The DG's Visit, Dr Hugo Tempelman and the Rotary Theme for 2020 - 21

Last Week
District Governor Maurice Stander made his official annual visit to the club.  These visits have become less and less complicated over the years thanks to information being available on the internet and this really does save a lot of time.

He concentrated on the issue of membership and pointed out that members bringing friends to a meeting who may have an interest in Rotary is very limited and generally hasn't worked.  As we are a relatively big club he suggested that we seriously consider starting a satellite club as we had enough members to provide support.

We were delighted to have our honorary member, Past District Governor  Peter Margolius join us for lunch.  Rotarian James Croswell also sneaked into the picture.


The Anns previously had a meeting with DGAnn Chrisna and some of them also joined us for lunch. 





This Week
Dr Hugo Tempelman will be telling us how  a Mobile Unit can bring Services to a Community.  This is  the most important aspect of our proposed Cervical Cancer Project, something that Dr Tempelman is particularly interested in.

Ndlovu Medical Trust was founded in 1994 by Dr. Hugo Tempelman and his wife Liesje. What started as a private primary health clinic, Ndlovu Medical Centre, has since expanded to a Non-Profit-Organisation employing more than 320 people and operating in two locations.

Ndlovu Care Group of South Africa provides innovative integrated Community Health- & Community Care services to the communities of Elandsdoorn & Bushbuckridge and its surrounding townships.

The Ndlovu Care Group developed an applicable and replicable Care Model for scaling up services in communities through:
- Local capacity building for sustained community development and improved standard of living in rural areas
- Information, awareness, and education on health related issues to promote behaviour change, early care seeking behaviour and prevent more HIV infections
- Affordable and integrated Primary Health Care (PHC), Malaria, TB and HIV/AIDS Care to promote personal wellbeing and community health in general
- Childcare Programs to address the needs and life skills of Orphans and other Vulnerable Children (OVC)
- Research, Monitoring & Evaluation to ensure evidence based interventions and improved outcomes
- Replicating the NCG Model within the public sector and other NGO’s to assist in the upliftment of health and community systems across Southern Africa.




Rotary International President-elect Holger Knaack is encouraging Rotarians to seize the many opportunities Rotary offers to enrich their lives and the communities they serve.

Knaack, a member of the Rotary Club of Herzogtum Lauenburg-Mölln, Germany, revealed the 2020-21 presidential theme, Rotary Opens Opportunities, to incoming district governors at the Rotary International Assembly in San Diego, California, USA, on 20 January.

Rotary isn’t just a club for people to join, but rather “an invitation to endless opportunities,” said Knaack, who becomes president on 1 July. He emphasized that Rotary creates pathways for members to improve their lives and the lives of those they help through service projects.

“We believe that our acts of service, big and small, create opportunities for people who need our help,” Knaack said. He added that Rotary creates leadership opportunities and gives members the chance to travel the world to put their service ideas into action and make lifelong connections. “Everything we do opens another opportunity for someone, somewhere,” said Knaack.

Changing for the future

Knaack also urged members to embrace change so Rotary can expand and thrive. Rather than setting a specific target for increasing the number of members, Knaack said he’s asking clubs and districts to think about how to grow in a sustainable and organic way. He wants clubs to focus on keeping current members engaged and adding new members who are the right fit for their club.

“We need to stop thinking of new members as people we can mark down as statistics and then forget about,” Knaack said. “Every new member changes us a little bit. That person brings a new perspective, new experiences. We need to embrace this constant renewal. We will grow stronger as we learn from new members.”

Knaack pointed to Rotary’s Action Plan as a compass that can guide clubs as they evolve. He recommended that every club have a strategic plan meeting at least once a year. At that meeting, clubs should ask where they want to be in five years and how they can bring more value to their members.

Knaack also wants to see more women in leadership roles and see Rotaractors play an integral role in how new clubs are formed and run. He encouraged district leaders to create new club models and rethink what it means to be in Rotary, and allow young people to be the architects of these new clubs.

“We have to be open to new approaches, and creating unique clubs for younger people is just part of the solution,” said Knaack. “Let Rotaractors decide what kind of Rotary experience works best for them. These young people are bright, energetic, and they get things done.”

In stressing the need for Rotary members to embrace change, Knaack noted that time won’t slow down for Rotary: “We will not let rapid change defeat us. We will capture this moment to grow Rotary, making it stronger, more adaptable, and even more aligned with our core values.”

