Wiki Category: RTxx Service Projects

The Disabled Children Fonds (DCF) is a Community Service Project organised by Round Table Austria, providing sustainable medical support to children in Nepal since 1993.

It was the recipient of the CEE RTI Award for Community Service Project of the year 2018–2019.

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Background

The fund was founded in 1993 by Martin Uitz to deliver ongoing medical assistance to children in Nepal. The original flagship project – the Jorpati Hospital in Kathmandu – received funding for many years through interest earnings and donations. It served as the cornerstone for one of Round Table Austria’s most important and enduring international aid initiatives, focusing especially on children with disabilities.

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Current focus

Since 2010, the fund has concentrated on the RTA Children Health Post in Nemuwa, southeastern Nepal. This small clinic provides free, accessible healthcare close to home for approximately 9,000 children and adolescents. Services include regular health check-ups, treatments, and preventive examinations.
The clinic’s operations are sustainably financed through the fund’s returns:
A permanent doctor
A medical assistant
Rotating specialist doctors as needed
The fund currently holds approximately €100,000.

The Concept & Sustainability

The Disabled Children Fund exemplifies sustainable aid in the spirit of Round Table:
transparent financial management and reporting
long-term commitment (over 30 years and counting)
strong collaboration between Austrian Tablers and local Nepalese partners (Tablers and communities)
Funding relies primarily on endowment interest and donations rather than annual campaigns, ensuring continuity even in changing economic conditions. The project maintains close ties with Nepalese Round Table structures for on-site implementation and oversight.

Impact

By delivering free medical care directly in rural areas, the health post significantly improves child health outcomes, reduces travel burdens for families, and prevents many illnesses through early detection and treatment. It stands as a flagship example of how Austrian Tabling creates lasting change far beyond national borders.
Founder & Key Figure: Martin Uitz (initiator and long-time supporter)
Current Fund Volume: approx. €100,000
Main Beneficiaries: ~9,000 children and youth in southeastern Nepal
Location: Nemuwa, Nepal (since 2010); previously Jorpati Hospital, Kathmandu
For more information or to support the fund, contact Round Table Austria via their official channels.

90/10 Project is a Community Service Project organised by Round Table Austria, and was the recipient of the RTI Award for Community Service Project of the year 2023–2024.

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Background

Inspired by the success of twinning projects in South Africa, Sri Lanka, and a table project in Nepal (“RT 11 School”), Norbert Zach developed an innovative idea in 2007. The concept leveraged the strong purchasing power of the Austrian currency to support international aid projects. After presenting the idea at an RTA workshop in 2007, it was well-received and officially launched in 2008. Since then, the initiative has become a core fundraising effort among Austrian Round Tables, raising approximately €30,000 annually through presentations of various aid projects.

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The Concept & Process

Austrian Round Tables, which primarily focus their donations on local and regional projects, are encouraged to voluntarily allocate 10% of their annual funds to international aid projects. These projects focus on developing countries where Round Table (RT) clubs are active. By pooling resources, participating tables effectively double the impact of their monetary aid while maintaining 90% of their donations for local initiatives.

Each year at the national Half-Year Meeting (HYM), the National International Relations Officer (IRO) presents three selected 90/10 projects. Tables can then choose, on a voluntary basis, to contribute part of their donations to one or more of these projects.

To ensure the initiative runs smoothly, the National IRO is responsible for the following:

• • Collecting and prioritizing project proposals from developing countries where RT clubs operate.
  • Sharing project information with the tables ahead of the HYM so they can discuss and decide which project(s) to support.
  • Providing a detailed report at the following Annual General Meeting (AGM) to inform tables about the impact and outcomes of their contributions.

This collaborative approach ensures transparency, maximizes impact, and strengthens global ties within the Round Table community.

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Supported Projects

Each project was hand-picked in cooperation with a Table on site. Every the projects can change.

Safe Drinking Water Supply

RT Bangladesh
The RT 1 Dhaka project aims to provide students at the Badda Alatunnessa Primary & Higher Secondary School in Dhaka, Bangladesh, with access to safe drinking water. A reverse osmosis water treatment system capable of purifying 100 liters per hour will be installed. The treated water will be stored in a 500-liter tank and distributed through five taps.

This initiative is expected to benefit 1,600 students, 100 teachers, and 40 school staff members. It is also anticipated to increase the school enrollment rate of girls and reduce dropout rates caused by a lack of access to clean and safe drinking water.

Total Project Cost: Tk. 2,20,000 (approx. €2,000)
Contact: Ejaz Mahmood Rony, Founder of RT 1 Dhaka and Past President of RT Bangladesh

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Medic RUSH

RT Namibia
RT 154 Hochland is organizing the Medic RUSH project in May 2024 to provide essential medical assistance to underserved communities in the Omaheke region of Namibia. The project will take place over three days, covering three different communities.

The initiative will involve a team of 38 participants, including doctors, nurses, and volunteers. It is expected to treat over 700 patients, offering medicines and medical supplies while also improving local awareness and knowledge about health care.

Total Project Cost: ZAR 450,000 (approx. €22,000)
Contact: Matthew Vudzijena, President of RT 154 Hochland

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Orchid Garden School Project

RT Nepal
The Orchid Garden Nepal is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing care and education to disadvantaged children. This project aims to improve the deteriorating infrastructure of the organization, including constructing classrooms, toilet blocks, a kitchen, a library, and a daycare room.

Currently, the school supports 150 children, but the new facilities will enable it to accommodate over 200 students. The project will be implemented in two phases, with the first phase focusing on urgently needed classrooms and toilet blocks.

Total Project Cost: USD 75,000 (approx. €71,000)
Contact: Kanhaiya Ghiraiya, President of RT 1 Kathmandu