Visit from Dr Sung Lee
Thursday, August 3, 2023

• Our speaker was Dr. Sung Lee, MD, who is championing a project in Bangladesh for Rotary. As an OB/Gyne, he is an expert in women’s health and is looking to expand the manufacture and distribution of sanitary pads in an area where resources are very limited. Dr. Lee is the current chairman of our District 6360 International Services Committee, and I am sure we will hear more from him as he ramps up this project.
• Our thanks to Gene Svebakken for hosting Dr. Lee and bringing him to us.

Eco-friendly Low-cost Liquid Absorbent Sanitary Pads (“ELLA”) Global Grant
INTRODUCTION- With this Global Grant if successful, we can empower more than 2 million women in Bangladesh and neighboring countries with their very personal and private care. Empowering may mean starting new entrepreneur business in the US, but in impoverished countries as Bangladesh and neighboring countries, women have limited access and resources to meet the needs for sanitary pads. The founder of Ella Pad, Mamunur, was at Michigan State University as a Humphrey Fellow in 2018. He learned how to extract cotton from waste cloths from garment factories in Bangladesh. He has produced Ella pads in a small scale. PROPOSED- This grant is to promote healthy mothers and children, and to improve community environment. If granted, beginning 2023-2024. Dhaka Rotary Club plans to provide equipment and supplies of raw materials and teach them how to make ELLA pads, patterns, business and management. 150 hand-held sawing machines will be distributed to 150 women. They will make 40,000 pads from the current 4,000 pads a month. There are more than 3,000 garment factories producing clothes for companies such as Gucci, Tiffany, and Macy Department Stores in Bangladesh. Ella will be using waste from these factories. Communities benefit from reduced waste and increase economic activities. 
If successful, this Global Grant will introduce the idea that women will have access to pads as needed. Rotary may generate a drive, called “Pads placed in All Women’s Bathroom” around the world. We will demonstrate impacts to the communities in Dhaka.