Rotary 101

Avenues of Service- International

Today, 65 million people are displaced by armed conflict or persecution. Through our partnerships with several leading universities, Rotary Peace Fellows develop the skills to strengthen peace efforts, train local leaders to prevent and mediate conflict, and support long-term peace building in areas afflicted by conflict. We provide up to 100 peace fellowships per year at Rotary Peace Centers.

More than 100 million people are pushed into poverty each year because of medical costs. We aim to improve and expand access to low-cost and free health care in underdeveloped areas. Our members educate and mobilize communities to help prevent the spread of major diseases such as polio, HIV/AIDS, and malaria. Many of our projects ensure that medical training facilities are located where the workforce lives.

More than 2.5 billion people lack access to adequate sanitation facilities. At least 3,000 children die each day from diarrheal diseases caused by unsafe water. Rotary projects give communities the ability to develop and maintain sustainable water and sanitation systems and support studies related to water and sanitation.

At least 7 million children under the age of five die each year de to malnutrition, poor health care, and inadequate sanitation. To help reduce this rate, Rotary provides immunizations and antibiotics to babies, improve access to essential medical services, and support trained health care providers for mothers and children. Our projects ensure sustainability by empowering the local community to take ownership of health care training programs.

Sixty-seven children worldwide have no access to education and 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.

All of this and more can be accomplished through International Service and, as PDG Ted has outlined, this can be accomplished with your support of our Foundation and the activities of our club committees.