Service in Action

By Jessica Liñán, member of the Rotary Club of Miraflores (Lima, Peru) and of the Rotary Foundation Cadre of Technical Advisers

The pandemic was a difficult time for people around the world. Many of us were faced with constant worry on a daily basis, and our mental health suffered. We temporarily lost access to social and community support. During this difficult time, Rotary served as a way for our district to foster a sense of connection and to use our collective strength to help others. Below are a few examples of projects we engaged in that show how Rotary helped me and our community during the pandemic.

The Happiness Committee

In the thick of the pandemic, our District Governor, Ana Cecilia Lopez, got us thinking about ways we could address mental health and stay connected. Because we were not gathering in person, we focused on using technology to address mental health. Out of this idea, we created a group called the Happiness Committee.

The main goal of the happiness committee was to find a way to uplift each other’s spirits and mental health, which was a feat during this challenging time. The committee achieved this by holding regular meetings over Zoom that were open to Rotarians and non-Rotarians in our community. We developed activities that focused on positively affecting mood – including singing, dancing, and playing.

In the end, we spread positivity and fostered connections among people who could not be together in person. As the months went by, Rotarians and friends continued to join and participate in the virtual meetings, and the Happiness Committee was highly regarded.

You Matter to Me

The support we received from other Rotary committees in our district during the height of COVID-19 gave us momentum. Following the implementation of Happiness Committee activities, we began to think more deeply about mental health and broader mental health-based projects we could do.

We began organizing talks with the Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations. In partnership with the ministry, we organized a parade and fair centering around suicide prevention. Most notably, we created a talk that combined empowerment and mental health called “You Matter to Me.” The event included music, positivity, and art-based activities.

Partnering with the ministry bolstered our efforts to organize mental health activities. You Matter to Me allowed us to reach an even wider audience and focus on two key mental health issues. We hope that engaging in conversation on these issues will help open a door for further discussion.

Dream It, You Can Do It

Following all of this, we partnered with another organization in our community, Soroptimist International, which is a global volunteer service focused on women. Together, we organized the “Dream It, You Can Do It” workshop for a girls foster home in our area.

The workshop lasted two days and was well received by the girls. It included music, singing, various art-based exercises, and many conversations. Notably, it included discussions about everyone’s values and what they wanted out of life. On the second day, the girls expressed to us how much they gained from the workshop, and we were grateful to hear that we had a positive effect on their mental health.

I am grateful for my connection with Rotary, especially during the pandemic. It gave me a sense of belonging at a time when everyone was isolated and allowed me to be of help in my community. As I share these experiences, I hope they can serve as examples to inspire other service-oriented activities for clubs around the world. Please consider making mental health activities a priority in your club.