Rotary and Polio Eradication

Rotary has been working to eradicate polio for more than 30 years. Our goal of ridding the world of this disease is closer than ever.

As a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, we've reduced polio cases by 99.9 percent since our first project to vaccinate children in the Philippines in 1979.

We've helped immunize more than 2.5 billion children in 122 countries. So far, Rotary has contributed more than $1.8 billion toward eradicating the disease worldwide.

Today, polio remains endemic only in Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan. But it’s crucial to continue working to keep other countries polio-free. If all eradication efforts stopped today, within 10 years, polio could paralyze as many as 200,000 children each year.

Explore the history of Rotary and polio eradication

https://www.rotary.org/en/our-causes/ending-polio

Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA)

Rotary Youth Leadership Awards is an intensive leadership experience organized by Rotary clubs and districts where young people can develop leadership skills while having fun and making connections.

https://www.rotary.org/en/our-programs/rotary-youth-leadership-awards/details

Rotary Community Corps (RCC)

A Rotary Community Corps is a group of people who share our commitment to changing the world through service projects. 

Rotary Community Corps members plan and carry out projects in their communities and support local Rotary club projects but are not members of a Rotary club.

There are more than 10,000 corps in 100 countries. Rotary Community Corps are active everywhere Rotary is present: in urban and rural areas, and in both developed and developing countries.

https://www.rotary.org/en/our-programs/rotary-community-corps

Rotary Seven Areas of Focus

Rotary is dedicated to causes that build international relationships, improve lives, and create a better world to support our peace efforts and end polio forever.

01. Promoting peace

Rotary encourages conversations to foster understanding within and across cultures. We train adults and young leaders to prevent and mediate conflict and help refugees who have fled dangerous areas.

02. Fighting disease

We educate and equip communities to stop the spread of life-threatening diseases like polio, HIV/AIDS, and malaria. We improve and expand access to low-cost and free health care in developing areas.

03. Providing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene

We support local solutions to bring clean water, sanitation, and hygiene to more people every day. We don’t just build wells and walk away. We share our expertise with community leaders and educators to make sure our projects succeed long-term.

04. Saving mothers and children

Nearly 6 million children under the age of five die each year because of malnutrition, poor health care, and inadequate sanitation. We expand access to quality care, so mothers and their children can live and grow stronger.

05. Supporting education

More than 775 million people over the age of 15 are illiterate. Our goal is to strengthen the capacity of communities to support basic education and literacy, reduce gender disparity in education, and increase adult literacy.

06. Growing local economies

We carry out service projects that enhance economic and community development and create opportunities for decent and productive work for young and old. We also strengthen local entrepreneurs and community leaders, particularly women, in impoverished communities.

07. Protecting the environment

Rotary members are tackling environmental issues the way they always do: coming up with projects, using their connections to change policy and planning for the future.

Official Link

Rotary and Our core values

• Service
• Leadership
• Fellowship
• Diversity
• Integrity

Rotary and The Four-Way Test

• Is it the truth?
• Is it fair to all concerned?
• Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
• Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

Rotary Invocation

We, the Rotarians, are dedicated to the ideal of service to maintain a high ethical standard in our business and profession and to dignify our vocation by enhancing international understanding goodwill and peace through people united in the ideal of service.