Guest Speaker for May 9, 2013 - Amarok Society ("Bangladesh")

Bangladesh has received a great deal of attention in the past few weeks as a result of a tragic accident at a garment factory in Dhaka. However, the country has been the focus of the Amarok Society for many years and this week’s meeting is an opportunity to hear about their encouraging work.

With the support of and in partnership with Rotary, Amarok Society, a registered Canadian (BC) charity (www.amaroksociety.org), is accomplishing something extraordinary for world education and world peace.

"We go into what may be the worst slums on earth, in Bangladesh, to teach children who are otherwise too poor to attend school. We do this by teaching mothers in the slums to become teachers of their own and their neighbours’ children. By this means we’re able to educate great numbers of children at very low cost. There is, however, a catch that makes this not only extremely effective, but also very difficult: the women we teach are the poorest Muslim women, who have been denied any education whatsoever themselves."

Dr. Tanyss and Gem Munro, founders of Amarok Society, have spoken at many Rotary meetings across Canada to tell Rotarians: how Amarok has managed to overcome the daunting challenges of our projects in these dangerous and forbidding slums; about the state of Bangladesh today; the ongoing threat of its ‘Talibanization’, and to thank Rotarians for their support.

Speech Title: "Bringing Education to the Slums of Bangladesh"
Date: Thursday, May 9/13
Time: 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. (Arrive at 12:15 p.m. to register)
Location: Hazelton Place Residence - 111 Avenue Rd., Toronto, ON M5R 3J8
Cost: $24/ea for Members and Guests. Guests no charge for 1st visit with sponsoring member.
Includes: Buffet Luncheon with salad, main course, dessert and coffee/tea + Free Parking