國際扶輪社長施當恆致贈伊莎爾•諾摩乙爾修女10,000 美元支票，以支持她繼續在南非的服務RI President Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar presents Sister Ethel Normoyle with a check for $10,000 to continue her work in South Africa.

丹麥哥本哈根–莎爾•諾摩乙爾修女（ Ethel Normoyle）說，看到「貧窮帶來的損害及文盲造成的癱瘓，」之後，當人們能讀及寫時，識字便能協助解決無數環環相扣的問題。識字的好處包括增加自我價值感，並協助人們找到工作。

Copenhagen, Denmark — After seeing the "ravages of poverty and the paralysis of illiteracy," Sister Ethel Normoyle said that when people can read and write, it helps solve a myriad of interlocking problems. Literacy's benefits can include increasing feelings of self-worth and helping people find work.

伊莎爾女士是一個天主教修女及護士在南非伊麗莎白港附近的佈道谷（Missionvale）民窟服務。在她6月12日的國際扶輪年會主題演講，為討論扶輪在打破結合貧窮、疾病、及文盲的惡性循環應扮演的角色定了調。

Sister Ethel, a Catholic nun and nurse, works in the slums of South Africa in the Missionvale shantytown near Port Elizabeth. In her 12 June keynote address at the Rotary International Convention, she set the tone for discussions about Rotary's role in breaking the cycle that connects poverty, disease, and illiteracy.

「有許多因素造成人類的悲劇， 但是在南非， 文盲非常明確導致貧窮，且為阻礙人們脫離貧窮的最主要因素，」伊莎爾修女說。「唯有識字的人才能脫離貧窮， 因為個人、感情、社會、及經濟的發展都與識字有關，」她說。

"There are so many factors to the human tragedy, but illiteracy in South Africa is the main factor that will most definitely lead to poverty and prevent people from getting out of it," said Sister Ethel. "Literacy is the only ticket out of poverty, as it encompasses all aspects of personal, emotional, social, and economic development," she said.

這位愛爾蘭出生的修女從1972 年起就在南非服務而且自1988 年起把焦點放在南非佈道谷的100,000 人，這裡是南非最赤貧的區域。伊莎爾修女在那裡工作時，花無數小時清洗兒童們長滿蛆的傷口、安慰奄。奄一息的病人、而且在黑漆漆的陋棚捧著蠟燭照亮一群在寫作業的孩子。

The Irish-born nun has worked in South Africa since 1972 and since 1988 has focused on the 100,000 people in Missionvale, one of South Africa's most poverty-stricken areas. While working there, Sister Ethel has spent countless hours cleaning children's maggot-filled wounds, comforting the dying, and cupping a candle in a dark shack as children did their homework.

佈道谷有高達90個百分點的失業率、激增的人體免疫缺損病毒/愛滋病患者、及其他傳染病，而且缺乏衛生設備。但是自從有了伊莎爾修女不屈不撓的服務及社區支持之後，布道谷保健中心已經擴大。這個診所是她成立的，現在一天能看170 個病人。

Missionvale suffers from a 90 percent unemployment rate, a soaring incidence of HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases, and lacks sanitation. But with Sister Ethel's tireless work and community support, the Missionvale Care Center has expanded. The clinic she built now treats 170 patients a day.

南非伊麗莎白港西區扶輪社一直和美國密蘇里州各扶輪社合作，該社透過各種計畫來協助保健中心成長，包括提供一種可以煮湯的營養粉及為兒童徵求捐贈聖誕禮物的活動。

The Rotary Club of Port Elizabeth West, South Africa, which has been working with Rotary clubs in Missouri, USA, has helped the center grow through a mix of programs. These include providing a powder for a nutritional soup and a Christmas gift drive for children.

最後，伊莎爾修女舉起雙臂， 唱出簡單的禱告詞來結束這場演講。「讓兒童有一個沒有痛苦也沒有悲傷的世界，」她這麼唱著。許多扶輪社員都被伊莎爾修女的演講感動。

Many Rotarians were visibly moved Sister Ethel's speech, which she concluded by lifting up her arms and singing a simple prayer. "Let the children have a world where there is no pain or sorrow," she sang.

接著，國際扶輪社長施當恆及夫人摩妮卡（Monica ）讚美伊莎爾修女非凡的服務工作，並代表國際扶輪致贈她一張10,000 美元的支票。

Following this, RI President Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar and his wife, Monica, praised Sister Ethel's tremendous work and presented her with a check from Rotary International for US$10,000.

全體會議之後，扶輪社員們魚貫進入會議室討論如何參與識字工作。

After the general session, Rotarians filed into rooms to discuss how they could get involved in literacy.

許多扶輪社員都說應該持續強調識字。9130 地區（奈及利亞） 前總監比東•歐德雷（Biodun Odeleye）說「如果有這種延續姓， 那麼我們便能調整識字計畫來符合我們自己的社區的需求，並改善社區，」。

Many Rotarians said that literacy should be continually emphasized. "If we have this continuity, then we can adapt literacy programs to our own communities' needs and make a difference," said Biodun Odeleye, past governor of District 9130 ( Nigeria).

9450 地區總監義安•墨瑞（Ian Murray ）也提到， 即便他們在澳大利亞伯斯已有一個當地計畫，同時有一個義工輔導計畫參與其中， 他也敦促各扶輪社進行國際識字計畫，來協助改善開發中國家識字能力不均的問題。

Bill Benbow, governor of District 9450 (Australia), mentioned that even though they have a local program in Perth, Australia, involving a volunteer tutoring program, he urged clubs take up international literacy projects to help redress the imbalance of literacy in developing nations.

其他主題包括集中識字接觸（CLE） 計畫、電腦技能、字典計畫、最佳捐書方式、成人文盲計畫、以及與移民團體合作等等。

Other topics included the Concentrated Literacy Encounter (CLE) program, computer literacy, dictionary projects, the best way to donate books, problems of adult illiteracy, working with immigrant groups, and more.