Empower your community through economic development.
Empower entrepreneurs during Community Economic Development Month
The Seven Women Center is a social enterprise in Nepal founded by Australian Rotary member and former Rotary Peace Fellow Stephanie Woollard. The center offers marginalized women education, skills training, and employment opportunities. The evolving venture has grown from helping seven women to assisting more than 5,000.
Rotary members promote community economic development and reduce poverty in underserved areas by improving access to skills training, well-paying jobs, and financial management institutions. Their projects range from vocational training and mentorship to offering small-business tools and reasonable financing. Our members work to strengthen local entrepreneurs and leaders, particularly women, across communities.
Attention Interact club sponsors: We’re now accepting entries for the 2022 Interact Awards! Encourage your Interact club to show how its members champion diversity, equity, and inclusion by submitting a video, up to three photos, and/or an essay by 1 December. One club will be recognized in each category. Learn more about the 2022 Interact Awards.
Increase your impact
Plan your next service project strategically
Every community has different needs and opportunities to serve. Our guide to community economic development project strategies can help you ask the right questions, identify real needs, and make the greatest possible impact with the time, energy, and resources you have. Use it to help you plan or scale your community economic development projects.
Enhance Engagement
Urban gardening enthusiasts promote bee conservation in Ethiopia
The Rotary Fellowship of Urban Gardening provides communities with fresh food, creates green spaces, recycles waste, and strengthens cities’ ability to combat climate change. Fellowship members in Ethiopia recently teamed up with the Kotsa Rotary Community Corps (Kotsa means “beehive” in the Gamo language) and the Rotary Ethiopia Peace Committee on an initiative that promotes economic development and environmental sustainability: the Adopt a Beehive Project. Adoption fees (about US$19 for individuals and $114 for groups) cover equipment and other essentials for 250 beehives. Donors receive sponsorship recognition and regular updates about their beehive, and they’re welcome to visit the apiary to taste fresh honey and learn about beekeeping. Contact the fellowship to get involved or to replicate this project in your community.
End Polio Now Update
RI President Jennifer Jones announces US$150 million pledge to end polio
At the Global Citizen Festival on 24 September, RI President Jennifer Jones announced that Rotary will commit an additional US$150 million to end polio for good. Jones talked about the effect of polio vaccinations being disrupted by COVID-19 in some countries. She pointed out that, in 2021, about 25 million children went without critical immunizations. “The world has beaten back this disease significantly, but we must redouble our efforts,” Jones said. “I am proud to announce that Rotary International will commit an additional $150 million to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. We want this to be the start of a massive effort to reach the initiative’s $4.8 billion funding goal.”
Your support is crucial. Donate now to help Rotary and its partners end polio.
