HOPE ON THE HORIZON
A wave of hope has been incubating through the passion and assistance of Michael Andritch of
The Fig Garden Rotary Club, Fresno, CA, USA. He first learned of the collaboration between the Lanna Foundation and ITDF through Dr. Eric Hanson, President of Lanna Foundation, and has been driven by his heart to bring hope to the hill tribe ever since. That passion has influenced other local rotary clubs to join in on the exciting work happening with the ITDF as well.
John Schorr, Chiang Mai International Rotary Club, Mike Mann, ITDF and Michael Andritch Fig Garden International Rotary Club.
Michael Andritch has been instrumental in telling the work of the Integrated Tribal Development Foundation throughout the local Rotary Club districts and beyond to include four other countries. Through this process, they have submitted a matching Rotary Global Grant application. The first requirement for grant submission is a host Rotary Club both in the country where the project will take place and state side. The Chiangmai International Rotary Club has graciously offered to fulfill the in-country requirement. They will be responsible for the disbursements, project updates, and much more. ITDF Director Mike Mann has invested many hours completing a detailed assessment and budget for 21 villages required for the grant submission. He was also instrumental in connecting with Chiang Mai International Rotary Club, with whom he built a relationship over the years.
“THE WORK OF ITDF WITHIN THE HILL TRIBE VILLAGES OF NORTHERN
THAILAND FOR THE PAST 25-30 YEARS HAS OPENED MANY EYES AND DOORS IN
ROTARY. IT WAS AN EASY SELL. THE NEED IS SO GREAT, SO BASIC, AND SO
REWARDING; ROTARY CLUBS ARE PROUD TO PLAY A SMALL ROLE IN THE
MASSIVE PROJECT THEY HAVE BEEN SO FERVENT ABOUT. KUDOS TO MIKE AND
BECKY MANN, ITDF, DR. ERIC AND DARLENE HANSON, LANNA FOUNDATION,
AND ALL THE MOST GENEROUS SUPPORTERS OF BOTH FOUNDATIONS.”
-MR. MIKE ANDRITCH, FIG GARDEN ROTARY
Soon after, they received pledges from 31 Rotary Clubs in five countries as well as matching pledges from all five Rotary Districts in those same countries
The local Rotary District 5230 paved the way (Fresno, Tulare, Kings and Monterey Counties).
Shortly after, they received thirty-one pledges from Rotary Districts in four countries, followed by an additional four Rotary District country pledges. Authorizations were needed to complete the Rotary International Global Grant application, which has now been received and the application submitted successfully. The grant request is now being reviewed by the Rotary Foundation which, when final approval is received, will result in additional matching funds allowing the ITDF to complete water & sanitation systems in twenty-one villages. We have been awed by the tremendous generosity and hope created by the visionary rotary projects that have been created by the team efforts of these Rotary Districts. It is amazing that something as simple as Mike Andritch wearing a rotary t-shirt was the seed that has sprouted and grown to impact many villages and people. We are grateful for the work of Rotarians in Fresno, Visalia and Monterey and for Michael’s passion for telling the story of the need to bring clean water as the life-giving foundation of hope to the hill tribe.
We look forward to witnessing the rotary project come to fruition over the next few years.