The Gates Foundation has transferred its matching funds to The Rotary Foundation, honouring its commitment to match every dollar raised by Rotary with two additional dollars. This announcement by TRF Trustee Chair Holger Knaack set the tone for the evening at the multidistrict TRF meet A Million-Dollar Opportunity hosted by RID 3234.
Suzanne Knaack, RI Director M Muruganandam, Trustee Bharat Pandya and Trustee Elect A S Venkatesh.
Sharing the update, he highlighted “Rotary’s enduring credibility in global health.” The partnership with the Gates Foundation aims to raise $150 million annually for polio eradication, with Rotary contributing $50 million every year.
Referring to the $50 million spent on polio eradication this year, Knaack said, “The true measure of the work is the confidence of mothers who bring their children for immunisation, knowing their child will never be crippled. That confidence is our result. That confidence is Rotary. We are trusted to do the job by our partners and beneficiaries.”
Trustee Bharat Pandya pointed out that TRF remains “the most effective vehicle through which Rotary does good in the world.” While the wild poliovirus has now been reduced to a single genome and confined to limited geographies, he cautioned that “the battle is far from over. This fight is not just against a disease; it is also against mindsets and terrorism.” He was referring to over 200 polio workers killed in Pakistan. Supporting the Polio Fund remains critical, he stressed.
Incoming Trustee A S Venkatesh offered a reflective perspective on giving. “I will not ask or advise you to give. Giving should be guided by what the Foundation does, not by ignorance. When you give, you must know why you are giving.” He recalled an early experience as sergeant-at-arms during a school project where desks and benches were donated. After the formalities ended, he noticed a young girl lingering in the classroom. When he urged her to join the others for refreshments, she replied, “This is the first time I am sitting on a bench. You are like God for giving us this privilege. I want to enjoy it a little longer.” That moment, he said, left him uncomfortable accepting praise without personal contribution. That discomfort led him “to study the Foundation more closely, discover global grants, and donate $1,000 that very year. Understand what the Foundation does. Learn about the Programs of Scale. Ask questions. Be proud of our Foundation’s work and then be part of it. When you truly understand, open your hearts and reach for your wallets.”
RI Director M Muruganandam said, “This is an opportunity to give and an opportunity to make our dream of a better world come true. It is not about the number of years you get to live, but how you live. The donors here today are not just giving; they are living their values.” He highlighted Zone 5’s strong performance, noting its No 1 ranking in membership and Rotaract expansion, and said the projected contribution of $15–20 million to TRF which will be met soon.
Sharing his journey with TRF, PDG Abirami Ramanathan candidly admitted that his “initial contributions were driven by obligation. But I realised Rotary is about giving, not receiving,” and said: “Whenever I have given $1 million to TRF, I have seen $2 million come back in impact. But the most important thing is to give with a good heart.”
PDG J Sridhar, RRFC for 2026–29, highlighted the contribution of $66,784 by Rotaractors of RID 3234. “We must inspire Rotaractors to give for them to truly understand the value of the Foundation,” he said.
PDG N Saravanan announced that RIDs 3231 and 3234 would together contribute $1.2 million to TRF. AKS members, Major Donors, Endowment Fund contributors, and CSR donors from RID 3234 were honoured. DG Vinod Saraogi joined the AKS Chair’s Circle with a contribution of $126,000, while PDG Ravi Raman presented a cheque for $100,000 towards global grants.
RID 3231 DG V Suresh thanked his club presidents for collectively raising $30,000 within a day of receiving an invitation for the TRF meet from RID Muruganandam.