A Social Meeting, Good Luck Masego, the District Governor's Visit and Vocational Training Teams

Last Week

It was a social meeting and a most enjoyable one....the President was away....








Our long-term Rotary Exchange Student, Masego Matiko, also left for Thailand last week and was seen off at OR Tambo by Ann Hope-Bailie and Sybille Essmann as well as Terry Cannon, District Youth Exchange Chair.









This Week
It's the District Governor's visit.  The DG Ann, Chrisna, will meet with our Anns before hand and will address us during the meeting.

He has asked for our financial statements for last year as well as our year planner.  These, plus our updates on My Rotary, should give him everything he needs to know where our activities are concerned....if they don't we will hear about it!

As every voluntary organisation seems to be increasingly bureaucratic it's a relief that Rotary is attempting to cut down on it.

Please make every effort to attend on Friday.  Some of the Anns will be there as well.

Leading a Vocational Training Team

Ron Smith PDG District 7430

1. What led you to form a vocational training team?

As an incoming district governor in 2006, I met Francis “Tusu” Tusubira of the Rotary Club of Kampala-North, Uganda, which led to us working together on many grants. A few years later, Rotary rolled out vocational training teams (VTTs) — groups of professionals who travel to another country to teach and learn from others within their field. Tusu put me in contact with some folks in the medical school at Makerere University in Kampala, and we realized there was a need to reduce mortality associated with childbirth. At the time, my son was in medical school at Drexel University in Philadelphia, which is a leader in distance education. So we decided to form a team there to put together a training program for midwives in Uganda and to put the whole system online at local health centers.

2. How did you get started?

First I took a trip on my own to Uganda in 2013 and met with the head of the obstetrics department at Makerere. We visited some health centers and identified infrastructural needs. We then built a combined humanitarian/VTT global grant, with half going toward funding computers and infrastructure, and half toward sending a U.S. team to Uganda and bringing a Ugandan team to the United States. We felt strongly that this two-way VTT would help us build a stronger partnership with the medical professionals in Uganda.

3. What are the responsibilities of a VTT leader?

As a Rotarian, your job is to put together a team that is supported by organizations that have the depth and the interest to provide training. Our first team from Drexel was made up of a computer engineer, a library scientist, three midwives, an obstetrician, and a pediatrician. My priority was to train them about Rotary and introduce them to issues in Uganda. On the trip, I would hold morning meetings to make sure everyone on the team was on the same page, and I would get them to Rotary club meetings so that they were visible in the country. I was also the liaison to the host club, Kampala-North, which coordinated visits to the health centers and made additional arrangements.

4. How do VTTs compare with other grant-supported projects you’ve done?

VTTs take more time. But they give you a bigger reward in the end. We didn’t want to just drop off computers. The first team from Drexel provided training to Ugandan midwives and learned about what future training would be required. I think we learned more than we taught. The team members then got certified in specific training methods used in limited-resource countries. Ultimately, we want to turn midwives into trainers so they can teach others. We’re also creating infrastructure that can support telemedicine. With a VTT, you also develop professional relationships between skilled individuals on both sides. The level of interpersonal engagement can’t be duplicated in another type of activity; the team members are not just colleagues but friends. Through these relationships, Drexel and Makerere universities have now signed agreements that will sustain this effort well beyond our project.

5. What advice do you have for Rotarians interested in leading a vocational training team?

You need a great team and good partners. It’s taken a lot of work, but all through it, we’ve had consistent partners. Make sure your vision is your partner’s vision. That’s a key thing. You also need to adapt. Every VTT has obstacles, but you’ll have a much better experience if you can adapt quickly to situations. Let things develop organically; don’t be married to your plan. You can be married to your vision, but not to your plan.

Social Meeting, PETS, Dean Rohrs & Makerere University Peace Centre

Last Week:  It was a social meeting, really but I wasn't there so I can't comment!

This Week:  It will be a Social Meeting because it's really the first week when many people are back in the old routine...the schools are back this Wednesday.

PETS: The President Elect Training is early this year, the first weekend in February which happens to be the 1st & 2nd.  Invitations have been sent out to clubs.  We usually have more than one person from the club go...we can't have a lonely president for next year.

International News

Dean Rohrs

Rotary Club of Langley Central, British Columbia; past RI vice president

In December 1967, I was completing my nurse’s training at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. At that time, Christiaan Barnard was leading a team that hoped to perform the first successful human heart transplant at that hospital. There was a race between teams, because it was such a huge medical achievement. I was on “backup rotation” one night when I was called into the OR. It was just a coincidence that I happened to be on duty.

