Joe Rotondella
His Story...
'An Extraorinary Human Being' (Lions Club of Perth)
Philanthropy
(From The Annual Report 'Lions Club of Perth')
For many years in Australia and Myanmar, he has been very supportive of
hospitals, Special Needs Children’s charities, Aboriginal projects and
charities, The Cambodian Children’s Fund and has also been an ongoing
benefactor of many Australian Senior and Junior sporting clubs. He has
been very active in donating financially to many local charities and
benevolent foundations in the Western Australian community.
Due to his financial situation he has had the freedom to pursue his
quest to significantly make a difference to the lives of the poor,
orphaned and handicapped of Myanmar. Mr Rotondella loves the country and
the people of Myanmar. He equally divides his time between both
countries, as Myanmar is a country he refers to as his second home.
He has always been very enthusiastic in the provision of current
technology training for under-privileged children over the previous 17
years.
He has developed the opportunity to make life more comfortable for a
number of the orphanages and charities in the Yangon area. He has also
provided finance, televisions and computers for the younger residents
and has been involved in the procuring of future employment for the over
18 year old orphans. During these 17 years he has also provided a school
for the community of a nearby island that provided employees for his
pearl farming interest.
On July 16th, 2011 Mr Rotondella was responsible for the
provision of 19 new computers for the Multimedia Room at the Yangon
Training School for Girls. This occasion was prominently reported in the
‘New Light of Myanmar’ newspaper and also on the national television
news station. This donation was well received by the Director General.
Mr Rotondella had the Multimedia Room completely renovated with new
carpet, repainted the walls, fixed the roof, installed air-conditioning
and provided a Tutor for a period of 12 months. This appointment may be
extended.
He has also donated 5 large screen televisions & DVD’s and 50 MP4
players to the Yangon Training School for Girls.
Mr Rotondella intends to establish a number of computer training centres in Government and private schools, and in orphanages in order to create career opportunities for the disadvantaged children of the community, particularly orphans. The total package would include refurbishment of computer room, computers, printers and tutoring.
The Director General Department of Human Health is very supportive of
these plans and Mr Rotondella will work closely with the Department and
take advice on the priority locations.
As a first phase he is currently involved in the import of 200 computers
from Australia with the intention of developing 10 training centres.
This will give the disadvantaged and Government school students of the
community the skills necessary to provide a future when their days at
the orphanages have been completed.
He is investing heavily, using his own funds, the acquisition of smaller
blocks of land in the outer suburban areas of Yangon. He is currently
involved in the building of sustainable housing for the disadvantaged
members of the community. His aim with this endeavour is to provide
these homes at either affordable or free rentals. The construction of
these dwellings will eventually provide accommodation for approximately
1,000 poor people. Once this project has been completed the land and
housing will be handed to a religious trust (ie Buddhist) to administer
in the future.
He is currently introducing a new style of building which will
accommodate 16 dwellings on 2 combined sites. This will provide internal
western style bathing facilities with running water, electricity and
western style toilets.
Recently, Mr Rotondella donated a lovely home to a house maid who was
servicing his room at the Traders Hotel. This was in order for her
mother to return to her native village, Mr Rotondella purchased the
mothers Yangon home which included all the conveniences, flat screen
television sets, fridges and gas stoves and presented it to the maid and
husband free of charge. She was overwhelmed by his generosity.
This is not the first time this has occurred as he has previously
donated free of charge, another 4 modest homes and land to the needy and
he intends to continue this practice and further generous financial
assistance to the poor.
It is a rewarding experience to meet a person like Mr Rotondella who can identify the need of so many disadvantaged persons in this world and who has the ability to make a significant difference. He has a genuine affection for the people of Myanmar and his contributions to Myanmar will be of a perpetuating benefit for many years to come.
