ROMAC: A long-standing Rotary project needs your help

ROMAC brings children from developing countries in our Pacific region to Australia and New Zealand to receive surgery in our first-world hospitals that is not accessible in their home countries , giving them life and/or dignity. 

It has no paid staff and no leased offices and so, it has minimal fixed costs. Generally, every dollar donated goes to patient care; and our small running expenses are recovered from our investments.   

Operations were stopped during COVID-19, however ROMAC is now back at work. By Easter, at least 6 children will be receiving life-saving treatment with a further 20 plus children requiring after care over the rest of this year. It is an exciting time for ROMAC and Rotary to be able to make such a significant difference in the life of these young children and their families.  

1. Donations from Clubs have dropped to about 50% of level prior to COVID. In the four years prior to COVID, we had 53% of all Clubs in our Zone making a donation to ROMAC; not necessarily every year. In the 2021-22 Rotary year, only 11% of Clubs from across the Region have donated to ROMAC. This year, 2022-23, admittedly with 2 important months to go, less than 4% of Clubs have contributed. 

2. There are many Rotarians and Clubs that know very little about ROMAC and its vital work saving the lives of young children in our region. The last three years have been hard times for everyone with the pandemic, fires and floods and there are many factors taking their toll on providing financial and emotional support to many charities. So, we would appreciate clubs making contact with Southern Region Chair, Minh Nguyen who can be contacted on 0400 179 509 or via email at southern@romac.org.au to arrange a time to give a presentation on ROMAC.

More information on ROMAC can be found on the ROMAC Website