As we celebrate 120 years of Rotary service on 23rd February, which is also celebrated as World Understanding and Peace Day, it is a perfect time to reflect on the remarkable achievements of our members and celebrate Rotary’s tireless commitment to peace and doing good in our local communities and all around the world.
Since being founded by Paul Harris in Chicago in 1905, members have left an enormous mark on the world. We’ve almost eradicated polio, we’ve trained peacebuilders, supported education for millions. Every single day our network of 1.4 million changemakers across the globe are transforming lives, bringing people together and making a difference in our communities
For example, this month marks three years since the escalation of the war in Ukraine. Below are a couple of examples of the stories from Ukraine:
Ukraine Friendship Boxes
In the face of unimaginable challenges, small gestures can provide immense hope. For children in war-torn Ukraine, Rotary’s Friendship Boxes have become a beacon of joy and connection. These thoughtfully packed boxes filled with toys, books, and educational supplies bring joy and mental health support to thousands of young lives, fostering a sense of normalcy and care amidst the chaos of conflict.
Since May 2022, the Friendship Boxes have reached over 21,000 children across Ukraine, bringing comfort and joy. The latest delivery of boxes went to some of the country’s most vulnerable regions. Many areas bear the scars of war; craters from battles, destroyed roads, and communities at times without electricity or heating. Despite these challenges dedicated Rotarians ensure every box brings smiles to children’s faces.
“These thoughtfully packed boxes filled with toys, books, and educational supplies bring joy and mental health support to
thousands of young lives”
The impact extends beyond the physical gifts, the project has fostered the exchange of friendship letters between
children in Ukraine and Great Britain.
Programmes like Rotary’s Friendship Boxes and Letters, along with online youth meetings demonstrate the value of connections. They offer young people the chance to share their stories and learn from one another across borders. These interactions not only provide hope but also help develop a sense of global community and solidarity. Rotary’s Friendship Boxes are bringing immense joy and a sense of normalcy and care to children in Ukraine, amidst the chaos of conflict.
Ukrainians make an impact in UK
Three years on from the Russian invasion in Ukraine, and the first Impact club has been established in Great Britain & Ireland – by Ukrainians with a prime focus on Ukraine. Nadia Tikhonova, a mother of two who was forced to flee the country in 2022, is one of the driving forces behind the Ukrainian Rotary Impact Club of Rutland which was launched in Oakham last November.
“We decided that since we are settled in the UK with the children integrated here, we are ready to not just ask for help, but to also help others,” explained Nadia, who was living in Irpin, a suburb of the capital Kyiv. “Rather than just being happy because we are safe now, we feel that’s not enough. You have to do something, you have to help. “Probably it will be just a little drop in the ocean, but this is what we want to do.”
Impact clubs are extensions of Rotary clubs which focus on service projects – in this case, the Ukrainian Rotary Impact Club of Rutland is an off-shoot of Rutland Rotary Club. Impact clubs have their own management and are run differently from the host Rotary club. However, they share common goals and work together on opportunities. The Impact Group’s chairman sits on the host club’s Council to ensure strong communication between the two groups.
After the Russian invasion of Ukraine in March 2022, Nadia came to the UK with her family in August 2022 as part of the Homes for Ukraine initiative, initially staying with a host family for two years, before moving to Oakham. Nadia’s husband Alex is also in the UK with her and their son and daughter, but she says plenty of family members are still in Ukraine. Soon after arriving in the UK, Nadia helped set up a club for Ukrainian children every Saturday morning at Oakham Fire Station. The seeds were sown for an Impact Club to be formed and last summer, Nadia, fellow countryman Oleg Blokhin from Odessa, and a few others decided they needed be active in the local community.
“We were settled, we had jobs, our children were in school and we felt it was time to help others rather than asking for help,” said Nadia, who works for Rutland Council.
“Rotary were the first people to put their hands on our shoulders to help us when we came to the UK, so as soon as we were ready to do something, we let them know.”
Oleg had experience of Rotary in Odessa working on a couple of community projects and worked with Nadia to establish the club. The Ukrainian Rotary Impact Club of Rutland was chartered on November 4 and has 15 members.
One of their first projects is collecting mobility equipment, such as wheelchairs, to send to
Ukraine. They have received an amazing response with more than 20 wheelchairs
delivered to them, including specialised electrical wheelchairs, alongside hoists and beds,
which are being stored in a unit in Rutland before being dispatched to Ukraine. There are further projects in the pipeline, not just Ukraine-focussed but looking to support the Rutland community which has supported them.
A very happy Rotary Day to all our Rotary family!