You have to understand, with a surgery like that, the room is crowded with people: the surgeons, their assistants, the anesthetists, the folks operating the heart-lung machine that keeps the patient alive. My job was just to do whatever needed to be done. I counted the cotton swabs used during the surgery, to make sure none were left in the patient. I fetched water. The surgeons would lean toward me and say, “Please mop my brow,” because they were perspiring.

In the moment, you understand that you’re doing something most unusual, but you’re so involved with the process that you’re just making sure you’re watching and filling in wherever you can. I knew the man receiving the heart and his family; he had been on the ward for a long time and he was clearly dying. He would have been gone in 24 or 48 hours. And here was this young woman who had been in a car accident and donated her heart.

Because of the surgical draping and the number of people leaning over the patient, I had no sightline into the chest cavity. But I did see everything that went in and came out. I saw the needles the surgeons were using to sew tissue together and tie off the bleeders. I saw the suctioning and the cauterization. And I saw the new heart itself go in. It was very different back then in how they did harvesting, and far more dramatic. They had to carry the new heart from one surgical theater to the other. I saw it being brought into the OR and lifted into the patient. Of course there was drama, because you are putting something into somebody’s chest that could give life but came from somebody who gave life. When I saw the new heart itself, I don’t remember thinking anything other than, “Oh my God, that’s somebody’s heart.”

Our surgery wasn’t the first attempted heart transplant. There had been one earlier, but the patient didn’t survive the procedure. Our patient survived for 18 days and was able to talk to his family. It wasn’t his heart that gave out; he died of pneumonia, partly because the immunosuppressant drugs weren’t as effective back then. Still, because our patient survived, that surgery became international news. Nobody on that team could have anticipated how big the reaction would be. It was instantly a world-famous event.

I was only 25 when it all happened — that’s 50 years ago now, good grief! Sometimes I feel a little embarrassed when people make a big deal out of it, because I was so peripheral. But that surgery did shape the course of medical history. And I have to give Professor Barnard credit. He was not always an easy man to work with, but it took a lot of courage to do what he did, because many people said back then that you can’t touch the heart. It was culturally and religiously unacceptable. That surgery changed the way people thought about the heart, and it changed the way we treat heart disease to this day.

Dean, her husband Rhino, and their 3 children emigrated to Canada from South Africa 24 years ago. Dean grew up in Zambia and after marrying Rhino lived in Malawi, Namibia, and South Africa. Dean joined Rotary in South Africa in 1989. On arriving in Vancouver both Dean and Rhino joined the Rotary Club of West Vancouver and at present are members of the Rotary Club of Langley Central.

Dean has served on District and Zone committees; which have included:

• 17 years of Youth Exchange in both District 9300 and 5040
• District 5040 Group Study Exchange Chair
• Group Study Exchange Team Leader to New Zealand
• District Governor 2007/2008
• Regional Rotary International Membership Coordinator
• Rotary Coordinator Zone 24 West
• Pacific Northwest PETS Chair 2013
• Co-Chair for the 2011 Zone 24/32 Institute
• Rotary Foundation Alumni Coordinator for Zone 24 West 2012/2013
• Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator 2014

She has been a panelist at the many International Conventions. Her best Rotary experience is leading teams of Rotarians, Rotaractors and Interactors to South Africa and seeing how this volunteer experience changes their lives.

Dean served a two year term as Rotary International Director from July 2016 to June 2018.  Dean was also selected to serve as Rotary International Vice President from July 2017 to June 2018.

Rotary establishes Peace Centre at Makerere University, Uganda.

KAMPALA, Uganda (9 January 2020) — From human rights violations to the impacts of climate change, Rotary and Makerere University are offering a postgraduate certificate program to peace and development leaders who are from or who have worked in Africa to address the underlying challenges to peace in the region.

The year-long program in Peacebuilding, Conflict Transformation and Development will emphasize issues and solutions that are of particular relevance throughout the African continent and beyond. Hands-on experience will complement coursework that addresses topics including human rights, governance, and the role of the media in conflict. Other studies will focus on refugees and migration, as well as resource and identity-based conflicts.

