may 2016 newsletter of rc red sea - el gouna 2016 newsletter...breast cancer awareness – 27th may...
TRANSCRIPT
Club ID 86630
EGYPTAIR
MS804 –
Karim Swellam
Tears were shed at our meeting on
24th
May as we remembered the 66
people who lost their lives on Egypt
Air Flight MS804.
Club President Sherif Abdel Aziz
called for a one minute silence, and
this was followed by a prayer and
the lighting of a candle.
Rotary member Danielle Gilles
attended the meeting. Her beloved 32
year old son Karim Swellam was on
the flight.
Karim was travelling with his
fiancée Isabelle to Egypt to attend a
cousin’s wedding in Cairo.
MAY NEWSLETTER
MAY 2016
What’s Inside:
• EGYPTAIR MS804
• BREAST CANCER AWARNESS
• DISTRICT EVENTS
• FIRST ANNIVERSARY
• 10th
COMMUNITY FORUM
• RAMADAN 2016
• 70th
BIRTHDAY
• YOGA ON THE BEACH
Danielle’s son Karim Swellam was
born in Alexandria in 1983.
Karim was athletic, charismatic,
sensitive, a hard worker, a strong
business leader, and had a passion
for travel.
Karim was also passionate about
sport, and enjoyed rugby, squash,
and swimming.
In October 2014, Karim started his
company Hydraulec in D’Argenteuil
which specialized in thermal
equipment and air conditioning.
For six years, he joined the barracks
of D’Argenteuil as a volunteer fire-
fighter where he achieved the
position of lieutenant.
This was the last photo that Karim
sent to Danielle. He and Isabelle
enjoyed walking in the countryside
at weekends.
Karim Swellam achieved so much:
an amazing life to be celebrated. Our
hearts are with Danielle and her
family during this unimaginably
difficult time.
BREAST CANCER
AWARENESS –
27TH MAY 2016
Breast cancer survivor and Rotarian
Mick Verhoogen has started a
Rotary Club of Red Sea - El Gouna
Pink Ribbon Committee to raise
awareness of breast cancer and the
importance of regular check-ups.
Working together with Gouna
Technical Nursing Institute, the first
breast cancer awareness event was
held on Friday 27th May at 3 pm at
El Gouna Church.
The event was aimed at the Arabic
speaking women in the community
of El Bustan in El Gouna, and
around 75 women attended.
A slide show presentation was given
by Ms Heba Boshra from GTNI, an
experienced Egyptian nursing
faculty member specialising in
women and family focuses practice.
She talked about the importance of a
healthy lifestyle to help prevent
cancer, about attending
mammogram and ultra-sound
examinations to detect abnormalities
in the breast, and gave a
demonstration of breast self-exam.
Pink ribbons, which are the symbol
of breast cancer awareness, were
distributed to all the women who
attended.
Women over 40 years of age can
attend free mammograms at the
mobile breast screening unit at
Hurghada General Hospital.
DISTRICT
EVENTS 2016
Incoming President 2016-17 Dr
Rafeek Ramzy has been busy
attending Rotary District events in
Cairo this month. On 13th
May 2016,
the Public Image Seminar was held
at the Marriott Hotel in Zamalek,
Cairo.
Minister of Tourism Yayha Rashid,
attended and spoke about efforts to
increase tourism to Egypt.
On 14th
May, Dr Rafeek Ramzy also
attended the District Training
Assembly which was held for
Incoming Presidents and Honorary
Secretaries in Cairo.
FIRST
ANNIVERSARY
CELEBRATION
Rotary Club members and their
partners enjoyed a wonderful dinner
to celebrate the first anniversary
since the official charter date of 20th
April 2015. Meeting for sunset at the
top of the Golf Tower, a five course
dinner followed in The Rotisserie
Restaurant run by Steigenberger
Golf Resort.
Speeches were given by Club
President 2015-16 Sherif Abdel Aziz
and Club Founder Dina Nashed
congratulating the Rotarians on
their successful achievements over
the past year. Incoming President
2016-17 Rafeek Ramzy also spoke
proudly to members, completing the
formalities before welcoming the
newest member Raymond Riad with
the official Rotary pinning
ceremony.
10TH
COMMUNITY
FORUM
Urban Agriculture and Urban
Gardening
The 10th
Community Forum was
held on Sunday 29th
May 2016 with
three fascinating presentations about
urban agriculture start-up
businesses from Cairo.
The first was by Biogas People who
produce biogas in large black plastic
tanks to be used for cooking.
The next presentation by Schaduf
was about creating green spaces in
Cairo. They have created rooftop
farms and gardens, and vertical
garden walls.
You can see an example of a vertical
garden on the wall of the Fanadir
Hotel in El Gouna.
Schaduf help install farms on
rooftops in low income
neighborhoods, and then help
market and sell the fresh produce.
The third business start-up
presentation from Cairo by
Agrimatic was about producing soil-
less high quality agriculture. Again
this is a solution for roof top
sustainable farming using aquaponic
and hydroponic systems.
There were also two interesting
presentations from Berlin and about
urban agriculture, one of which was
about a community garden called
‘Himmelbeet’ using old wooden
pallets as growing containers that
are hired out to anyone interested in
growing their own food.
The final presentation was about
agriculture in the Red Sea region,
presenting facts and figures about
the types of crops and fedans used in
the Red Sea Governorate for
farming
The community forum was closed by
Prof. Dr. Rudolf Schäfer, Study
Dean of Department of Urban
Development at TUB, and
Moderator of Community Forum
2030.
RAMADAN 2016
Preparations have begun early for
Rotary’s help for those in need
during Ramadan which starts on 6th
June 2016. Medicine, clothing, and
toys have been sorted and will be
distributed in Hurghada during the
Holy Month.
Weekly Meeting
31st May 2016
For our final weekly meeting in May,
we had the great pleasure to
welcome again Mrs Aisha Abu El
Nour, novelist, journalist, and
member of Rotary Club Shams
October.
Mrs Aisha is one of the founder
members of RC Shams October
which was established in April 2014.
The club has achieved many
impressive projects. A rural area
near to 6th
October was chosen for
an eye medical convoy with Magrabi
Hospital, and a football ground was
prepared for the children.
They are also supporting literacy
projects, not only for children but
for adults too.
A Hepatitis C awareness program
was held in an area with 5000
residents, and water and sanitation
projects were organised in Ben Suef
Governorate where 215 homes have
been connected with clean water.
70TH BIRTHDAY
CELEBRATION
Rotary Member and Rotary
Foundation Committee Chair Mick
Verhoogen celebrated her 70th
birthday this month. She held a
wonderful private party in the
gardens around the swimming pool
at her apartment.
Guests included a visiting Rotarian
and his wife from Rotary Club
Brussels Coudenberg in District 2170
Happy Birthday Mick!!
YOGA ON THE
BEACH
With all the hard work it is great to
have the opportunity to relax
together and strengthen bonds of
friendship between Rotary Club
members. During Earth Week 2016
we entered the Recycled Raft Race
and after finishing in 9th
position, we
were lucky enough to win free yoga
sessions.
On 12th
May, we claimed our prize
with a private class at Kiteboarding
Club El Gouna along Mangroovy
Beach with Yoga Instructor
Christine Haar.