Recent Rotary Activities:

-Bello: Presenting with a Doctorate-seeking Rotarian on familial violence to an audience of mothers and school-age children. I talked about the hotlines and structural services available in the US, and how even though a woman being abused by her husband won’t necessarily be helped if she calls the police, Colombian family structures are so strong that anyone will always have an aunt or second cousin who would take them in if in need. We stressed education about what constitutes violence, whether it is verbal or physical, so that people realize what their rights are. In some parts of the country, over 60% of women report abuse in their home. Imagine what the figures would be if the cases that weren’t reported were included…I was also interviewed after the lecture by the local news station!

-Colpaul factory: Visit with my host Rotary Club to the largest factory in South America making medical supplies that is used within Colombia and exported to other countries. The company is a for-profit sector that supports the university teaching hospital (directed by a Rotarian) ‘Hospital Universitario San Vicente Paul,’ along with 13 parking structures located throughout the city. I don’t think I have ever seen so many plastic bottles and caps in one space in my entire life. Nor have I ever thought about how important sterilized water is in producing IV fluids…