On February 23rd it was Rotary International’s birthday. It also saw the ongoing Thanks for Life / End Polio campaign here in the UK. The target is to raise more then £1 million pounds towards the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation challenge grant. Their organisation has donated US$355 million and Rotary will match it by US$200. I did a tour of the BBC news offices to help in the awareness campaign. This is an extract from BBC Radio 5 live interview which took place on February 21 st 2010. Other alliance members for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative are UNICEF, WHO and the US Centres for Disease control and prevention.
02
Mar
‘Thanks for Life’, a project involving the clubs and members of Rotary International in Great Britain & Ireland, aimed at helping to eradicate polio throughout the world. Thanks For Life is a purpose-built initiative, specifically designed to combine the talents and efforts of every Rotary club in RIBI with these main aims… Continue reading ‘Full Circle India: Thanks for Life; End polio’
Shri Kanti Ganguly, Minister in Charge Department of Sundarban Affairs, Sports and Youth Services Government of West Bengal has set up Prantibhandi Village. It is a small village of education facilities, nursing training, a garment factory – all to support and help young people and their families who have a wide range of disabilities. I was very proud to have been invited to speak at a rally to 15,000 people on 3rd December, the UN day to promote rights for people with disabilities. The event was organised by Shri Kanti Ganguly. It was one of the very few NGO’s in Kolkata that is run mostly by people who have disabilities.
Various news footage of Full Circle Photographic show, Kolkata, India Nov-Dec 2009
A 30 mins current affairs discussion show with Moupia interviewing Gautam Lewis in West Bengal called Spotlight. The show is broadcast on 24 Ghanta – a 24 hour news channel. The areas of discussion include Full Circle exhibition to raise awareness for polio eradication and flying.
Polio survivor Gautam Lewis fight against Polio Comes “Full Circle”
Thirty-two-year-old polio-survivor Gautam Lewis who lives in London will travel to his birthplace of Kolkata India to help in the effort to eradicate polio – a crippling and potentially fatal disease that is still endemic in Afghanistan, India, Nigeria and Pakistan.
After learning about the commitment of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), a partnership of UNICEF, the World Health Organization, Rotary International and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Gautam was inspired to help the campaign to eradicate the disease in India and worldwide forever.
“Full Circle,” an exhibition of thought-provoking photographs centered on GPEI final stand against polio will take place on 4th December 2009. It will be held at Gaganendra Shilpa Pradarshasal. Kolkata, India. Full Circle will depict the valiant fight against polio in India through the photographs of Gautam Lewis. The show in Kolkata is being launched by Mr. Somnath Chatterjee, former Speaker of the Lok Sabha – Indian Parliament House of the People and Mr. H.A. Halim, Speaker of West Bengal Legislative Assembly. Continue reading ‘Fight against Polio Comes “Full Circle”’
12
Nov
The inspiring and thought-provoking photo exhibit ‘Full Circle’ goes on show in Kolkata, India, on 4 December 2009. The photo exhibit is by photographer, polio survivor and polio eradication advocate Gautam Lewis….read the rest of the story at WHO wesbite
28
Oct
Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Goethe
Since the age of seven, it has been my dream to fly aeroplanes and be a pilot. I have had great luck and chance with the various opportunities that I have had in order to realise this dream. I had great family support to get me going on this path, I have several aviation mentors who shadow and watch over me as I continue to learn. Their guidance and advice is priceless. I have lots of flying friends who share the joy of flying with me. And we help one another when we get stuck or go into a cul-de-sac. Next challenge is the ATPL theory course….
The global fight to rid the world of polio, the largest public health programme in history, is said to be in its final stages.
Is eradication possible? Is it worth the enormous cost?
Newshour on the BBC World Service brought together public health experts with very different opinions to debate the issue.
Dr Bruce Aylward is director of the polio eradication programme of the World Health Organisation and Dr D.A. Henderson of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center led the WHO’s successful effort to eradicate smallpox.
Newshour also heard from Nigeria, one of the countries where the polio virus still thrives and from Gautam Lewis, a British pilot and a polio campaigner who suffered from polio as a young child in India. Gautam has spent the last few years assisting Rotary International in their vision for a polio free world.
Listen to the debate, courtesy of the BBC (25 mins 29 secs) / first broadcast 21 February 2009 ( we have added a slideshow to go along with the radio debate)
We are very happy to announce that we have our own set of the Vision Air hand control for the PA28.
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