Doing Good Internationally
International World Stage
World Community Service is the Rotary program by which a club in one country provides humanitarian assistance to a club in another country. Typically the aid goes to a developing community where the Rotary project will help raise the standard of living and the quality of life. The ultimate object is to build goodwill and understanding among the peoples of the world.
Rotary grants offer opportunities to initiate and support global as well as smaller international grants, Vocational Training Teams, scholarships and Rotary Peace Fellowships. We look to our partner clubs to tell us what their community’s greatest needs are, exchange ideas and then take action to address them.
Kitchener Rotary currently has club projects in Africa, Nogales and Caborca Mexico and our members travel there to support these communities. We also promote and build Peace through our Peace Scholarships at the University of Waterloo. For more information on our Rotary African Women’s Education Fund please visit RAWEF
Rotary International’s goal is also to eradicate Polio from the world and Kitchener Rotary supports this initiative by participating in the EREY giving program (Every Rotarian Every Year) .
We are “this” close! Wild poliovirus has been eradicated in all continents except Asia, and as of 2021, Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only two countries where the disease is still classified as endemic.
Some of our past projects include:
KENYA - MATANGWE: Matangwe Community Health and Development - Kenya. A team travelled to Kenya to supervise the installation of a generator, electrical system, an autoclave and incinerator for the Matangwe clinic. Medications and supplies were also included in the $60,000 donation made by three area clubs; Kitchener, Kitchener-Conestoga and Kitchener-Grand River.
JAKARTA PROJECT: Our club has contributed $3,000 toward the literacy program there. The money (jointly matched by the District, Rotary International, the Jakarta Club and CRCID) is going toward school furniture, a blackboard, and books to equip 11 schools
GUATEMALA - ADOPT A VILLAGE: We have been working on this project for a couple of years and have contributed $1000. The thrust of this initiative is to bring medical aid and literacy to the Maya population in the mountains of Guatemala. Our contribution is specifically targeted to equip a small community library.