Projects of Rotary Oceania

Browse Projects by our 7 Areas of Focus

Welcome to our projects page, dedicated to showcasing the remarkable projects undertaken by Rotary Oceania. As a global network of community leaders, volunteers, and professionals, Rotary strives to make a positive impact in the world through its seven areas of focus. 

Join us as we delve into the inspiring stories and impactful initiatives that exemplify Rotary's commitment to service and create a better future for all.

If your club has a project to share in this space - please send details to operations-manager@rotaryoceania.zone

Promoting Peace

Rotary encourages conversations to foster understanding within and across cultures. We train adults and young leaders to prevent and mediate conflict and help refugees who have fled dangerous areas.
 

Peace Poles

 
A Peace Pole is a monument that displays the message "May Peace Prevail on Earth" in the language of the country where it is placed.
The message is referred to as an affirmation of peace and its placement furthers Rotary's goal of buildiing a culture of peace throughout the world.

 

Read about this project 

Cans for a Cause

New Zealand is facing a cost-of-living crisis with the number of New Zealanders needing to access food banks dramatically increasing. 14% of New Zealand’s population is considered to be in need of assistance to provide food for their families each week.

Rotary has a long history of supporting community initiatives within New Zealand, our service dates back over 100 years and we are recognised as people of action.

Rotary Clubs across Aotearoa New Zealand are joining together to help fight food poverty in our local communities.

We are aiming to collect 1 million cans or non-perishable food items during June. This will be the largest ever food collection campaign in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Fighting Disease

We educate and equip communities to stop the spread of life-threatening diseases like polio, HIV/AIDS, and malaria. We improve and expand access to low-cost and free health care in developing areas.

Shelterbags.

For the winter of 2026 Rotary with logistics assistance from Kuehne+Nagel imported 1,000 shelterbags into New Zealand to provide comfort and seek to restore dignity to the growing number of rough sleepers in our communities. The Shelterbags have been well received by the social agencies who deal directly with these people that Rotary has partnered with.  Particularly given the onset of a very cold winter, these agencies who already have trusted relationships with rough sleepers, can now offer a shelterbag along with other wrap around support.

 We understand however that at the time of the 2023 census there were around 5,000 people across New Zealand who were recognised as homeless.  Since then, we understand that number is now more than 5,000.  The 1,000 shelterbags delivered are a great start but we need more.

 We want to raise sufficient money for another shipment and need Rotary clubs, members and wide public support to make it happen.

 This project provides practical assistance to address an issue that otherwise individuals can sympathise with but are at a loss as to what they can practically do or achieve. 

 Based on the unmet further need, the aim is to bring a full container of 1,200 bags into New Zealand by next winter.

 Donations should be made Account Name & No.: ROZOPS Limited 06-0193-0905286-007 with email to operations-manager@rotaryoceania.zone  advising payment and address to send receipt to.

 Clubs’ charitable trusts can make a direct donation without invoice to avoid adding GST to the bill (ROZOPS is GST registered and invoices require GST to be added – direct donations avoid this)

 Private donations receive a registered charity donation receipt to claim 33% back from IRD.

Key Contacts for further information:

Malcolm Stapleton      mjds@babbage.co.nz

Len Houwers           len.houwers@aretelimited.com           

Listen to the RNZ Interview here.

 

Somalia Polio Vaccinations

Somalia is launching the Round 2 Polio Vaccination Campaign with a target to reach 3.5 million children below 5 years of age.

There is strong evidence that the polio virus is circulating in Somalia, with new cases and environmental samples detected; including confirmed cases from neighboring countries. With low routine immunization coverage and a high concentration of people in Internally Displaced Person's camps due to the recent drought and the transmission characteristics of the wild polio virus.

 

Providing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene

We support local solutions to bring clean water, sanitation, and hygiene to more people every day. We don’t just build wells and walk away. We share our expertise with community leaders and educators to make sure our projects succeed long-term.
 

Saving mothers and children

Nearly 6 million children under the age of five die each year because of malnutrition, poor health care, and inadequate sanitation. We expand access to quality care, so mothers and their children can live and grow stronger.
 

Rotary Community Breast Milk Bank

 

One of Rotary’s Areas of Focus is Child and Maternal Health. After 4 years of planning and fundraising the first Rotary Community Breast Milk Bank was launched in June 2018 at St. George’s Hospital who agreed to support this Rotary project.

The World Health Organisation says that human donor milk is the next best thing for babies after it’s own mother’s milk and states that human milk banks should be made available everywhere.

Read about this project 

Supporting education

More than 775 million people over the age of 15 are illiterate. Our goal is to strengthen the capacity of communities to support basic education and literacy, reduce gender disparity in education, and increase adult literacy.
 

Growing local economies

We carry out service projects that enhance economic and community development and create opportunities for decent and productive work for young and old. We also strengthen local entrepreneurs and community leaders, particularly women, in impoverished communities.
 

Protecting the environment

Rotary members are tackling environmental issues the way they always do: coming up with projects, using their connections to change policy and planning for the future.
 

Rotary Planting

Rotarian hard at work planting in the Rotary Peace Park in Christchurch

Rotary Community Action for Freshwater
 

Community Action for Fresh Water is very much a part of an activity of the Rotary International 7th area of focus – the Environment.

 

“Freshwater ecosystems and their biodiversity are important to society. They provide drinking water, water for irrigation, fish and other food, recreational opportunities, and transport routes, among a host of other essentials. Yet, all too often, they suffer from pollution, overuse and climate change. UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) believes that the key to protecting and sustaining natural ecosystems is engaging, educating and motivating the communities that live close to those ecosystems.