The program will incorporate the Positive Peace framework pioneered by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) as well as apply concepts grounded in mediation and negotiation, African philosophy, and indigenous mechanisms for conflict resolution. “For centuries, we have looked at peace as the absence of violence, without fully considering the other drivers in play,” said Olayinka Babalola, vice president, Rotary International Board of Directors. “Instead of merely examining the causes of war, Rotary Peace Fellows at Makerere University will explore the underpinnings of peace to achieve tangible measures of human wellbeing and progress.” The program is designed to accommodate working professionals with at least five years of proven experience in the areas of peace and development. There will be two cohorts a year each with 20 fellows, and the first class will begin in February 2021. The online application will be available in February 2020.

“Makerere University is situated at the heart of the Great Lakes region, which has experienced the most strife and the most conflicts in Africa,” said Barnabas Nawangwe, University vice chancellor. “We’ve had frequent experience with conflict, so we established our peace program more than 15 years ago to expand our expertise and augment our engagement in the area of conflict and peace. Partnering with an international organization like Rotary allows us to demonstrate on a global scale what we’ve been doing in our local environment. Based on our past rich experience, we can confront strife in populations all over the world.”

Every year, Rotary awards up to 130 fully funded scholarships for dedicated peace and development leaders from around the world to study at any of its seven peace centers programs. In just over 15 years, Rotary Peace Centers have trained over 1,300 individuals for careers in peacebuilding in more than 115 countries, and program alumni serve as leaders in both governmental and nongovernmental agencies, international organizations, and more. About Rotary: Rotary brings together a global network of volunteer leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. Rotary connects 1.2 million members of more than 35,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas. Their work improves lives at both the local and international levels, from those in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world. To learn more about Rotary Peace Centers programs and fellowships and to start an application, visit www.rotary.org/peace-fellowships. About Makerere University: Established in 1922 as a technical school, Makerere University is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Africa. It is composed of nine colleges offering programs for 35,000 undergraduates and 3,000 postgraduates. Its Department of Religion and Peace Studies, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, will host the Rotary Peace Centers program. To learn more, visit https://rpc.mak.ac.ug.

Back to Normal after the Holidays and some International News

It  says it all!

I trust that 2020 will be a good year for us all and our country.

I don't seem to have any pictures of the Christmas Lunch etc so if anyone has any please send them to me.  We are now half-way through the Rotary Year...an amazing thought as it has gone so quickly.

This Week
It's billed as the first formal meeting of the year and I gather it's mainly social....we have to try and recognise each other after the break!

Rotary International News
Every week I try to find something interesting that is happening in the world of Rotary outside our country.

Hungary

For the Rotary Club of Budapest-Center, support for children undergoing bone marrow transplants has become a long-term commitment. Since 2015, the club has donated equipment including an industrial clothes dryer, 11 computers, and funds toward reconstruction of Démétér House, which provides lodging for patients of Budapest’s Szent László Hospital and their relatives. The facility has been home to as many as 40 families a year. The young patients, on average, spend more than a month undergoing treatment. In tandem with the Démétér Foundation, the Budapest-Center Rotarians have also organized programs such as a Halloween party and an Easter egg hunt for the children.

In 2019, before taking on the presidency of the Rotary Club of Reynosa 76 in Reynosa, Mexico, Marcelo Méndez set aside some time for a road trip. “I knew when I got elected president that I wouldn’t have time, so I decided to do it before my term,” he says.

The trip he had in mind was on a grand scale. Over 34 days, he racked up more than 13,000 miles on his Triumph Tiger 800 XRx motorcycle, riding to Alaska and back.

He often traveled back roads rather than major highways. “For a motorcycle rider, the back roads are the best,” he says. “They don’t have a lot of traffic, like all the 18-wheelers. And the views are amazing.” He camped half the time and stayed in hotels the other half. And to help prepare for his term as president, he visited Rotary clubs along the way.

Before leaving home on 21 April, he researched clubs on his route to figure out which meetings he could make. “I wanted to see how their meetings are run,” he says. “I wanted to see how clubs do different things.” Méndez visited the Rotary clubs of Greater Southwest Lubbock, Texas; Santa Fe Centro, New Mexico; Salida Sunrise and Kremmling, Colorado; Anaconda and Missoula, Montana; and College in Fairbanks, Alaska. He showed up unannounced, but he always got a warm welcome. “As soon as I walked in the door at any meeting, they’d say, ‘Hey. You are welcome here. Have some lunch or breakfast and tell us about your club.’ It was amazing,” he recalls.

