Rotary projects around the globe
December 2025
United States
Acclaimed chef Vikas Khanna created a children’s book, Festivals at the Bungalow, with support from the recently chartered Rotary Club of South West Florida District 6960. The club raised $20,000 from U.S. and Indian Rotarians, other individuals, and businesses to print 2,000 copies of the illustrated book that are being distributed free to Rotary-led literacy initiatives. The book “takes children on a journey across India, showcasing how families come together to decorate, cook, and celebrate,” says Priya Ahluwalia, who helped start the club with her husband, Mohit Pohani. “The combination of stories and recipes makes it both educational and engaging, sparking curiosity while fostering cultural appreciation.” On 15 August, Rotarians joined Khanna in ringing the closing bell of the Nasdaq Stock Market in New York City to mark the book’s publication.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
The Rotary Club of St. Vincent staged a “glow run” for good health in June in partnership with a fitness center. At dusk, about 500 participants carrying illuminated sticks brightened the streets along a scenic route starting from the cruise ship terminal in the islands’ capital, Kingstown, reports club member Kimeisha Bailey. Businesses and medical facilities sponsored the family-oriented event. “This Glow Run is part of our club’s ongoing commitment to disease prevention and treatment,” Bailey says. The run also supported a District 7030 emphasis on promoting healthy lifestyles and encouraging Vincentians to stay active. “By getting the community moving, the club aims to raise awareness and take action,” Bailey says. The club also offered a virtual workout session for families and a nutrition webinar.
-
7.00%
Share of Asian restaurants in the U.S. that serve Indian food
-
18.00%
Proportion of children ages 13-17 in St. Vincent and the Grenadines who are physically active at least one hour a day
South Africa
What started in 2016 as a casual dinner among friends has grown into an annual gala in Cape Town to raise money to help end polio. “We thought we’d raise some funds while enjoying a meal together. As the idea grew, I brought my Rotaract club on board,” explains Rex IP Omameh, today a joint member of the Rotaract and Rotary clubs of Blouberg. At the 2024 gala, about 100 revelers enjoyed the paparazzi treatment as they strolled the red carpet. The party, attended by local luminaries, guests, and members of District 9350 Rotaract and Rotary clubs, raised money for Rotary’s polio eradication efforts as well as a Rotaractor trip to Uganda to participate in a polio vaccination campaign. “Each year we see more people, especially young people, becoming passionate about polio awareness through this event,” Omameh says. This year’s celebration, which was scheduled for 8 November, is branded as Africa Unite: A Gala for Peace and Polio.
Mauritius
Putting “happiness” in your club’s name is one way to set the agenda. “From the beginning, our mission was clear: Every initiative we undertake must contribute meaningfully to the emotional wellness of our beneficiaries,” says Syam V.D. Mudhoo, a past president of the Rotary Club of Helvetia Happiness. The club even has an enforcer of ebullience of sorts called a director of happiness. That officer oversees such initiatives as “mindfulness moments” and “spontaneous laughter yoga.” Social “FriYAYs,” held monthly and open to guests, loosen the traditional meeting structure by including games and icebreakers “to surprise, delight, and recharge,” Mudhoo says. “We also know that true impact begins within.” Hence the effort members put into ensuring they are in good spirits themselves. “It’s a lifeline.”
This story originally appeared in the December 2025 issue of Rotary magazine.
-
19.0089
Last case of wild polio in South Africa
-
1.00 in 2
People around the world will develop a mental health disorder in their lifetime
Rotary projects make a difference in communities around the world.
Related stories
Rotary projects around the globe – November 2025