The Rotary Club of Cochrane is hosting a night of music and fun Sept. 15, with proceeds from the event going toward helping rebuild lives in Pakistan.
The 5th Spirit Rising Himat Fundraiser event will be held at the Ironwood Stage and Grill. For $30, attendees can enjoy live music, a silent auction, and crafts table to support the Himat Project. The event will feature performances by the Calysto Steelband and Kayley Kinjo.
Judie Bopp, a local Rotarian and the organizer of the event, said the fundraiser aims to assist with development challenges faced in the northern region of Pakistan.
“Himat is really aimed at building the capacity to help people re-build their lives,” Bopp said.
Cochrane's Rotarians have been supporting poverty alleviation and peace-building efforts in Pakistan for 12 years. Their work has been based in the northern Himalayan Mountain regions of Pakistan and the Khanewal in South Punjab.
Himat, which means courage and empowerment in the Urdu language, started in 2010 after a major landslide created floods in northern Pakistan, preventing access to other parts of the country. As a result of the floods, 500 Pakistani families lost all their possessions.
A highlight of the Rotary Club of Cochrane's Himat Project is the seed grants the Rotarians made available to Pakistani women who are focused on rebuilding the local economy. After providing only $75 USD for seed funding, Bopp remembers the incredible work the women were able to accomplish.
“When we started this, one of the things that women wanted to do was to start small shops in their communities,” Bopp explained.
“When we came back to Pakistan six months later, these women were so excited to show us their financial ledgers. They had raised $10,000 worth of assets after six months on a small business catering to the local economy.”
She believes this is the power of the Himat Project, which offers the chance to join a community of people who are committed to making a difference in that part of the world.
Bopp invites anyone interested in participating in the upcoming fundraiser through donating, volunteering, or purchasing tickets to email [email protected] or to call her or her husband Michael Bopp at 403-861-7814 and 403-852-8283
