MeetyourGovernors

Strengthening Rotary in Northeast

As a provider of medical service, “I see a plenty of scope for Rotary to expand both in membership and community initiatives across the eight Northeastern states and the northern parts of West Bengal,” says Dr Asim Adhikary. Following a consultation with RI director M Muruganandam, a Group-5 network was formed comprising himself, IPDG Kameswar Elangbam, DGE Danny Dutta, DGN Pallavi Maji and DGND to work on ‘growth strategies.’

With 97 clubs having 3,600 members as on July 1, Adhikary eyes a 10 per cent net membership growth, and wants to form 10 new Rotary clubs. “We found that 50 per cent of clubs are in the Amber zone (members: 26–50); 35 per cent in Red (25 and below); and 15 per cent in Green zone.” In the next three years, 40 per cent of Amber clubs will be moved to the Green zone; and all the Red clubs will migrate to Amber by strengthening their membership.

At least 12 autism awareness campaigns will be held at the club halls and village centres in which counselling will be given to over 1,000 parents of special children. “We will provide multispecialty assistance to the parents in this `1.5 lakh worth project funded by a district grant and Rotary District 3240 Foundation.” In tie-up with hospitals, HPV vaccination drives (CSR grant + members: `60 lakh) will be held for 5,000 school and college girls. As happens every year, over one lakh saplings will be planted by the clubs, says Adhikary who joined Rotary in 1999. His TRF target is  $400,000.

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Focus on healthcare

During his installation, Joshy Chacko  launched 10 GG projects worth `8 crore across RI’s focus areas. He aims at a net membership growth of 350 taking the count to 4,100 by June next year. “I will form 10–15 new clubs this year, taking the figure to 120 by the end of my term,” he says.

Project Surya (CSR grant: `2.2 crore) will distribute 600 smart canes, 600 smart glasses, and offer ‘digital training’ in computer courses to 2,000 visually-challenged youth. In a novel initiative, Project I Bleed, a fully-automated CLIA system will be installed (GG: $36,000) at the Government Hospital, Kochi. “The modern procedure will screen for early diagnosis to prevent heavy menstrual bleeding, thus benefitting 3,000 women a year,” says Chacko. A digital mammography, along with two dialysis machines, will be set up at the Government Hospital, Perumbalam, an island off Kochi, (GG: `1.25 crore), and these facilities will reach 9,500 patients a year at this rural hospital.

A latest digital x-ray machine will be installed at the A P Varkey Mission Hospital, Mulanthuruthy (GG: $62,000), “benefitting 4,500 patients a year and they will have less exposure to radiation.” He aims to collect $1 million for TRF.

Joining Rotary in 2008, Chacko organised small medical camps for his club, became AG in 2012–13, and then served as District TRF vice-chair for six consecutive years. He was instrumental in doing many GG projects of his district clubs, “the happiness of serving others motivates me to be active in Rotary,” he smiles.

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Largest RI district aims big

With a lot of pride, R Subramani points out “we are the largest RI district in the world in terms of membership, and the challenge is that while doing community projects we have to keep in mind the demographic mix in our eight revenue districts which have a large rural population.” He wants to charter 50 new Rotary clubs and induct 2,500 Rotarians, thus pushing their number to around 240 and close to 10,000 respectively by June next year.

Already, 41 new clubs were formed and 1,500 new members were inducted in August. “We are continuing with some existing projects for the last four years: 50 gender-segregated toilet blocks for all types of schools (GG: `3.5 crore); and 10 community toilets (GG: `1.5 crore) in rural pockets will be built. Smart classrooms will be set up at 100 special schools for the differently-abled children (GG: `1.6 crore), says Subramani. “Digital learning will make education a joyful experience.”

Under a mega greening drive, 5–6 Miyawaki forests will be created by planting over 2.5 lakh saplings (CSR grant: `2.5 crore) across the revenue districts. For TRF-giving his target is $2 million. Having joined Rotary in 2011, Subramani takes “great effort to do impactful service projects, and the success of each such initiative motivates me to do much bigger projects,” he smiles. .

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10 Ekal Vidyalayas being adopted

Rotary is like an extended family to Anu Narang, as “I enjoy every moment of my active presence in this organisation.” Having joined in 2002, it is the friendship at the district, national and global levels that keeps her motivated to continue her service to the community, smiles Anu.

Starting her tenure with 120 clubs and 4,500 members  on July 1, she aims at a 10 per cent net membership growth by forming 10 new Rotary clubs. “I also hope to   start 25 Rotaract clubs, induct around 650 new Rotaractors, and charter 100 Interact clubs in schools,” she says. A human milk bank (GG: $45,000) is coming up at a charity hospital in Patna; while four dialysis centres (each GG: $40,000) will be set up at either a government or charity hospital across the district. One of her pet projects is installing at least 10 breastfeeding cabins (`5 lakh) at railway stations, bus terminuses, and shopping malls with contributions from club members.

Push carts will be donated to around 100 roadside vendors (each `20,000) with an aim to enhance their retail business. This initiative is funded by members. At least 10 Ekal Vidyalayas, rural basic schools run by a single teacher, will be adopted by clubs to fund a host of classroom improvement projects through a mix of district grantd and club donations (`3–4 lakh).

Her target for TRF-giving is $1 million. For Anu, “networking with my Rotarian friends across the zones helps me to reach out and serve the less privileged all through our service projects,” she adds.