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Six young leaders named Rotary’s ‘Champions of Tomorrow’ for empowering youth across the globe

EVANSTON, Ill., USA (30 March 2026) – Rotary is recognizing six of its members and program participants age 30 and under as Rotary People of Action: ‘Champions of Tomorrow’ for their leadership in advancing impactful, youth‑centered initiatives that are helping to create the foundations for brighter futures, today.

As a global membership organization that unites people across cultures and continents in humanitarian service, Rotary empowers its members to create lasting solutions alongside the communities they serve. Through its programs, Rotary fosters intercultural understanding, develops emerging leaders, elevates youth voices, and advances peace.

“Improving society begins at the local level by addressing the issues communities face,” said Francesco Arezzo, Rotary International President. “By leading projects that provide educational resources to those in need, foster personal development, support mental health, and champion conflict resolution, these honorees are creating more peaceful and resilient communities today, and unlocking their own potential to become the next generation of service-minded leaders.”

For more than 120 years, Rotary has addressed the needs of communities across the globe. To recognize these efforts, Rotary honors six sustainable and scalable initiatives annually through the People of Action Honors program. This year’s ‘Champions of Tomorrow’ include:

  • Maria Grazia Rava (Italy) – A member of Rotaract—Rotary’s global network of young adults ages 18 and older committed to community service and leadership development—Rava created How to Save a Life, a first‑aid training program for teens in Northern Italy and San Marino. The scalable program has trained more than 1,000 students in essential emergency response skills, including CPR, and prepared them to take more active roles during school emergency drills.
  • Vansh Saini (India) – A Rotaract member who leads the Empowerment Academy, Saini has turned a basic life skills program into a comprehensive initiative to support multiple facets of learning and development for underprivileged students ages six to 15 in Delhi. The Academy offers educational resources, health and hygiene workshops, mentorship, career training, and more.
  • Raymond “Arky” Manning (Philippines) – A Rotary member, law student, and local elected official in the Rizal province, Manning has transformed his community’s justice system to be more innovative, economical, and inclusive through leadership of a reform initiative, System for Amicable Grievance and Inclusive Peacebuilding (SAGIP) Barangay. By facilitating the training of peer mediators, creating spaces for mediation, fostering mental health awareness, and supporting anti-violence campaigns, SAGIP Barangay is reshaping the system into a body where youth are valued stakeholders in conflict resolution.
  • Maria Manuela Córdoba Aguirre (Colombia) – A Rotary member and founder of Rotary en Señas (Rotary in Sign Language), Córdoba Aguirre’s initiative brings young Rotary members and deaf youth together to develop communication and leadership skills through workshops and regular activities. Deaf participants become program facilitators and leaders while hearing volunteers gain proficiency in sign language and collaboration.
  • Olivia Raley (USA) – A Rotary member and recent Rotary Youth Leadership Awards participant, Raley’s work with the Nelson County Yellow Tulip Project—an initiative supported by multiple local organizations—has helped combat the stigma around mental health in a rural community in Kentucky. Raley has empowered youth participants to drive education and awareness around the topic and maintain Hope Gardens as visual symbols of the community’s commitment to creating a culture of optimism and mental health wellness.
  • Derrick Kabuye (Uganda) – A Rotaract member in Kampala, Kabuye and his club have turned a rural school facing multiple challenges into a thriving educational facility through the Educate a Community Project. Under his leadership, the school’s footprint has expanded to serve more students, resolve sanitation issues, provide menstrual hygiene education, and offer job skills training.

Rotary members throughout the world develop and implement sustainable, community-driven projects that fight disease, promote peace, provide clean water, support education, help mothers and children, grow local economies and protect the environment. Over the last 100 years, US$5.5 billion has been awarded through The Rotary Foundation – Rotary’s charitable arm that helps clubs work together to perform meaningful, impactful service.

About Rotary: Rotary brings together a global network of volunteer leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges and creating lasting change. Rotary connects 1.2 million people of action from more than 45,000 Rotary clubs in almost every country in the world. Their service improves lives both locally and internationally, from helping those in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world. For more information, visit rotary.org.

Contact: Stephanie Graff, +1-847-425-5797, stephanie.graff@rotary.org