Rotary projects around the globe

May 2026

By Brad Webber

United States

The deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century killed more than 100 people and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses on the Hawaiian island of Maui in August 2023. Searching for healing and reflection, the community group Aloha Amplified organized a twilight walk and ceremony this past September, supported by District 5000’s fire relief fund and the three Rotary clubs in Lahaina. Hundreds of people carried lanterns along a milelong route, joining together at the end in the revered song “Hawai‘i Aloha.” The event featured cultural entertainment and booths staffed by local groups, including Rotary clubs. Rotarians, many of whom lost their own homes and businesses, also volunteered at the event. “People know Rotary in Lahaina,” says Joanne Laird, of the Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunset.

Costa Rica

Lush rainforests and world-renowned birding help draw hundreds of thousands of travelers to Costa Rica every year. That backdrop belies many needs, including for children in the country. Stéphane Dähler, a Swiss expatriate who works in the tourism industry, reports his Rotary Club of Belén, northwest of the capital of San José, is committed to improving education and health outcomes. In February, members worked at the Español School to assemble, sand, and paint 112 desks funded by the club, District 4240 in Costa Rica, and Rotarians from District 5280 in California. The following month, Belén Rotarians visited the Santiago Alpízar School to drop off books. To help fill gaps in health care, the club held a medical camp in rural Puriscal in December to offer blood screenings and a toy distribution. The club “has become a bridge that unites Costa Rican industry with the common good, showing that the private sector and volunteers can generate a positive and sustainable effect,” Dähler says.

Italy

The Rotary Club of Monfalcone-Grado revels in the history and charm of its northern Italian region, located northeast of Venice near the Slovenian border. A recent project helped ensure that information is accessible to everyone, including people with visual impairments. In December, members unveiled a multisensory panel explaining the story of the Church of San Proto in San Canzian d’Isonzo, just west of their community. The 15th century chapel sits atop foundations dating to the fourth century. The panel combines educational content with tactile elements and Braille notations, with a placement designed for easy access by wheelchair users. “The church is located along an ancient Roman road and represents an important example of what we often call ‘minor heritage,’ meaning small sites with great historical and cultural value that deserve to be known and protected,” says club member Paolo Messana. Rotary members participated in every phase of the project, says Messana, “from concept and design to approvals and installation.”

Tunisia

When Yassine Harzallah was alerted to overcrowding in a primary school, he paid a visit and witnessed children studying on the floor and in corridors, with their notebooks on their knees. He snapped a photo, and “that image alone was enough to convince every member of our club that we had a responsibility to act,” says Harzallah, president of the Rotary Club of Ruspina Monastir. In December, the entire contingent visited the school, an hour drive from the club’s base in Monastir city. Members brought supplies, including hygiene products, cleaning items, a printer, a wheelbarrow, shovels, and hoes. A member architect drafted blueprints and watched over a local contractor who assembled a modular room off-site at a reduced cost. In January the structure, a new reading room, was delivered.

Australia

Family violence is a major health and social issue in Australia, according to the national Institute of Health and Welfare. Rotary Safe Families focuses on reducing the stigma around recognizing the problem. This year the project, which was founded in 2018 and has a presence in 48 countries, is preparing to enlist Rotary clubs to sponsor a local school through a program called Towards Respectful Relationships. It fosters “safe spaces for kids to talk about family violence and respect,” says program founder Dorothy Gilmour, a member of the Rotary Club of Hawthorn. “It has been a long, bumpy road to get Australians to discuss the taboo topic of family violence.” More recently, though, “I have noticed that family violence is becoming less taboo.”

This story originally appeared in the May 2026 issue of Rotary magazine.