PEACE & CONFLICT - GEORGINA TENNY ROTARIAN

I wanted to share a brief update following my attendance at the launch of Peace Week, hosted by the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution in collaboration with Rotary and PeacePlayers International.

See two photos attached to this email!!

The event brought together students and young professionals committed to peacebuilding, with a focus on developing practical skills in identity awareness, active listening, and conflict transformation. Through interactive sessions and dialogue, we explored how trust, empathy, and understanding can be applied to address division and foster more inclusive communities.

One of the key takeaways for me was the importance of trust as the foundation for any meaningful progress in peacebuilding. The sessions reinforced that peace is not just a global goal, but something that is built through everyday actions and relationships.

It was also inspiring to see the continued impact of Rotary’s work in this space, particularly its emphasis on grassroots engagement, partnership, and service. The event highlighted the importance of collaboration in scaling peace initiatives and contributing to broader global goals, including the SDGs.

I am grateful for the opportunity to be involved in this experience and look forward to continuing to build on these insights within our community.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

I’ve also shared a short reflection on LinkedIn:
 

As we head into Peace Week, this moment feels deeply personal to me.

Today, I had the privilege of attending the launch of Peace Week at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University, in collaboration with PeacePlayers International and Rotary International. What struck me most was a simple but powerful truth: peace is not abstract. It is built daily through trust, empathy, and the courage to listen.

In a world marked by division, we were reminded that peacebuilding begins with understanding identity, practising active listening, and committing to transformative dialogue. It begins with us.

One idea stayed with me: to do anything meaningful, we must first be able to trust each other. That resonated deeply. Peace is not just a global aspiration; it is something we carry into our everyday lives. It’s the ability to go to sleep with peace of mind and wake up with hope.

As a member of St Peter’s Rotary Club, I feel especially inspired by Rotary’s enduring commitment to peace as a humanitarian mission. From its role in the founding of the United Nations to its work on the ground today, Rotary reminds us that real change is built through community, partnership, and action.

Grateful to learn from and alongside leaders like Rose Cardarelli, Ed.D., FACHE, and to see firsthand the impact of Rotary’s global network, including Rotary Club of Washington Global, Rotary District 7620 , and Rotary International District 7610.

This week reaffirmed something I have always felt at my core: I am here to give back. To contribute to something bigger than myself. To be part of building a more peaceful, inclusive, and compassionate world.

The future of peacebuilding is not somewhere far away—it is being shaped right now, by all of us willing to show up, listen, and lead.

 

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Community Projects
School Kitchen Garden
The School Kitchen Garden is a hands-on learning program whereby students learn how to grow, harvest, prepare and serve fresh food. They become involved is planting seeds, watering, fertilising and caring for edible plants. 
 
They harvest the crop and then learn how to store, prepare, cook and serve them as nutritious food. No doubt they enjoy eating the fruits of their labour and thereby develop an understanding of vegetable farming from paddock to plate.
 
The Rotary Club of St Peters in conjunction with the MGA Whittles Community Foundation supports the Trinity Gardens School Kitchen Garden.
 
Stephanie Alexander AO, one of Australia’s most recognised cooks, food educators and authors, established the Kitchen Garden Foundation in 2004, following the success of the first kitchen garden program piloted in 2001.
 
The motivation for this work came from Stephanie’s awareness of the growing childhood obesity problem in Australia.
 
The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation supports early childhood services and primary and secondary schools across Australia.
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Water Safety Skills

The Rotary Club of St Peters sponsored a $2300 grant to teach swimming skills and raise awareness of beach dangers for new Australians and refugees.

 
New arrivals in Australia, especially from certain countries, have a higher risk of drowning due to factors such as limited experience with swimming and water safety, and a lack of awareness about local hazards. In 2024, there were 323 drowning deaths in Australia -- which represents a 165% increase over a 10-year period. According to media coverage, 25% of these were people born overseas. This statistic has been picked up by the press which has noted an urgent need for immigrants to learn water safety skills. 
sponsored a class for up to 20 participants to help them develop water safety skills and increase their water safety awareness. These one-hour classes would be run over four weeks from Friday 30 May to Friday 20 June 2025. The Royal Life Saving Society would identify and select the participants.
 
The program, developed in concert with Royal Lifesaving Society SA, sponsored a water skills class for up to 20 participants. The 1.5-hour classes will run over five weeks and commenced Monday 19 May. The courses include 45 minutes on theory, i.e. CPR, and 45 minutes practical in the pool. Sixteen participants from China and India took part. 
 
NOTE: PHOTO IS FOR PLACEHOLDER PURPOSES. SOURCED FROM PEXELS WEBSITE.
 
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Norwood International High School Pedal Prix

Annual Sponsorship 

In 2024, the Rotary Club of St Peters' sponsorship of $4,000 was a key contributor to the team's success and realistically the turning point of getting the 2024 cohort of students across to the Energy Breakthrough in Victoria, according to Manager Ben Campbell. The team took it from there, Campbell said, rode brilliantly and survived a challenging (but a heck of fun) race.

 In 2025, the sponsorship partnership continued with a further allocation of $4,000, the focus this period being on supporting the team in competitions, becoming energy efficient and the development of leadership, communication and team building.
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Environmental Projects

 

ENVIRONMENTAL GRANTS

 Grants of $1,000 or more to individuals, community groups, education groups and businesses to assist them to undertake local level actions or projects that will make a positive difference to the environment. 

