Speaker Highlights

Rachel Williams on Pakistan

Rachel Williams, a member of Ipswich, MA Rotary Club, spoke to us about Pakistan.     As International Chair she has committed the Ipswich club to a number of Rotary International humanitarian projects.  As District Literacy Resource Coordinator for District 7930 (Boston and vicinity), Rachel has spearheading educational assistance to schools, both locally and internationally. She believes that to keep crime down in our neighborhoods, we need good public schools.  To have peace in the world, we need to help with literacy on a global basis.  She is now in the process of facilitating 3 Adopt-a-School Rotary International Matching Humanitarian Grants for rotary clubs here in US with clubs in Pakistan.  Rachel goes to Pakistan every November to check on past, present and future projects.  She encourages any Rotarian who wishes to make a difference to join her on these visits

Joining Rachel in Chester was Tayyaba Siddiqui, a teacher whose entire family is devoted to the education of Pakistani children.  She presented a powerpoint of her family and the school where she teaches.  She spoke of the heartbreak of watching the educational infrastructure of Pakistan crumble during the recent earthquake that brought so many school buildings down upon the children.  Many, many young lives were lost and countless are without homes, schools or power.  Rachel reminded us of the value of an education as a propellant towards peace. She is a stalwart campaigner for the eradication of polio and advises that schools are the best places for distribution of the vaccines. 

Pictured left to right; Chester Rotarian John Holme, Pakistani Teacher Tayyaba Siddiqui and Ipswich Rotarian Rachel Williams

In July’09 Rachel received the “Service Above Self Award”, Rotary’s highest honor for individual Rotarians.