Painting the way to peace

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Park mural in Cuidad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico

Members of the Rotaract Club of Juárez Integra in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico, by one of the 10 murals they painted in public spaces.

By Yesenia Uribe, Rotaract Club of Juárez Integra, Ciudad Juárez, Mexico

I have always been concerned about the situation in my city. Ciudad Juarez is sadly known for a high crime rate and violence related to drug trafficking which creates an atmosphere of insecurity.

I wanted to learn more about how I could implement peace in my community, so I applied to participate in a workshop called A Stronger Mexico: Pillars of Positive Peace organized by the Institute for Economics and Peace. I learned that peace starts in small communities and that we cannot think about global peace if we do not work on it from the roots. Continue reading →

Why I love YEO Preconvention

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Viktorija Trimbel and her daughter, Gabija, a 2010 Rotary Youth Exchange student.

By Viktorija Trimbel, District 1462 (Lithuania) Youth Exchange Chair, and Governor nominee for 2020-2021

Days before the Rotary Convention, over 500 Youth Exchange Officers (YEOs) from all over the world get together to learn and share best practices. The YEO Preconvention is my favorite Rotary meeting. From my past experience, I have found the challenges of youth exchange are pretty universal – selecting students, overseeing behavior, finding host families, and involving Rotary clubs. It is very interesting to learn solutions from other districts. Continue reading →

Thank you, Foundation donors

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Rotary staff write thank you notes during the 2017 Thank-A-Thon.

By Eric Schmelling, chief philanthropy officer, The Rotary Foundation

As Rotary staff members, we can never take enough time in our daily responsibilities to fully express our gratitude to you, our generous donors, who make the work of The Rotary Foundation possible.

We understand the multitude of demands on your time and resources. Our donors’ commitment and willingness to join Rotary in making the world a better place is truly appreciated. Continue reading →

3 ways to celebrate World Interact Week

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How will you celebrate World Interact Week?

By Erika Emerick, RI Programs for Young Leaders promotions specialist

Interact clubs empower young people ages 12 to 18 to take action in their community, develop leadership skills, and gain a global perspective. Every year we celebrate the accomplishments of an estimated half a million Interact club members during World Interact Week. Connect with Interactors 5-11 November and share the power of Interact!

Interactors around the world will be taking action and sharing how their Interact clubs are making a difference in their communities. How will you celebrate? Here are three ways you can join the party: Continue reading →

7 tips for creating compelling social media content

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Harvard Community Garden

Elizabeth Sanchez and her mother, Reina Montes, harvest vegetables from a community garden in Harvard, Illinois, a  project of the local Rotary club. Use photos like these in your social media posts to show Rotarians as People of Action, and clearly address the problem, solution, and impact. Photo by Monika Lozinska/Rotary International

By Ashley Demma, social & digital specialist for Rotary International

It’s hard to believe that social media has been around for more than twenty years. From the early days of crafting the perfect AIM away message in the late ‘90s to the rise of sharing photography on Instagram … social media has certainly come a long way and continues to evolve. It’s important to remember why we started getting “social” in the first place: to connect with one another.

Sharing stories that show Rotarians as People of Action on social media is an easy and effective way to amplify your club’s success to the world and build awareness and understanding of what we do. Below are 7 tips to create engaging social media content: Continue reading →

Fighting malnutrition with better corn

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Technician talks to farmers

Semilla Nueva technician Noe speaks to farmers about their new seed. Photo by Sarah Caroline Müller/Semilla Nueva

By Don Reiman, Rotary Club of Boise, Idaho, USA

Semilla Nueva means “New Seed.” In Guatemala the “new seed” developed by Semilla Nueva is creating new life for some of the world’s most malnourished children.

In March 2013, my wife and I traveled to Guatemala to check out Semilla Nueva, a nonprofit our Rotary club was considering supporting as part of our international service. Our past history with nonprofits taught us it was important to make sure the Rotary club’s resources would be backing a valid and sustainable project. What we found and experienced far exceeded our expectations. Continue reading →

How to improve your photography: telling Rotary’s story in pictures

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Rotarians and Rotaractors plant mangrove trees at Bonefish Pond National Park in Nassau.

By Alyce Henson, Rotary International staff photographer

Over the last year, I have worked on a few assignments highlighting club projects in Nassau, Bahamas, and Seattle, Washington, USA. Each project demonstrates how Rotarians take action to solve problems in their own communities. These type of projects translate well into visual storytelling content.

My approach to photography remains consistent with the Rotary brand: I strive to make authentic images that represent the values and personality of Rotary. Because of this, I am able to create appealing images that tell a bigger story – one that reflects the projects and people who make the world a better place.

Using photography to tell a story can become complex and challenging, but it doesn’t have to be. By following a few guidelines, having a focused mindset, and applying a bit of confidence, you can take great pictures with less intimidation. Below are some photo tips based on recent images I took in Nassau and Seattle. Try these, and you might be surprised what you can capture. Continue reading →

5 steps for establishing a garden to fight hunger

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Establishing a food garden in your school or community can help reduce malnutrition. The Food Plant Solutions Rotarian Action Group promotes innovative solutions, such as community gardens, to end hunger, fight malnutrition, and ensure food security. World Food Day is a great time to think about planting a garden. Here are five steps to get started: Continue reading →

Can you top these creative polio fundraisers?

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By Arnold R. Grahl

From riding the rails in Sydney, Australia, to crossing mountain paths on the way to the ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu in Peru, members of Rotary have been coming up with creative ways to raise money and awareness for polio eradication leading up to World Polio Day 24 October.

Already, clubs and individuals have listed more than 1,600 events on Endpolio.org. Promote your event and mark your calendar to watch the livestream of Rotary’s World Polio Day event at 18:30 Philadelphia time (UTC-4) on 24 October.

Here are just a few of the events Rotarians have planned or held: Continue reading →

Improving sanitation in a school in Ghana

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Hand washing demonstration

Vera Allotey demonstrates hand washing to school children in Denkyira, Ghana.

Editor Note: Rotary International partners with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to support lasting, positive change in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). This is part of a series of occasional blog posts from local Rotary members describing their visits to project sites.

By Vera Lamiley Allotey, Rotary Club of Accra Dansoman

In July, I left my home with fellow Rotarians to visit Upper Denkyira East in the central region of Ghana to see progress on water and sanitation projects. Despite riding in a very new vehicle, the ride was bumpy due to poor road conditions. But we enjoyed talking and learning about the Rotary-USAID partnership during our more than six-hour journey. I was encouraged by what I saw and the impact Rotary is having in the region. Continue reading →