Service in Action

By Imelda Mercedes Medina, MD MPH, Chair of the Rotarian Public Health Fellowship, member of Rotary Club Miami Airport (District 6990), and President of Familias Unidas International, Inc.

According to UN-Habitat, three billion people (about 40% of the world’s population) will need access to adequate housing by the year 2030. Currently, approximately 100 million people around the world are experiencing homelessness, and one in four lives in harmful conditions. 

The World Health Organization states that improved housing conditions can save lives, prevent disease, increase quality of life, reduce poverty, and help protect our mother earth.  Healthy housing provides a feeling of home, including a sense of belonging, security, and privacy. It supports a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being.   

At Rotary, we know the importance of housing and having a home, so we are taking action.  The Rotarian Public Health Fellowship was created to bring together Rotary members, as well as anyone interested in Public Health. We participate in public health-related activities to network, help people in need, learn, and have fun.

OUR ACTIVITIES

We created the Housing Presentation Series with the goal of learning and sharing housing best practices from around the world.  These are some of the meetings we conducted during the Rotary year 2022-2023.

1. The Power of Coming Together, a Rotarian-led Low-Cost Shelters Project to help vulnerable communities in Bangladesh.

We had the honor of meeting with Past District Governor  Jamal Uddin Miah from the Rotary Club of Narayanganj Midtown (Bangladesh) and Past District Governor John Leddy from the Rotary Club of Hamilton (Australia). They shared that over 5,000 people experiencing homelessness have benefited from 613 low-cost shelters constructed using a people-centered community-driven approach in Bangladesh in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Initially, 530 low-cost shelters were built with support from 46 clubs from Bangladesh and abroad, as well as with assistance through Rotary Matching Grants, a former grant type of The Rotary Foundation. Then, in 2008 the Rotary Club of Hamilton (Australia) used direct contributions and District Grants to build 83 additional homes, in partnership with Rotary clubs from their district. 

District grants continue to support club and district-led low-cost shelter projects.

2. “My Home” Housing Program

My Home Australasia Limited is a facilitator for housing and land development prioritizing support for vulnerable communities.  Ms. Michelle Blakeley, the Founder and Chair of this initiative, spoke with us.

“My Home” provides housing for people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. It’s an innovative program that facilitates philanthropic funding from the private sector using public land, which would otherwise not be used, to provide low-cost housing in accordance with Housing First principles. They use a public-private partnership model, which brings together government, faith-based organizations, the private sector, and community housing providers to share the responsibility of providing housing. 

Rotary clubs from District 9455 in Australia have come together to help provide furniture, appliances, electrical work, linens, utensils, accessories, landscaping, fruit and vegetable gardens, and outdoor articles, among other items.  Rotary members also arrange a welcome pack for each new resident so there is food in the fridge and a delicious meal for the first night.

3. Learning Together: What is Housing First? 

Through Housing First, the dignity of every person is honored. Their right to health and to have a home, as well as their personal values, choices, and needs are understood and respected. Every person’s autonomy is supported, their empowerment is advanced, and the fulfillment of the person’s life project (purpose in life) is enabled and encouraged. Individuals receive the assistance they need to access housing and supportive services as quickly as possible, but eligibility for housing does not depend on any condition other than the willingness to maintain tenancy. When supportive service is chosen by the person, it’s provided in a flexible way and for as long as it’s needed. Housing First is a person-centered, evidence-based approach to providing housing and support to people experiencing homelessness. In line with the Principles for Housing First and the Person-Centered Care Index, Housing First is a model through which people receive individualized care with an ethical commitment and cultural sensitivity, in a holistic way, with a relational focus, common ground for diagnosis & care, and within a person-centered system of care.   

GET INVOLVED!

Are you interested in

• Helping with housing in your community and in other countries? 
• Learning more about Person-Centered Care and People-Centered Public Health?
• Participating in global health conferences?

Join us today! Submit your membership application (it takes a few minutes and it is FREE) or send us an email to rotarianpublichealthfellowship@gmail.com.

 June is Rotary Fellowships Month! We are celebrating by sharing inspirational stories from Fellowships all month. We hope these stories inspire you to join or start a Rotary Fellowship. Learn more about Rotary’s more than 100 Fellowships and their activities.