Stories

By Roger Bjoroy-Karlsen, PI Chair, RUG

Poverty and pollution hinder people's access to clean drinking water—those who consume water from the well face stomach issues, parasites, dysentery, and E. coli infections. Tragically, babies have died from dysentery after drinking water from the creeks, and dengue fever, due to unsatisfactory storage of the water. Additionally, the residents cannot afford the electricity needed to pump water from the well, or if they choose to pay for well water, they might not have the funds to get clean drinking water.

By Roger Bjoroy-Karlsen, Public Image Chair, RUG

"Layettes" Excuse me? Layettes!

Far from everyone is familiar with the term, even though it has been used since 1839.  A layette is an assembly of clothing and accessories for a newborn child, typically including diapers, blankets, and baby clothes. It's a rescue bag for mothers who have just had a baby or are about to have one, especially those who are financially disadvantaged. Meet a Rotary Club that makes this possible!

MEET THE RUG CLUB MEMBERS

By Roger Bjoroy-Karlsen

He is from the island of Guanaja, which Columbus visited on his fourth trip in 1502, and is a proud islander with many ideas to improve life for local communities. He is also a dedicated member of the Rotary Club of Roatan Utila Guanaja (RUG) and hopes that Rotary can facilitate many of the projects. For the year 2025–2026, he is part of the board and responsible for the Service and Environmental Projects. Meet the inspirator from the second largest island in the Bay Islands!

By Roger Bjoroy-Karlsen

Imagine you are a child in kindergarten, struggling to learn, and one day, some adult strangers show up and hand you a simple tool so you can continue your journey to discover the miracles of the world.

Written and edited by:
Roger Bjoroy-Karlsen 
Research and sources by:
Angela Claire Bjoroy-Karlsen

Collaboration between clubs, organizations, and volunteers creates magic where needed. Join the diversed team on a journey to spread joy to the children on a Caribbean island. Shoulder to shoulder, every participant with a genuine desire to help, to support the ones that will inherit the world!  

By Roger Bjoroy-Karlsen

The children are inheriting the world. And some of them refuse to inherit a polluted planet. Join us as we visit a team of volunteers, including children as young as kindergarten age, taking responsibility for the environment on the Mosquitia coast!

By Roger Bjoroy-Karlsen

Many children in Roatan are introduced to Coca-Cola as babies, and some don't visit a dentist until they are 15 years old, enduring years without proper dental care. The Rotary Club of Roatan Utila Guanaja is on a mission to change that by educating children and their parents about dental hygiene.

The children are our future. And the best we can give them is education so they can create a solid platform in life. But once a year, it is allowed to spend the day playing. Join us on one of these days! 

Honduras is often thought of in terms of crime, drugs, homicides, and violence. Significant parts of the Western world fear the harshness and ignorance of this country. That, however, is far from the whole truth. For example, the country’s authorities try to help those who need it by bringing in free medical care, which is often the only opportunity for the locals.. Welcome to The Medica Brigada on Roatan, Bay Islands!

Did you know that in our part of the world, babies are fed with Coca-Cola from the baby bottle? That creates some challenges within dental care!

An estimated 500 million people worldwide became infected. Many cities closed theaters and cinemas, and placed restrictions on public gatherings. Rotary clubs adjusted their activities while also helping the sick.

This is how Rotary responded to the influenza pandemic that began in 1918 and came in three waves, lasting more than a year.

The Rotary Club of Berkeley, California, USA, meets in John Hinkel Park during the 1918 flu pandemic.

Photo by Edwin J. McCullagh, 1931-32 club president. Courtesy of the Rotary Club of Berkeley.

Rotary and the United Nations have a shared history of working toward peace and addressing humanitarian issues around the world.

During World War II, Rotary informed and educated members about the formation of the United Nations and the importance of planning for peace. Materials such as the booklet “From Here On!” and articles in The Rotarian helped members understand the UN before it was formally established and follow its work after its charter. 

Many countries were fighting the war when the term “United Nations” was first used officially in the 1942 “Declaration by United Nations.” The 26 nations that signed it pledged to uphold the ideals expressed by the United States and the United Kingdom the previous year of the common principles “on which they based their hopes for a better future for the world.” 

Every hero has an origin story. “I was 10 years old when the entire journey started,” explains Binish Desai. It began with a cartoon called Captain Planet, an animated TV series from the 1990s about an environmentalist with superpowers. Desai can still recite the show’s refrain: Captain Planet, he’s our hero / Gonna take pollution down to zero! “That tagline stuck in my mind,” he says. “I wanted to do something to help Captain Planet.”