ROTARY SERVICE and ENGAGEMENT

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Rotary Service and Engagement

October, 2020

Connect.Partner.Serve

Maintaining community development during a pandemic

The United Nations sees the COVID-19 pandemic as more than just a health crisis — it’s affecting communities and economies at their core. While the impact varies from country to country, the pandemic will likely increase poverty and inequalities on a global scale. That’s why the UN is encouraging socioeconomic responses to try to mitigate the harm to lives and livelihoods for years to come.

The UN has issued a framework for a response to COVID-19 to support countries’ social and economic recovery. During October, Community Economic Development Month, consider how you can take action to support your community. The framework consists of five key areas:

Protecting health systems to ensure that essential services remain available.
Helping people cope using programs that can provide access to basic services and reduce poverty.
Protecting jobs and supporting small and medium-sized enterprises and informal sector workers through economic response and recovery programs.
Advocating for policies to help the most vulnerable and strengthening regional responses.
Investing in community-led response systems and promoting social cohesion.

The UN also advocates for environmental sustainability and gender equality to “build back better” and work toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Look at Rotary’s Economic and Community Development Project Strategies guide to help you ask relevant questions, identify needs, and make the greatest impact with the time and resources you have.

Work with experts from a Rotary Action Group or a service partner

Several action groups focus on aspects of community economic development and can help you start a local project or support an international one:

Rotary Action Group for Community Economic Development works to alleviate poverty through sustainable microfinance and community development.
Disaster Network of Assistance Rotary Action Group focuses on disaster preparedness, communication, and recovery worldwide.
Rotary Action Group for Endangered Species brings attention to endangered species and supports action to preserve and protect them.
Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group helps clubs and districts plan, implement, and evaluate projects related to environmental sustainability and climate change.
Food Plant Solutions Rotary Action Group works to alleviate hunger by teaching people, particularly in developing countries, how to grow the local foods that best fill their nutritional needs.
Rotary Action Group Against Slavery raises awareness that slavery still exists in some places and supports programs, campaigns, and projects to end it.

Your district’s international service committee can connect you to local experts, many of whom are also part of a Rotary Action Group, to help you with community economic development projects. You can always contact your district leaders for assistance.

And remember Rotary’s service partners for your next community economic development project:

Ashoka helps find creative solutions to social problems.
Habitat for Humanity International provides safe and affordable shelter to families in need.
Peace Corps promotes peace and community development.
ShelterBox provides disaster relief such as emergency shelter and aid to families.

Explore international service, virtually

Project fairs open opportunities for members from around the world to meet in fellowship, learn about other cultures, and form partnerships to support projects in different countries. Many of the upcoming fairs will be virtual events.

The online events will still offer attendees a chance to see existing or potential service projects and establish partnerships and friendships. Consider joining a project fair in a part of the world that interests you and where you’d like to make a difference. Stay up-to-date on the events with this map or by looking at My Rotary.

Read more about how project fairs build long-lasting friendships and partnerships.