw us showcase several local and regional Jazz, Chutney Soca and young raw talents. In more recent years we have been graced by the extraordinary talent of Arturo Tappin who has served as our frontliner and truly increased the visibility and reach of our fundraising event. We hope to explore having this event in the near future.
 
Soup Fest 
This has been hosted for several years by the Club where we leverage off of our relationships with local chefs, restaurants and individuals who sponsor various types of soups that are then served to supporters. One can taste a variety of different soups and stay and dine with family and friends while being entertained by local talent. 
 
Carnival Fund Cruise
This occurred in recent years and saw us feteing for a cause! We hosted a boat cruise on the Harbour Master at Carnival that was truly a delight and look forward to being able to do the same over the next few years once it can be done safely.
 
Reinterpretation of some of our Signature Projects and Fundraisers
Like most NGOs we are quite hands-on and therefore when COVID-19 hit, we were forced to dig deep to figure out how we would be able to do fundraisers to help keep up the work that we do and more importantly support the many persons who depend on our help.
However through innovation, support and love, we were able to help those in need during the pandemic year as follows:
  • Donation of Feminine Hygiene Products to the Women’s Prison through the kind sponsorship of PeopleBridge Charitable Foundation in Canada 
  • Donation of 10 food hampers gifted to families within the St Ann’s/Cascade Life Centre  
    • This was gifted to us by our sister Club, Rotary Club of Princess Town. They received these hampers from the Pricemart foundation and this reemphasises the power of the Rotary network
  • Donation of 82 tablets to the 5 schools. 
    • This was a culmination of many different kind hearted persons as the funding came through a grant that we won from our Rotary District, PeopleBridge Charitable Foundation, one of our honorary members and her family and then in kind sponsorship from Caribbean Airlines Cargo, Ramps Logistics and Fairway Freight
    • Maraval Rotary Club donates 82 tablets to 5 schools (newsday.co.tt)
  • Donation to individuals in need 
    • We receive several requests for help and while the Rotary Club’s structure is necessarily ideal for continuous help to individual cases we do offer one-off help as best we can to persons and if we cannot we try our best to see if we can connect the persons to other organizations that can further assist.
    • This type of support many times comes straight out of our members’ pockets and so we continue to be very thankful for all of our members, their families and what they do to make a difference.
  • Donation of school supplies to the 5 primary schools 
    • This was a Back to School drive that was undertaken by our PR Chair in partnership with our Rotaract Club of Maraval who represent the youth arm of our organization and are doing wonderful projects under their president Renee Bailey and making a huge difference one project at a time.
  • Donation of care packages to the St Andrews’ Home for the Elderly 
    • This is a longstanding project that is spearheaded by two of our longstanding Rotarians who also run a wonderful fun bingo with the residents but were unable to do so due to the restrictions. 
  • Rampanalgas Christmas Gift Donation
    • As mentioned we normally have a wonderful day with the students of Rampanalgas RC for Christmas where our members are responsible for purchasing gifts and we have our resident Santa, the well-known Cricket coach Mr Colin Borde and other sponsors such as KFC come on board to give the students a memorable Christmas party. This year we were unable to have the party but were able to still spread some Christmas joy through Christmas party bags and gifts for all the students. 
  • Donations to the St Ann’s /Cascade Life Centre
    • To help ensure an even better equipped environment for the students to participate in the cooking classes, the kitchen cupboards were recently renovated .
    • This was done through part sponsorship of the MP for the area
    • A refurbished photocopier was donated to the centre through one of our members who work at TSL.
  • Donation of 16 hampers to the Rampanalgas Community which was gifted to us through a group of 9 persons from the Nutrien Finance Department who pooled together to purchase the items from Price Club supermarket in Chaguanas. When this was received, our Club coordinated through the principal of Rampanalgas Mrs. Nainah Ali and the hampers were distributed to the families.
International Focus
As mentioned Rotary is international and so we have developed a partnership with the Rotary Club of Secunderabad West in India along with 5 other clubs from the US and Italy to assist them with purchasing a mobile cancer screening bus that will provide access to hundreds of thousands of persons in the remote parts of India who are unable to gain this type of treatment due to where they live. We are immensely pleased to know that our small donation towards this project will allow for such a great impact to be made. We have also gained a tremendous ally in the Rotary Club of Secunderabad West who are committed to assist us in projects locally as well.
 
Fundraisers
We were able to successfully host our first ever virtual cooking extravaganza and it certainly was a success! This was done in the style of a live cooking show with world-renowned Chef Debbie Sandhina walking our attendees through making a sumptuous meal and offering them tips and tricks that our attendees have advised that they have adopted in their everyday cooking.  We are very grateful to all the participants from home and other countries who helped make it a success. The funds from this will go towards the continue upkeep of our projects focused on Basic Education and Literacy. See link: Maraval hosts virtual regional fundraising dinner (newsday.co.tt)
 
We also have money/ coins that are placed throughout many companies that can be used to provide additional funding to the projects and we encourage persons to give generously.
Upcoming / Ongoing Plans – Project and Fundraisers
The following provides an overview of what we wish to accomplish over the next 6 months:
  • Renovation of the Boissiere RC School’s Library
    • The funds for this were given to us through our successful application for a District grant. Works are currently underway and we will partner with the Let’s Read organization to ensure that the space is outfitted to meet the needs of the students and create a space where reading is encouraged through age appropriate books and a comfortable environment. 
  • Peace and Conflict Resolution Art Competition using Spoken Word, Craft and Song
    • We have recently been recognized as a Peace-Builder Club and so we are very much focused on hosting projects that can help spread the message of positive peace. 
    • Therefore, we will be engaging with the 5 Maraval Primary schools to do peace and conflict resolution sessions with the teachers and students 
  • Childhood Obesity Prevention Awareness Program
    • Our District all Rotary Clubs to focus on Childhood Obesity Prevention and Awareness 
    • We are still working out how we will implement this as our initial plan was a long term project that would have been rolled out with one the Maraval schools that would have seen the students and parents learning how to prepare healthy snacks, to having the schools reduce the selling of sugary drinks and snacks and even promote the drinking of water through the installation of water coolers at the school. Due to COVID-19 we are unable to do this, however we are working on the ways in which these sessions may be able to be done virtually
  • Providing a SEA teacher to give extra lessons to the Std 5 students at La Sieva RC School
    • This will be done for one month on Saturdays
    • This is all with the focus that the students will perform even better in the upcoming SEA exam