As a celebration of Rotary Queensland's Centenary, Rotary Queensland has committed to raising sufficient funding to establish a perpetual chair and research funding in Neuroscience at the University of Queensland Brain Institute.
Prof Graeme Nimmo RFD is patron of the Break Through Project.
Nearly 1.4 billion employed people live on less than $1.25 a day. Our members promote economic and community development and reduce poverty in underserved communities through training, well-paying jobs, and access to financial management institutions. Projects range from providing people with equipment to vocational training. Our members work to strengthen local entrepreneurs and community leaders, particularly women, in impoverished communities.
In our club one of the ways we do this is by support the Kyeema Foundation's work in Papua New Guinea - read more in the link below.
I recently had the opportunity to spend three weeks in my home country of Portugal (I was born there, but I grew up in New Zealand), introducing my nine-year-old daughter to her heritage and spending time with family. I’m grateful for the full support and encouragement of the club, which made it possible for me to take this time away from my presidential duties. Balancing work, life, and service is essential, and it's a privilege to be part of a club that values and supports this approach.
While I was away, we made the collective decision to postpone the Alumni and Friends Lunch to early February, allowing us to make it a great event in the new year.
Since returning, we’ve successfully launched the 100 Years Historical Booklet, an event that went very well. We were honoured to welcome some important guests who have ties to our club’s history.
Thank you all for your continued dedication and for keeping everything running smoothly in my absence. It’s a reminder that our club’s strength lies in the efforts of everyone working together.
Warm regards, Angela Murphy President 2024-25 Rotary Club of Brisbane
At the Rotary Club of Brisbane meeting on 14th October 2024, the presentation was delivered by Nigel Harris AM, with an update provided by Professor Pankaj Sah on the Queensland Brain Institute's (QBI) work. Professor Sah outlined the goals of the Chair of Neuroscience project, emphasising its significance in advancing research in neurological diseases, particularly dementia and Alzheimer’s, which are poised to become the leading causes of death in Australia.
Nigel Harris then took the floor to discuss the broader ambitions of the project and Rotary's role in raising $5 million to establish a Perpetual Chair of Neuroscience. He began by posing several fundamental questions to the audience—WHY this project is important, WHY it will matter to people, WHY people will donate, and HOW Rotary can achieve such a significant fundraising target.
Teacher in a Box - In many rural villages in developing countries there is no internet, and even in places where there is internet it may be unreliable, or the cost limits people’s use. Teacher in a Box has a huge positive impact where there are limited teaching resources or teachers with limited training or education themselves. We send ours to PNG.
Queensland Breakthrough Project- To mark Rotary Queensland's Centenary, we're teaming with Rotary Clubs across the state to raise funds for a perpetual chair and research in Neuroscience at the University of Queensland Brain Institute (PDG Tim Keeler)***Major announcement pending***
RARE aka Rotary Australia Repurposing Equipment- A volunteer-based recycling facility collecting and redistributing medical and educational goods. We often need hands to help pack containers of medical equipment and school supplies to send to Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands etc (IPP Phil Saxby, Dickson Ken).
Jeanette Johnstone, a retired Business Analyst and Project Manager from the Queensland Department of Education, has dedicated her post-retirement years to revolutionizing education in underserved regions.As a committed member of the Rotary Club of Paddington, Queensland, she founded the 'Teacher in a Box' (TIB) initiative, a testament to her unwavering commitment to global education.
The inception of TIB traces back to 2012 during a Rotary visit to Arusha, Tanzania.Jeanette observed firsthand the acute shortage of teaching resources in local schools and the challenges posed by unreliable and costly internet access.Determined to bridge this educational divide, she envisioned an offline solution to deliver quality educational content to these communities.
Collaborating with Patrick Hackett, an IT student and volunteer at Computers 4 Learning—a Rotary project—Jeanette transformed this vision into reality.Together, they repurposed donated laptops, equipping them with a vast array of educational materials, including videos, lessons, and books.These laptops, when connected to a small router, can share content with up to 100 devices, facilitating both classroom instruction and self-paced learning.This innovative approach ensures that students in remote areas, devoid of reliable internet connectivity, have access to invaluable educational resources.
Under Jeanette's leadership, TIB has expanded its reach, making a significant impact in countries such as Liberia, Tanzania, Kenya, Cambodia, Papua New Guinea, and the Philippines.Her dedication has not only provided essential tools for education but has also ignited a passion for learning among countless students.Jeanette's work exemplifies the profound impact of combining technological innovation with a heartfelt commitment to service.
The Rotary Club of Brisbane is proud to be supporting this initiative. With recent funding secured for nine new Teacher in a Box units, a team including Dickson, Ken, and others will soon travel to Papua New Guinea and other locations to install the systems and train local users. It’s a powerful example of Rotary collaboration, technology, and practical action coming together to open new doors for education.
In the spirit of reconciliation, the Rotary Club of Brisbane acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea, and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today
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102-2060 Winston Park Drive, Oakville, ON, L6H 5R7
From Monday 12 May 2025 we will meet 6:00 pm on Monday's at The Normanby Hotel.
Most meetings are also available live via Zoom.
No meeting on public holidays - check website for details.
At the Rotary Club of Brisbane meeting on 14th October 2024, the presentation was delivered by Nigel Harris AM, with an update provided by Professor Pankaj Sah on the Queensland Brain Institute's (QBI) work. Professor Sah outlined the goals of the Chair of Neuroscience project, emphasising its significance in advancing research in neurological diseases, particularly dementia and Alzheimer’s, which are poised to become the leading causes of death in Australia.
