Muzaffarnagar Rotarians gung-ho on literacy

The 100-odd members of Rotary Club of Muzaffarnagar Midtown, RID 3100, are committed to transform government schools in Muzaffarnagar, UP, to make learning a fun experience for students. Since its charter in 1998, the club has always given priority to literacy, says assistant governor Sameer Agrawal.

The club has covered 70 government and government-aided schools with its literacy-related projects in these 24 years. “We have constructed or renovated toilets in 30 schools, set up computer labs with 5–7 computers in each of the 25 schools, and e-learning facilities, handwash stations and water coolers in 50 schools,” says past president Suneel Agarwal, a member of the club since 2005. The club has provided classroom furniture and ceiling fans to 30 schools and “we regularly visit these schools to distribute stationery, school uniforms and footwear for the students,” he adds.

Regular MHM workshops are conducted for adolescent girls and sanitary pads are distributed to them. Sanitary pad vending machines have been installed in some of these schools. The club members pool funds to pay the school fees of students whose parents cannot afford to do so. Bicycles are gifted to children who travel to school from far-off places. “We had availed global grant support for some of these projects. In the next five years we want to make all these 70 schools Happy Schools,” smiles Agarwal who plans to become a Major Donor in the next two years by making a contribution of $10,000 to TRF.

The club has two global grants approved for this year. One grant is being used to set up a telemedicine centre at Sururpur Kalan village in Baraut district. The facility will benefit the large community of brick kiln workers in the area, he says. Another grant is used to install a dialysis facility at the government medical college hospital in the town. An e-learning centre is planned for a government school this year.

“The club is popular in the community for its literacy promotion activities and the image was further strengthened due to the 15 Covid vaccination camps it had organised in ­various rural localities around the town,” says the assistant governor, adding that the club organises health camps at regular intervals, with extra emphasis on cervical cancer prevention.

The club has 27 Paul Harris ­Fellows who have each donated $1,000 to the Foundation and four of them have made multiple contributions to become MPHFs.