By Erika Emerick, Rotary Programs for Young Leaders Staff
Through Rotaract clubs, people ages 18-30 develop leadership and professional skills, exchange ideas with community leaders, and have fun through service. Every year, Rotaract clubs around the world develop projects to address community challenges. Rotary International recognizes the best high-impact, sustainable projects with the Rotaract Outstanding Project Awards.
International single club awardee:
The 2019 Rotaract Outstanding Project Awards recognized the Rotaract Club of Bugolobi with the highest honor, the international single-club awardee. Their “1000smiles” project provided safe water for over 12,000 people through building permanent latrines and boreholes, and educating the community on the importance of water and sanitation.
International multi club awardee:
The international multi-club project award went to District 2420. Since 2010, the District 2420 Academy has provided over 300 trainings on Rotary’s areas of focus and vocational and personal development to members of the Rotary family and the general public.
The following clubs also earned award for the best service projects in their regions.
Asia Pacific region
The Rotaract Club of Manila, Philippines aided the rehabilitation of 29 out-of-school youths through art therapy, guiding them away from gang violence and substance abuse. As a result, the teens reintegrate into society as full-time students and eventual members of the workforce.
South Asia region
The Rotaract Club of the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka affixed steel structures with live corals to seabeds to stimulate coral growth and enhance zooxanthellae population, forming a complete marine habitat and making the area a travel hotspot to aid tourism-dependent low-income families.
Central Asia, Europe, Middle East
Rotaract District 2420, Turkey, worked with 39 Rotaract clubs in 17 countries to organize AIDS awareness events, including distributing educational and preventative care materials.
Africa
The Rotaract Club of Qiloane, Lesotho provided a greenhouse, seeds, and training for teenage mothers learning to grow vegetables to earn a livelihood to feed their families.
Latin America
The Rotaract Club of Itápolis, Brazil, educated over 20,000 people about the risk of depression and signs of suicidal behavior.
Canada, Caribbean, USA
The Rotaract Club of Barbados helped improve literacy at local schools through a book drive, a spelling bee, and a public service announcement.
In communities worldwide, Rotary and Rotaract members work side by side to take action through service. Rotaract clubs thrive when they work with committed sponsor Rotary clubs. Download the handbook to learn more.
Service in Action 
This is truly inspiring to see what the Rotaractors did. When shall we know the results of the Rotary clubs? Thanks