John Kirby from the Rotary Club of Mount Gambier Lakes is the treasurer of Klibur Domin, an aged and disability care facility in Timor Leste. Several District 9780 clubs, including Casterton and Hamilton, provide assistance to the facility.
Since independence from Indonesia, Klibur Domin survived the terrible events that followed the referendum. In 2000, the facility was incorporated into Ryder Cheshire Foundation Australia, whose aim was to provide relief for some of the thousands of sick and disabled Timorese people who suffered terribly in the murder, arson and pillage. A number of District 9780 clubs provided a team of nine volunteers, who repaired the buildings and restored what could be used to house inpatients.
Since 2000, volunteers have regularly visited Klibur Domin to provide expertise that is not available locally. In 2017, the Rotary Club of Casterton visited the facility to establish vegetable gardens and fruit trees. Following that visit the club promised to provide a water filtration system utilising bore water and to supply a fully functional drip irrigation system for the crops.
With donations from Casterton Farm Supplies and Puretec water filtration, the water filtration unit was installed and water from the site is now useable for all patients, kitchens, and the dental clinic. This initiative is saving over US$1,200 annually, because they no longer need to buy bottled water.
Fruit and vegetables are now in abundance, saving weekly trips to the local market to buy for the kitchens, and Netafim Australia has donated a complete irrigation system.
Klibur Domin continues to support young rural people with a disability to receive an education, with up to 10 students each year in residence. Klibur Domin currently runs a TB program, provides treatment at the Dental Clinic, and provides outreach medical services.
Last year John Kirby was a guest speaker at the Rotary Club of Hamilton, where members presented him with a certificate of commitment for $2,500 towards the purchase of a 4WD vehicle to provide outreach services in the district.