Paul is a passionate Rotarian in our District 9560.

G’day! My name is Paul Asprey, and I am your District RAWCS chair. But who am I? What is my Rotary history, passions and what is RAWCS? But first things first…who am I?

I am a member of the Rotary Club of Darwin North; however, following my retirement, I now live in Cairns with my wife Lorraine. But please don’t try to have me join a club in Cairns as Darwin North keeps me busy enough. My classification is primary education and after 42 years as an educator, I decided to retire in early November this year.

Rotary-wise, I have been a member of four Rotary clubs – Mirani (1995), Sarina (1996), Toowoomba South (1998) and Darwin North (2008). I have been a club president five times, secretary three times and Assistant Governor Group 1 (NT & Timor-Leste) from 2014 – 2018. I enjoy writing club bulletins and have done so for 16 years. Despite living in Cairns, I am the immediate past president and vice president, service projects chair and bulletin editor for Darwin North as our membership is 14. I am also the project manager for one of our club’s two RAWCS projects.

Which brings me to my Rotary passion. Quite simply, it is RAWCS and specifically Chumkriel Language School (CLS) located near Kampot in the Kingdom of Cambodia, 150 kms south of the capital city of Phnom Penh. I have worked with CLS since 2013. At the end of my initial three month stay, I gave a parting speech in Khmer and promised to return each year as long as Mr Thy, the Director and Founder of CLS, needed me. Eight years later, I’m still working with them. Cambodia and CLS changed me professionally, personally and as a Rotarian. I had found my Rotary passion!

Since 2013, I have worked with CLS to introduce the English Literacy Assessment Program which assesses approximately 450 students in reading, sight words and basic alphabet letter/sound recognition across three school campuses, observed and mentored Cambodian teachers with their classroom practice, delivered literacy professional development to CLS teachers, trained staff to manage the assessment program, introduced Reading Eggs and developed the leadership skills of Mr Thy. In 2017 and 2018, I led two teams from Darwin North and Dubbo South to build four houses, installing solar lighting in two of them, as well as the installation of solar lighting and pumps in the Chumkriel Learning Centre. 

In 2019, I joined the CLS School Board as the sole non-Cambodian person. Despite COVID-19 restrictions, Mr Thy and I continue to work closely together via Messenger, Skype and email. I am hoping to return to CLS and Cambodia in early 2023. 

The Rotary Club of Darwin North has an MOU with CLS and donates USD$12,000 per annum to support the education of 100 students and the yearly Reading Eggs subscription for 62 students.

All this is achieved through Rotary Australia World Community Service or RAWCS. But what is RAWCS? Rotary Australia World Community Service Limited (RAWCS) is the flagship through which Australian Rotarians and Rotary Clubs deliver humanitarian aid primarily to the Pacific region, Asia and Africa. RAWCS works in harmony with the Rotary Foundation and its Areas of Focus, delivering humanitarian aid through the Australian regional network of Rotarians, Clubs and Districts. There’s more information in the soon-to-be-released updated district directory. My role is to support clubs with their existing or potential RAWCS projects, showcase our RAWCS achievements and work with the national body to promote RAWCS in our district. Need more information? Simply ask.

I am married to Lorraine who is also a Rotarian and past president of Darwin North (three times). We are both sapphire Paul Harris Fellows. We have two sons, two granddaughters and a spoilt cat named Cullen.