Rotary
International Kalyan Banerjee's April 2012 Message
RI president's monthly
message - April 2012
My dear brothers and
sisters in Rotary,
In the April issue of
The Rotarian, you will read about what Rotary is doing to combat
one of the most pressing humanitarian crises facing us today: hunger.
It is, I think, common knowledge that when we talk about food shortages,
the problems we face are nearly always local. There is more than
enough food produced in our world to feed everyone in it. The problem
is getting the food where it is needed, and helping people in the
poorest regions achieve food security.
In so many parts of
the world, subsistence farming practices are the only way food can
be acquired, and a few months of poor weather, or even a single
storm, can mean catastrophe. It is unfortunately also the case that
the parts of the world where food supplies are the most vulnerable
are often those that receive the least attention when disaster does
strike.
But this is one of the
greatest advantages of Rotary: our local presence in so many parts
of the world, and our ability to see, and react to, crises when
they occur. More important than this, however, is our commitment
to a long-term approach to addressing the root causes of hunger.
There is a great deal
that all of us in Rotary can do about global hunger, but as always,
we rely on the work of local Rotarians to bring help to where it
is needed the most. And there is little question that when we look
at the world today in terms of poverty and hunger and extreme material
want, the place we need to be looking first is Africa – which
is why Africa is also where we should be looking to expand.
Rotary's Reach Out to
Africa initiative seeks to increase Rotary club membership in Africa,
mobilize African Rotarians to address local needs, and raise awareness
of African issues among Rotarians in more developed regions. It
is just one way to connect the people who need help with the people
who want to give it but may not know where to begin.
There is no question
that the obstacles to global food security are significant. But
they are not insurmountable, and the Rotary model is perhaps one
of the most promising paths forward for development – if we
continue our work to build Rotary into an ever more effective agent
of global change.
Kalyan Banerjee
Reach Within to Embrace
Humanity
President, Rotary International, 2011-12
TRF Chairman Bill Boyd's April
2012 Message
Keeping our promise
for a polio-free world
Trustee chair's monthly
message - April 2012
As I write this, we
are still reflecting on the achievement of a full year in India
without a case of polio. As recently as 2009, India had more cases
than any other country, so this represents a tremendous effort by
Rotarians and our partners, the World Health Organization, UNICEF,
and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well
as the government of India and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
It shows what can be done when people of goodwill work together
toward a goal. As Rotarians, we should feel proud of our fellow
Rotarians and the whole family of Rotary in India.
This is not the time
to relax, however. India is close to two countries where polio still
exists, and China had an outbreak in 2011 because of an importation.
India has shown that winning the battle is possible, but some hard
work remains to be done.
One of the "unsung"
aspects of our effort has been advocacy. The governments of the
world have contributed billions of dollars for polio eradication,
and much of it has come because of the advocacy of Rotarians. This
work is quietly performed in the background, but the results have
been significant.
The Gates Foundation
gave us another US$50 million gift in January to help us remain
an effective member of the partnership. We have several years to
go before the world can be certified polio-free. Please do not stop
giving because we have achieved the target of Rotary's Challenge,
for every dollar you give for the eradication of polio will be used
exactly for that.
We made a promise to
the children of the world that they would live in a world free of
polio. As Rotarians, we keep our promises!
Bill Boyd
Foundation Trustee Chair
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