Gary Olson, who is now president of the Salida Sunrise club, says he was happy to have Méndez at his club’s meeting. “We always welcome visitors,” he says. “But it’s a rare day that we have an unexpected international guest. We were all impressed that he was taking the ride to Alaska, and I think more than a few of us were a little envious.”

At one club meeting, Méndez saw members placing donations in a glass jar and talking about their recent blessings. He has adopted that practice for his 22-member club: “I have a blessings donation jar now at our meetings. We’re going to fill that jar with moments of happiness.” The cash will be used to help someone in need.

Méndez also brought back the idea of partnering with another club to purchase chairs that convert to cots, which will be donated to two local hospitals. “When people are in the hospital, a lot of times their family members don’t have any place to rest,” he says. The planned project also includes buying two surgical delivery tables.

Olson says the Salida Sunrise club will consider working with the Reynosa club when it reviews its grant projects for 2020. “The fact that we can put a friendly Rotary face — someone we have personally met — to a suggested project is a huge plus every time,” he says.

Méndez’s biggest challenge was getting through a snowstorm in Wyoming, he recalls: “Roads were blocked, and I got lost.” He visited Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks and saw a lot of wildlife: bison, bears, moose, elk, bighorn sheep. He crossed the Arctic Circle but didn’t stay long: “I took a few selfies and came back.”

With all that he learned and experienced, Méndez has started thinking about another road trip, this time to Argentina. “Then I will have traveled all through the Americas,” he says.

A Business Meeting, the final Spar Collection and a Dog, a Social Meeting and Rotary's reaction to Floods in N England.

Last Week
It was a Business Meeting and much of the discussion was about money.  It's effectively our penultimate real meeting of 2019 so there isn't much to talk about.

Saturday and Sunday saw the last collection at Spar for our Christmas Charities.  It will be interesting to see how successful we were as the end of November was short owing to the Rugby World Cup Final.....people scuttling in early to do essential shopping, usually with alcohol in and then empty with the whole country watching TV.

No, David Bradshaw didn't bring or buy a dog at Spar.  This is what happened:

A lady arrived at Spar this morning and I gave her our leaflet and she explained that she had mislaid the dog's lead, and was using a Spar bag instead. I offered to look after her dog whilst she shopped. Nearly half  an hour went by and I got worried that she had gone off and left me with it. However she finally reappeared and handed over a R100's worth of food for our trolley.

Maybe dog minding and walking would be something we should look at as a fundraiser. I am sure David would willingly organise it and as an expert in the field, be happy to train other Rotarians.

This Week

It's a Social Meeting which doesn't leave me with much to say but it's a good idea as it's also the last official meeting at Wanderers until the 10th January.  The following week is our Christmas Lunch at Parkview Golf Club and then it's informal lunches in Chariots Bar through out the holiday period for anyone who wants to attend.  I will also be taking a Christmas break from The Ramble.

 Beware of this particular waiter at Parkview Golf Club as he became an international star.

Have a Wonderful Christmas

I thought you might like a picture of a life-long Rotarian who joined the Rotary Club of Modena in his 20's

Large parts of northern England have been besieged by flooding after a month’s worth of rain fell in 24 hours. That’s prompted Rotary clubs to rally behind their communities.

It’s raining again here in Matlock,” said David Hood, Rotary’s District Governor for Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire, as well as south-east Staffordshire and north-west Leicestershire.

David, who heads District 1220, lives in the heart of the region where the Don, Derwent and Trent rivers have burst their banks flooding tens of thousands of homes and businesses for almost two weeks.

Thousands of people were forced to abandon their homes earlier this month, with areas around Doncaster and Sheffield badly affected by the downpours.

Dozens of flood warnings have been put in place, with meteorologists in Sheffield describing the deluge as the wettest autumn on record.

And that has prompted the Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland Disaster Recovery Trust to re-open its UK Flood Appeal.

David Hood reported that Rotary clubs across the district have been heavily involved with supporting the community.

Matlock Rotary immediately offered help by making funds available from their Rotary Community Fund.”

He said: “As you can imagine, many Rotary clubs have been involved, starting with Matlock (& Darley Dale) Rotary in my home town where floods have affected mainly the business community.

“It also resulted in the tragic death of Annie Hall, the former High Sheriff of Derbyshire, who was swept away and whose body was recovered from the fields close to the River Derwent on November 8th at Darley Bridge.

