Category: Economic and Community Development

Combating human trafficking in the United States

October 11, 2018

By Past District Governor Bob Deering, Rotary Club of East Sacramento, California, USA According to Polaris, there are an estimated 100,000 – 300,000 prostituted children in the United States. 244,000 American children and youth are estimated to be at risk of child sexual exploitation, including commercial sexual exploitation. According to the California Attorney General Office, … More Combating human trafficking in the United States

Empowering women in Guatemala through microfinance

October 9, 2018

By Narayan Murarka, member of the Rotary Club Barrington Breakfast, USA; Francisco Viau and Oscar Diaz, Members of the Rotary Club of Guatemala Sur, Guatemala Sacatepéquez is a department in Guatemala with sixteen municipalities, Sumpango being one of them. A recent study showed the indigenous population in this region is higher than others and there … More Empowering women in Guatemala through microfinance

Rotaract clubs invest in their communities

October 5, 2018

By Erika Emerick, Rotary Programs for Young Leaders Staff Every October, Rotary celebrates Economic and Community Development month. To combat unemployment, underemployment, and lack of training, Rotaractors around the world work to empower entrepreneurs and community leaders in local communities. Check out these projects focusing on Economic and Community Development that were nominated for the … More Rotaract clubs invest in their communities

School environmental clubs pioneer sustainable community development in Tanzania

June 15, 2018

By Dr. John Philip, Chair of the International Fellowship of Rotarian Doctors and Member of the Rotary Club of Newbury, United Kingdom The island of Ukerewe in Lake Victoria, Tanzania is only accessible by a three and half hour ferry journey from the mainland town of Mwanza. The island’s 350,000 residents are subsistence farmers and … More School environmental clubs pioneer sustainable community development in Tanzania

Empowering women in Honduras 

April 27, 2018

By Vanessa Vegas, Regional Grants Officer at Rotary and Bonaventure Fandohan, Rotary’s Economic and Community Development Area of Focus Manager Throughout March, we celebrated women in many countries around the globe. It is a month when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political. It’s … More Empowering women in Honduras 

Creating jobs and promoting a cleaner environment in Brazil

March 6, 2018

By Susan Doxtator, Regional Grants Officer at Rotary and Bonaventure Fandohan, Rotary’s Economic and Community Development Area of Focus Manager Over the past 25 years, the number of workers living in extreme poverty has declined dramatically despite the lasting impact of the 2008 economic crisis and global recession. In developing countries, the middle class now … More Creating jobs and promoting a cleaner environment in Brazil

A quest for international service led to my Rotary moment

December 12, 2017

By Jerry Kallman, Past President of the Rotary Club of Ridgewood, New Jersey, USA When I first served as president of the Rotary Club of Ridgewood in 2008, I sought out an international service project to complement the several community service activities our club traditionally supported.  During that year’s District Conference, I learned the Rotary … More A quest for international service led to my Rotary moment

4 ways you can take action to help grow local economies

October 31, 2017

By Rotary Service and Engagement staff According to the United Nations, nearly 2.2 billion people live below the poverty line of US $2 per day, and the world needs 30 million new jobs every year to keep up with the growth of the global working-age population. In honor of Rotary Economic and Community Development Month celebrated each … More 4 ways you can take action to help grow local economies

How empowering entrepreneurs leads to long-term community development

October 26, 2017

By Lucy Davis, Rotary International staff “I’ve still got a lot to learn, but I’m closer to my goal than I’ve ever been. When you have somebody who’s willing to get behind you, somebody who believes in what you’re doing, there’s no reason not to succeed.”  – Levi Johnson, entrepreneur and LaunchDETROIT beneficiary Recently, I had … More How empowering entrepreneurs leads to long-term community development