Dean Kohrs has traveled many places during her time with Rotary. Presently she travels with two passports due to issues with some of the countries she visits for Rotary.
Recently, she spent time in India, one of the fastest growing Rotary areas. Rotarians there anticipate adding 100,000 members in the next two years. Clubs in India have been very successful in rehabilitating approximately 10% of the countries potable water wells. Members are very active in their environments and have worked together to work on sustainable water.
The largest area of the world with the smallest number of Rotarians is Russia. One thousand eight hundred members are presently working there.
Dean’s speech was about courage which is defined as the ability to do something that frightens one and having strength in the face of pain and grief. Courage is needed to get things done, and people need the quality of mind to get things done in any circumstance. In many places in the world women have no choice or opportunity to become educated or owners of property.
In Africa, Dean witnessed the courage of a woman who was forced into marriage and genital mutilation. She found the courage to help others and dealt daily in the hope to survive. The young woman found it took courage to help change practices considered “normal” in her country. If no one talked about the situation, then no changes could take place.
In Canada a program to help women “re-enter” the workforce has been very successful. A non-profit organization began to bring open discussion to women who had the courage to “have found the me I knew I was.”
In northern Nigeria very young girls were carrying water 2 to 2 and ½ miles every day. The only school available to them was a path through very dangerous territory. That had to change.
In another African country there is no access to water or education. Dean spoke to one child of 14 who begged her to take her baby as she had no way to give her a way out of the situation that many women are in. The mother was 14 with HIV, with no education and working as a prostitute. Dean found a way to get the baby to people who could help and that young woman has now graduated from high school. “Empower a girl and you empower the world.”
Nelson Mandela said that he walked a long way and only rested for a moment. He made mistakes but he never gave up. He walked to bring power to people and still much work needs to be done.
Dean’s final message to the club is that dreams can come true and she has found the ability to do things she never thought she could due to Rotary.
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