“Matlock Rotary immediately offered help by making funds available from their Rotary Community Fund. This was offered to the Derbyshire Dales District Council and Derbyshire County Council.

“Since then Derbyshire County Council has put in place more than £100,000 which can be accessed by both the business community and householders. No doubt this will be increased as a result of local and political pressure.”

David Hood, reported that they held a meeting on Saturday, where mention was made of the good work carried out by clubs in the affected areas.

He said: “Many clubs reported that major supermarkets, shops and voluntary organisations were donating large quantities of food, clothing and cleaning materials.

“Having said that, I think the Doncaster clubs and others are going about their aid offer in a well-organised way, working with councils and emergency services.”

Doncaster has been one of the hardest-hit towns in the region. There, more than 1,000 homes and businesses have been affected since the rain started on November 7th.

Some 363 million litres of water have been pumped away from affected areas, and more than 40,000 sandbags handed out.

David Hood, reported that they held a meeting on Saturday, where mention was made of the good work carried out by clubs in the affected areas.

He said: “Many clubs reported that major supermarkets, shops and voluntary organisations were donating large quantities of food, clothing and cleaning materials.

“Having said that, I think the Doncaster clubs and others are going about their aid offer in a well-organised way, working with councils and emergency services.”

Doncaster has been one of the hardest-hit towns in the region. There, more than 1,000 homes and businesses have been affected since the rain started on November 7th.

Some 363 million litres of water have been pumped away from affected areas, and more than 40,000 sandbags handed out.

A Surprise Visitor, Masego Matiko off to Thailand, a Business Meeting & Rotaract.

Last Week  
It was a Social Meeting when we have a chance to talk to each other.  A very welcome guest was the mother of one of our members, Stewart Mutegeki;  Furaha Mutegeki, who is a member of the Rotary Club of Nairobi North in Kenya.

Here is Furaha exchanging club banners with President Jean.

Social Meetings always include a number of jokes but it really does give us a chance to chat and I was lucky enough to be able to chat to Furaha about her Rotary Club.  Rotary is obviously thriving in Kenya and clubs are much bigger than ours.  They also seem to generally feed the clubs from Interact via Rotaract into the Rotary Club itself so there is a constant influx of younger people into Rotary with a history of volunteerism and an understanding of what Rotary is all about.


Now this is something I would really like to have attended but unfortunately was otherwise engaged having to help at the Bedfordview Inner Wheel Annual Christmas Party for the Elderly from four different old age homes.  It's quite exhausting because not only do you have to rush around with bottles of wine but also dance a lot!

The evening was organised by our outgoing Long-term Rotary Exchange Student, Masego Matiko who is off to Thailand in a couple of weeks time.  Here she is with President Elect Ann Hope-Bailie.  The reason I chose this picture is because you can clearly see that Masego is wearing her Rotary Exchange Blazer.

This Week
It's a Business Meeting but it's towards the end of the year and our President is away for two weeks so I imagine it will be more social.
Saturday and Sunday see our last Spar Collections of the year but President Jean has said all that needs to be said about that.

I know that as a Club we do not seem to be considering Rotaract as a possibility but this is what we should know about the changing relationship between Rotaract & Rotary Clubs.

Changes to the Code of Policies relating to Rotaract Clubs— effective 1 July 2020:

• Rotaract clubs will be able to establish a new club with or without a sponsor.
• Rotaract clubs will able to choose other Rotaract clubs as their sponsors.
• Rotaract clubs will be open to all young adults at least 18 years old.
• Rotaract policies will be moved from Chapter V, “Programs,” to a revised Chapter II, “Clubs.”
• The Standard Rotaract Club Constitution and the Recommended Rotaract Club Bylaws will be amended to reflect these policy changes.
• Rotary districts are encouraged to include Rotaractors in every district committee.

Other key decisions:

• Rotaractors will pay per capita dues in the future, but the amount of dues and when we’ll begin collecting them have not been determined.
• The RI president, the RI Board of Directors, and The Rotary Foundation Trustees should consider how Rotaractors might advise them on Rotaract matters.
• Rotary International has set goals for Rotaract to:
  • Increase the number of Rotaractors reported to Rotary by 100 percent by 2022
  • Increase the number of reported Rotaractors who join Rotary clubs by 20 percent by 2022
  • Increase the number of reported Rotaractors to 1 million by 2029

Frequently asked questions

How were these decisions made?

