Round Table Africa - known as “the African Region” before the Africa Region Meeting 2008 in Botswana, where the name and logo were changed to meet the RTI branding guidelines, is the oldest Region within RTI, with its first Chairman A. Anderson from RT Zambia having held office in 1976/ 1977.
It is also one with many challenges due to cost of travel, economic downturns or political turmoil that affect some countries in the region once in a while. Yet this is a Region where Tabling has been present over 50 years, with great prospects for extension, and also a Region where society needs far exceed our Tables’ fundraising abilities.
My objectives for RT Africa are in terms of membership via extension, and fellowship through projects.
Thanks to the efforts of my immediate predecessors and the support of RT Mauritius and RT France, RT Madagascar joined (back) RT Africa, and was promoted to RTI Full Membership at the World Meeting 2009. I believe having RT Madagascar on board as our 8th full member, will really enhance the diversity of our Region and I look forward to seeing their contribution to our meetings in the future.
But there is some time we have not seriously considered the extension of the Region to other countries. Maybe it is too late for the French speaking countries of North and West Africa who already joined the EMA Region, but isn’t it time we consider seriously extension in Tanzania, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Angola, or DRC ?
I make an appeal to those who read these lines, if you have business, family or friendship contacts – even better, an ex-Tabler, living in any of those countries (or others in the Region), please share them with us, tell us how we could help promoting Round Table with them, and let’s start something. Without a network, there is nothing we can do, but this is where we should start, even if it takes some years to complete.
The second objective is to facilitate the kind of fellowship that lasts longer, fellowship through projects.
Already in Africa, several Tables conduct significant projects for the socially deprived along with European Associations who help with funding. They can often raise more funds and faster than us in Europe, and we live where most of the needs are, especially for kids.
We should promote North/ South collaborations of similar nature, for instance by opening a special column in the Newsflash where our Tables could propose projects every month. This kind of collaboration not only directs assistance where it is most needed, but is also a great fellowship opportunity for both parties. Sure, it is not a substitute for locally funded projects, but it does help bringing them to another level.
Thanks to RT Southern Africa initiative, the Region has adopted the idea of holding an annual RT Africa IROs Meeting, to take place during the RTSA AGM 2010 in Hartenbos this year. I urge all Associations in the Region to send their National IRO to this gathering, discuss the progress we’ve made on these objectives, and continue to set the pace for the future of RT Africa !
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Yours in International Tabling,
Gilles Debert
RT Africa Chairman
RTI Secretary
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