By Syam V.D. Mudhoo, president, Rotary Club of Helvetia Happiness, Mauritius

Have you ever felt that everything is going wrong? That all the doors are closing on you and you don’t know what to do? Even sleep escapes you.

Rotary members, though we are dedicated to service, are certainly not immune to our own struggles. We face mental health challenges like anyone else. But those struggles affect our ability to serve and help others. That is why I was excited when I heard of Rotary International President R. Gordon R. McInally’s emphasis on mental health this Rotary year.

I first read about this in the July 2023 issue of Rotary magazine. “Research shows that performing acts of kindness is an effective step any of us can take to protect our well-being. And by building peace within, we become more capable of bringing peace to the world.” Not long after, I got the idea to launch a satellite club with this as its focus.

The idea of a satellite club was neither new to me nor my district, as it had been a part of our drive to create new clubs during the 2022-23 Rotary year. What was new was the idea of a satellite club focused on the happiness and well-being of our members. I shared the idea with my wife, Sapna, a past president of our club, who is a psychologist. We debated whether the focus should be mental health or mental well-being, and ultimately decided well-being was the better option. We shared the idea with two other Rotarians who loved it and agreed to help.

After the Board of the Rotary Club of Saint-Pierre gave us approval to pursue a satellite club, our work began. We approached friends and family. In just six months, we were able to canvas more than 16 people who wanted to join. This was a huge sign that we were on the right track and that our idea had merit.

Our team included members from different cultures, backgrounds, and professions, including two psychologists. My wife noted how the well-being of Rotarians is of utmost importance if we want to bring positive change in the communities we serve. She compared it to the instruction you receive from a flight attendant on an airplane about using oxygen masks in the event of an emergency.

“You are told that if you are traveling with a child or someone who requires assistance, secure your mask on first, and then assist the other person,” she notes. “This is a lesson for all of us” about mental health.

Another member of our team, Sarvesh, noted how mental health is as important as physical health but is less understood because it is felt and not seen. A cause-based club can attract professionals who can unite to promote mental well-being first among the club’s members and then the community at large. That’s why we adopted Happiness as the name for our satellite club.

Udiptee Jugun, a club member, is a specialised schoolteacher and shared the trauma she faced as a child born with a cleft palate in the 1980’s. “It has been a journey of continuous visits to the doctors, orthodontists, dentists, and speech therapists. At some point in time, I needed a psychologist and psychiatrist to help me overcome self-esteem issues, and fear of failing exams. I was often worried about my future. My academic journey was difficult as I missed school days due to surgeries and healing often took time (general anesthesia has an impact on the nervous system).”

Today, Upditee wants to inspire and empower others through our club. “If sharing my journey can bring a light of hope, I am grateful to give back to the community, encourage inclusivity, break stereotypes, and address social stigmas.”

On 8 May, the satellite became its own independent club, the Rotary Club of Helvetia Happiness, the first cause-based club in District 9220. We have many projects in the pipeline, including workshops and radio programs for members of the community on combating stereotypes and learning more about how to help others achieve mental well-being.

Nurveen Ratty, who is an assistant regional Rotary Foundation coordinator in Zone 22 and member of our club shared our story during a zone meeting and now many past district governors are interested in learning more about launching cause-based clubs in their districts. Moreover, when President McInally learned about our club from Ratty during a conference in Africa, he recorded a video message for the club that will be shared during the charter ceremony. We are excited to have kick-started the idea. Happiness for everyone is our vision.