For several years, the Board, Trustees, committees, Rotarians, and Rotaractors around the world have been discussing how to elevate Rotaract and recognize Rotaract clubs as Rotary clubs’ partners in service. Rotaractors have offered their ideas to the Board through RI’s Rotaract Committee, at the annual Rotaract Preconvention, and through online surveys and focus groups — and it was time to take action.

Overwhelmingly, we heard that Rotaract was more than just a program and Rotaractors wanted more flexibility, more products and services, and more recognition from Rotary for the amazing work they’re doing in their clubs, districts, and multidistricts. After the 2019 Council on Legislation voted to officially recognize Rotaract clubs as a membership type, the President appointed the Elevate Rotaract Task Force to discuss how to update Rotaract policies to reflect this new status and create an inclusive, innovative, and flexible membership experience.

Why were these decisions made?

Rotarians and Rotaractors have been discussing the importance of Rotaractors as a part of the Rotary family, as people of action, and as an integral part of our new Action Plan. These important decisions reflect the current trends among Rotaract clubs, elevate Rotaract as a membership type alongside Rotary clubs (unique in its identity, club culture, and member benefits), and encourage greater flexibility, innovation, and diversity within Rotaract.

Do these changes take effect immediately?

No. The changes to the Rotary Code of Policies don’t take effect until 1 July 2020. This gives you time to review and discuss the changes with your club and district. Of course, we know that changes take time to implement, and we encourage clubs and districts to develop plans to update their bylaws and incorporate these changes over time.

Where can we find the policies about Rotaract?

Starting 1 July 2020, the Rotary Code of Policies, in Chapter II, “Clubs,” will have an updated Article 12 titled “Rotaract Clubs.” The policies related to Rotaract that are now in Chapter V, “Programs,” under Article 41.040, will be removed as of 1 July 2020.

Can I review the changes before they take effect?

Yes, you can review the revised policies now. Discuss the changes with your club and district leaders. If you have questions, write to rotaract@rotary.org.

When do we have to update our Rotaract constitution and bylaws?

The Standard Rotaract Club Constitution will also be updated on 1 July 2020, and only the RI Board can amend it. The Standard Rotaract Club Constitution automatically applies to all active Rotaract clubs. The Recommended Rotaract Club Bylaws will also be updated at the same time, and clubs are encouraged to customize them to meet their needs.

Why was the upper age limit for Rotaract membership removed?

Rotaract clubs are still intended for younger professionals. Removing the upper age limit of Rotaract membership allows people to choose the club experience they prefer, regardless of their age. Under the current policy, Rotaractors are often required to leave Rotaract before they’re invited to join a Rotary club or before they feel ready to join one. So, instead, they leave the family of Rotary.

Restricting Rotaract membership to people age 30 or under is perceived differently in different regions. In some places, members are likely to feel that the age limit should be raised. In others, they want it lowered. After careful consideration, the Elevate Rotaract Task Force and the Board decided that it was important to give Rotaractors the flexibility to decide for themselves when they’re ready to leave Rotaract. The majority of Rotaractors we surveyed believed that removing the age limit would either improve or not change their club experience, and they said they would still pursue joining a Rotary club in the future.

Will Rotaractors still be encouraged to become Rotarians?

Yes, of course! Rotaractors will still be encouraged to join Rotary clubs that offer the club experience they want at any time. Rotary clubs should continue to partner regularly with Rotaractors at meetings and events and on service projects. Inviting a Rotaractor to join the Rotary club will be a natural step when the time is right. Remember that Rotaractors can join a Rotary club while they are still active members of Rotaract clubs, or they can start their own Rotary clubs.

Will Rotary clubs still be able to sponsor Rotaract clubs?

Yes, starting 1 July 2020, Rotaract clubs can be sponsored by a Rotary club or clubs or another Rotaract club, or they can organize themselves without a sponsor. This will give clubs greater flexibility to choose the sponsor relationship that best meets their needs and allows for collaboration.

Will Rotaract clubs be able to sponsor other Rotaract clubs?

Yes, starting 1 July 2020, Rotaract clubs can be sponsored by another Rotaract club. This gives clubs more flexibility to find the best sponsor relationship to support their needs. Community-based Rotaract clubs will be encouraged to sponsor university-based Rotaract clubs.

Dr Agatha Banga, a Social Meeting, Awards and the Rotary Club of Dar es Salaam Oyster Bay....staring new clubs in Tanzania.

