Mountains of the Moon

RFFA Hero Award

John — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 03:15:11 +0000

RFFA (Rotarains For Fighting AIDS), Australia Chair PDG Fred Loneragan received the RFFA Hero award at the District 9700 change over in Leeton. Here is PDG Fred receiving the award from IPDG Ian Simpson. This award was made by the full board of RFFA and is in memory of the CEO of RFFA, Marion Bunch, whose son Jerry contracted AIDS from a blood transfusion.
Jerry was the catalyst behind Marion forming the RFFA Action Group to fight HIV/AIDS through Rotary.

DG Ian Simpson, John Glassford, PDG Fred Loneragan

“The annual District 9700 Change Over was held at the Leeton Returned Soldiers Club in conjunction with the Leeton Rotary Club’s 71st Change Over Dinner. Over 170 Rotarians and their partners were present at the function. It was a long night and the best was left to almost last which was the presentation to PDG Fred Loneragan with the RFFA Jerry’s Hero Award. DG Ian Simpson made the presentation and introduced John Glassford as a RFFA Board member and of course PDG Fred.

DG Ian read out a message from Marion Bunch which was warmly received by all present. The award is a beautiful crystal red AIDS ribbon, made in Atlanta, delivered to Bangkok and then to Leeton in ONE piece. Fred was very surprised and delighted to receive the award on behalf of the children of Africa. The dinner then concluded with the change over from IPDG Ian Simpson to incoming DG Greg Brown.”

CONGRATULATIONS FRED!

Rotary Africa

John — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 04:01:23 +0000

Here is a story from the December edition of Rotary Africa on Marion Bunch our CEO of RFFA.

RFFA Award PDG Stephen Mwanje Kenya

Wagga Wagga Rotary Meeting

John — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 06:26:43 +0000

Thursday night 16th February Wagga Wagga Rotary Club held a Mountains of the Moon evening with PDG Fred Loneragan and John Glassford as guest speakers for the night. It was a most enjoyable evening of fellowship and fun. Coolamon Rotary was well received along side our projects for RFFA in Africa.

Their Sargent at Arms was in fine form and we laughed a lot and he raised a bit of cash at the same time.

The presentation went very well and Fred and John gave a good account of the adventure in Uganda. The Nonceba Project was the emphasis so that the members of Wagga Wagga would consider supporting Hout Bay Rotary and this amazing project on a long term basis. The evening ended with a rousing Advance Australia Fair the Wagga Wagga Rotarians have some fine voices.

The MoM Team

The Cheque for $5,109

Left to Right: John Glassford, Susan Wingate-Pearse, Helen Maxwell, Rae Loneragan, Mark Janetzki, PDG Fred Loneragan, Mary Henley-Collopy and Wagga Wagga President Barry Francis.

Channel 7 Interview

John — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 04:51:31 +0000

Here is the interview played on Channel & Prime TV recently on the adventure in Uganda.

School of St. Jude’s Celebrates 10 Years

John — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 23:37:17 +0000

One of the beneficiaries of the Mountains of the Moon climb as they were on the Kili 28/8 Climb in 2007.

Simply stunning result all round well done Gemma Sisia and congratulations.

More Photos from Uganda

John — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 07:56:42 +0000

These are random photos and have a lot of meaning to us all on this adventure.

Enchanted Forest of Moss

Some More Photos from the Climb/Trek

John — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 07:39:06 +0000

Fred and a Friend

Here are a few photos showing some of the things we had to do to get to 4,000 metres where a summit attempt could be made. It was hard work and as you know only two reached teh summit. These photos are from Fred Madden thanks mate.

Women Leaders in Action

John — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 22:18:18 +0000

RFFA is doing some great work in partnership with a leading US Bank called the US Bank based in Atlanta. Their Vice Chair Pam Joseph and our own Marion Bunch are supporting a Maasai school in Kenya, enjoy the video and support RFFA on our web site: RFFA

Climbing through rain forest

John — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 07:05:05 +0000

The Mountains of the Moon Team going through rain forest. Hats off to the porters who carry 22 kgs with incredible strength up steep slopes of slippery rocks and mud. These are strong men who earn very little and are rewarded with tips from the climbers. I hope their lot improves as more people go to the Rwenzoris.

Crossing Rivers

John — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 07:03:42 +0000

Some of the timber ladders provided to cross raging streams were very dicey but strong you just needed to trust your guides.

Snow on the Equator

John — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 07:02:07 +0000

Moses Kashumba and Fred Madden with the RFFA banner

Summit day on Mount Margherita. Seven of us started out to climb this mountain for the children of Africa and two made it to the top. Here are some photos of the day Moses and Fred made it. Both Moses and Fred now want to join Rotary and I hope they will. Moses Kashumba and Fred Madden we salute you and thank you for taking the RFFA banner to the third highest mountain in Africa. It was tough and we are told that only 2-3% of those who attempt this climb achieve the summit.

Nonceba Cape Town

John — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 06:31:45 +0000

One of the most heart wrenching places to visit in Cape Town is the Nonceba project. It is also a place of hope for the future of these young children who have been traumatised by the “virgin cure”. Please read the web sites below:

Nonceba Web Site

Ashley Kaimowitz

Here are some photographs taken during our visit there:

Mathare a Fashion Parade

John — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 03:55:01 +0000

These children are orphans and are supported through Rotarians for Fighting AIDS Orphan Rescue programme. They gave us a remarkable insight into their lives and put on one heck of a show for us when we visited them in Nairobi on December 7th. Without a shadow of doubt the monies we are raising for their schooling is producing excellent results in this wretched slum of Mathare in Nairobi where they exist.

Home from Uganda

John — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 01:46:49 +0000

We have returned home from one heck of an adventure and I will write up several stories here over the Christmas break. It was without doubt the toughest thing that we have ever done. Two in our team of seven made it to the summit of Mount Margherita: Moses Kashumba from Tanzania and Fred Madden from Bathurst.

UNAIDS Report 2011

John — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 16:58:34 +0000

UNAIDS REPORT 2011

The number of people dying of AIDS-related causes fell to 1.8 million***** [1.6 million–1.9 million] in 2010, down from a peak of 2.2 million [2.1 million–2.5 million] in the mid-2000s. A total of 2.5 million deaths have been averted in low- and middle-income countries since 1995 due to antiretroviral therapy being introduced, according to new calculations by UNAIDS. Much of that success has come in the past two years when rapid scale-up of access to treatment occurred; in 2010 alone, 700 000 AIDS related deaths were averted. The proportion of women living with HIV has remained stable at 50% globally, although women are more affected in sub-Saharan Africa (59% of all people living with HIV) and the Caribbean (53%).

There were 2.7 million [2.4 million–2.9 million] new HIV infections in 2010, including an estimated 390 000 [340 000–450 000] among children. This was 15% less than in 2001, and 21% below the number of new infections at the peak of the epidemic in 1997. The number of people becoming infected with HIV is continuing to fall, in some countries more rapidly than others. HIV incidence has fallen in 33 countries, 22 of them in sub-Saharan Africa, the region most affected by the AIDS epidemic.

***** That is still around 5,100 people dying every single day of the year and the result more and more ORPHANS.

They NEED Us Now!