East Adelaide Primary School - Bush Tucker Garden

Adelaide East Education Centre - Specialised education equipment -2 Sensory Tables and installation of raised garden beds

Jacks Farm - re-afforestation post a significant storm

 
Selection of awardees will be based on:
  • the environmental impact the project will have
  • the project’s simplicity and its applicability to other groups
  • the ability of the project to be sustained without ongoing financial support from the RCSP
  • evidence that any previously RCSP funded project has been maintained, where appropriate
Projects must be acquitted within the current (at time of application) financial year.
 
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Foundation for Australia's Most Endangered Species (FAME)
FAME is actively involved in conservation efforts, 
After the devastating bushfires of 2019/2020 that raised concerns about the Kangaroo Island Assassin Spider survival. FAME's focus is to prevent the extinction of the critically endangered Kangaroo Island assassin spider (Zephyrarchaea Austin) various initiatives, including habitat restoration and funding ecological surveys. The spider is no ordinary arachnid. 
2026 The Club is supporting the Protecting the Sandhill Dunnart program.


NOTE: PHOTO IS PLACEHOLDER ONLY
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International Projects

 
Vision of Islands
Vision of Islands is a non-profit volunteer eye surgical and clinical team, providing free-of-charge cataract removal for South Pacific Islanders (of all ages) who would otherwise be blind. To date the team, led by ophthalmologist Dr John Willoughby OAM, has worked in Tonga and Tuvalu.
 

Can you help restore sight to people in our neighbouring Pacific nations? The Rotary Club of Mobilong seeks financial support from clubs in District 9510 to allow Dr John Willoughby and his team to continue and extend this work.

Vision of Islands operates under the direction of the Ministry of Health of each participating country. Their medical outreach team trains the local medical staff in patient care. They provide medical and teaching equipment and train local staff in their use, as well as extend specialist eye services to remote areas where people lack specialist services because of remoteness.
 


For personal or corporate tax deductions click on this link:  https://donations.rawcs.com.au/58 -2023-24

 
 
 
Dr. John Willoughby | YouTube
Books for Lesotho (B4L)
Books for Lesotho (B4L) collects, sorts, packs and transports books that are suitable for placing in libraries in schools in Lesotho, Africa. All books must be in good condition and either in English or Sesotho. The Rotary Club of St Peters Inc supports B4L through donations of books carefully selected and screened for suitability by the “Books” team at the Rotary Shed on Linde, Stepney.
 
The Rotary Shed operates on the premise of a circular economy, donated books are sorted by condition, with soiled unsaleable books taken by a group for recycling into pet litter. Saleable books are then categorised into genre. Those in demand by B4L are packaged and forwarded on for distribution to schools in Lesotho. The Rotary Club St Peters understands that distribution comes at a cost and an annual donation of $1.000 is made to B4L to assist cover the costs.
 
Fiction and non-fiction books are donated by schools which no longer require them, libraries cleaning out their shelves and private donors. These are then packed by volunteers according to their suitability for different age groups, ensuring each school receives a range of books for different reading proficiencies.
 
Shipments of books are sent to Rotary Club of Maloti (RCoMA). These books have been used in Rotary Projects that have included the establishment of several “community libraries”. These libraries are also used by nearby schools. Books have also been delivered to a pre-school.
 
Lesotho is home to some 2500 primary schools and 250 high schools, and it is Books for Lesotho's dream to see a library in every one of these schools. 
 
NOTE: PHOTO IS PLACEHOLDER ONLY. SOURCED FROM B4L WEBSITE.
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AllKids - Cambodia
AllKids is a not-for-profit organisation providing education to disadvantaged children. The AllKids program is focused on the coastal commune of Ream in Sihanouk Province, Cambodia.
 
Many of the local of children were not attending school or only attending infrequently. The AllKids Learning Centres offer tuition in programs not available in the public schools such as English and IT. 
 
Paul Otto has been working in Cambodia with Allkids for over ten years. The first project was the dental scheme supported by the Rotary Club of St Peters and MGA Insurance. Oral hygiene is critical to cognitive development. Allkids works closely with the Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC) in Phnom Penh which provides pediatric care and carries out operations and procedures that AllKids families would otherwise not be able to afford.
 
AllKids commenced in 2012, with the primary objective being to ensure that all children in the Ream Commune of Cambodia, have access to education. Since 2012 AllKids have provided educational services to over 1500 children. The AllKids Learning Centres offer tuition in programs not available in the public schools such as English and IT.
 
Through the Kids to School project, AllKids provide students with all the materials which they need and the team work closely with local public schools to financially assist vulnerable families, allowing even the most underprivileged children access to education.
 
2021 Another centre was opened at Prek Trabaek which is located in the south-eastern corner of Ream. Just over 90 school aged children live in the area and the closest public school is 17.5 kilometres away. Providing these kids with access to a variety of educational programs will complete AllKids mission to give all children in the Ream Commune access to education.
 
This new school was partly funded as a RAWCs (Rotary Australia World Community Service) Project through Jenny Neale, partner of PDG Jeff Neale and championed throughout the District 9510 by PDG Wendy Gaborit, President of the RC of St Peters.
 
The Rotary Club of St Peters has donated significant sums of money to support the Allkids project
 
Learn More About AllKids
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