Last Week
Agatha Banga gave us much food for thought when it came to the latest communication systems where medical health is concerned and her experience and advice may be invaluable when we manage to get our Cervical Cancer Project off the ground.

Robert Jacobs

She made the point that everyone has or has access to a cell phone throughout the continent and what a useful tool this has been for prenatal care in remote areas.......as long as there is a signal.
Agatha posed the question as to why Rotary isn't involved in this particular field.  She and her husband Robert Jacobs are members of the Rotary Club of Northcliff and Vaughan Russel, from Northcliff, brought a friend, Ray Leppan.

Ray Leppan and Vaughan Russel

Lester Connock Bursary for Post-graduate Nurses
This year it has been awarded to Base Baloyi who's field of research is the effect of hospitalisation on children.  There has been a great deal of work done on adults but nothing on children as they aren't usually asked!

Vocational Service Awards
The Vocational Service Awards go to James Delaney for his work at returning The Wilds to being a secure walker friendly place and to Dorothy Ann Gould for her work amongst homeless people and how she has created a better life for them both physically and culturally. 

I will write a lot more about all of them when we come to present the awards officially.

This Week
It's a Social Meeting followed by a Board Meeting.  That means a Business Meeting next week.

Rotary Club of Dar es Salaam Oyster Bay, Tanzania

Chartered: 2009

Original membership: 24

Membership: 64

Cultural crossroads: Dar es Salaam, a seaport whose Arabic name means “abode of peace,” is a cosmopolitan city, home to more than 4 million people of many faiths from all over the world. The Rotary Club of Dar es Salaam Oyster Bay illustrates the joys of such coexistence: Members represent nearly 20 nationalities and bring a mélange of viewpoints. The club has a track record of success and an agenda that is packed with projects.

Club innovation: To expand Rotary’s reach in the city, the Oyster Bay club sponsored not one new club, but five, including an e-club. At the four new location-based clubs, evening meetings without meals allow more people to fit Rotary into their schedules at a reduced cost (about $230 a year compared with $600 for the parent club). To immediately infuse the new clubs with the concept of service, each was required to undertake projects during its provisional term.

Shah and Bhatt at a club event

Vexed by the dwindling number of Rotarians in her country, Sharmila Bhatt took a top-down approach to attracting new members during her year as district governor in 2018-19. “District 9211 consists of Tanzania and Uganda, and growth for many years was solely coming from Uganda,” notes Bhatt. “Tanzania was a sleeping giant, full of potential. We appointed movers and shakers as district governor special representatives, held two membership seminars, and increased our training sessions.”

Inspired by the district team training seminar, Vikash Shah, then incoming president of the Oyster Bay club, conceived a bold plan. “I came up with the idea of forming five new Rotary clubs,” he says. “Why not? Dar is a big city and there were still people here who had not heard of Rotary. My target would be those people. My club members thought I was crazy but were ready to accept my proposal.”

Bhatt lauds Shah’s acumen at fundraising and persuading club members to share his vision. “He simply had big goals,” she says. Shah delegated four Rotarians to helm four new clubs, and tasked himself with stewardship of an e-club.

In January, Rotary International approved the Rotary clubs of Dar es Salaam City, Dar es Salaam Mbezi Beach, and Dar es Salaam Sunset, the last with a remarkable first class of 43 members. The Rotary Club of Dar es Salaam Peninsula and the Rotary E-Club of Masaki were chartered in June. While “they’ve got the same kind of dynamics and vibrancy” as Oyster Bay, Shah says, each club offers a unique take on the Rotary experience. And in keeping with the idea of bringing more people from underrepresented groups into Rotary, he notes that all of the inaugural presidents were women.

To ensure that all the Rotary bases were covered, the club also sponsored a Rotaract club at St. Joseph University in Tanzania, an Interact club at Miono High School, and a Rotary Community Corps in Muungano, an impoverished area with infrastructure needs. There the club aims to focus on maternal health.

The Oyster Bay club hosts annual goat races as a fun fundraiser

The new clubs have delivered goods to a facility that serves children with cancer (Sunset) and have done projects at a primary school (Mbezi Beach).

“In a fairly short time, we were able to renovate a kindergarten classroom and provide water filters to the primary school,” says Mbezi Beach club member George Lwakatare. His club, like all the others sponsored by the Rotary Club of Dar es Salaam Oyster Bay, is bringing in new Rotarians and delivering results.