Carolyn Schuetz-Baysdorfer was named Rotarian of the Month at the Rotary Club of Alameda meeting on August 19 for her outstanding tractor and mosquito abatement project in Ethiopia.
She led the way in obtaining $67,000 in donations from Rotary International and Bay Area Rotary Clubs, which was initially intended to fund a tractor, fuel, seeds, and fertilizer for the community of Aratu Amba. Fortunately, the team was able to purchase two tractors for the price of one, so an additional community in Ethiopia, Tibaga, also was given a tractor, seeds, and fertilizer. Funding is underway to pay for tractor fuel for Tibaga.
The equipment and supplies will support families living in these communities by allowing them to farm much more land, producing far more crops to sustain income. So far, 185 acres have been plowed, and teff, a vital native grain, has been planted. The estimated crop value is $49,000 to $66,000, which is significant considering the average farmer in the area previously earned about $260 per year.
Stagnant mosquito breeding water will be diverted to water the crops, thereby reducing malaria infections as well. These projects will be self-sustaining, as money earned each growing season from the crops can be used for fuel, seed, and fertilizer for the following season, with leftover income for the communities. The farmers were also trained on how to use and maintain the tractors in order to be self-sufficient.
Rotary’s motto this year is Unite for Good, which Carolyn Schuetz-Baysdorfer certainly embodies in her work.
To learn more about the Rotary Club of Alameda, visit their website or email [email protected].
Joyce Mercado is an author and member of Community Action for a Sustainable Alameda (CASA), as well as the Rotary Club’s president. Her columns are collected at alamedapost.com/Joyce-Mercado. She can be reached at [email protected].
