ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Economic and Community Development is one of Rotary’s six areas of focus.

Unemployment, underemployment, lack of economic opportunity, lack of appropriate training, and the

absence of social safety nets lie at the core of poverty. For the poor, labour is often the only asset available to improve well-being. Creating productive employment opportunities is essential for reducing poverty and achieving sustainable economic and social development, and for providing income security and empowerment especially for women, people with disabilities, youth, and the extremely poor.

 

Effective Projects: Greater long-term sustainability will be achieved by involving all stakeholders and using a combination of the appropriate interventions. Whatever the solutions may be, avoid stand-alone equipment or infrastructure proposals, or equipment that can’t be purchased or repaired locally. Local capacity development and community involvement in the project design, implementation, and evaluation are key to sustainably increasing farmers’ incomes. For details see URL:

 

Frankston North Rotary along with support from sixteen Rotary Clubs in District 9820 led a project in Tonga using a Global grant and a New Zealand Government grant that matched the Rotary funding on a 4:1 basis. The project provided work on sustainable vegetable gardens, fowl runs, reconstitution of mangroves, and tree planting, in three villages in Tonga. Further, 300 households were given improved nutrition, training, and improved economic opportunities through the sale of produce from the gardens.