Young beacons of change in Vapi
Over 100 pregnant and lactating women at the Jan Seva Hospital and nearby primary health centres in Vapi, Gujarat, received nutritious food kits, a thoughtful gesture from the Rotaract Club of Vapi Phoenix Beacons, RID 3060, led by president Kashish Shah. “We partnered with our parent club, RC Vapi Phoenix, which distributed essential kits for newborns at these hospitals,” she says.
As monsoon set in, the Rotaractors stepped out to distribute raincoats to street vendors across the city, ensuring that those who earn their living on the streets could continue their work, rain or shine. They, along with the Interactors, also paid a visit to the local fire station, where they learned firsthand about firefighting operations and the risks and dedication that define the life of a firefighter.
One of the club’s most interesting projects came through its charter president, Shreya Mehta, who initiated a pair of cultural exchange webinars: one with the Rotary Club of Nairobi, RID 9212, and another with the Rotary Club of Kaohsiung Lighthouse, RID 3510, in Taiwan. “My aunt is a member of RC Nairobi, and my mother, a Rotarian from RC Vapi Phoenix, had recently visited Taiwan as part of the Rotary Friendship Exchange. Those connections helped us organise these sessions to promote global understanding,” she shares.
Shreya’s own Rotary journey began much earlier. As an Interact student in 2017, she travelled to Germany through the Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE), hosted by RC Nurnberger Land, RID 1880. “It was a heartwarming, life-changing experience. I even took English lessons for primary school children. One of the teachers was so impressed with my fluency that she invited me to teach her students for two weeks,” she recalled. Her sojourn also included backpacking through Munich, Berlin and Paris with her host siblings and a fellow RYE student from Cape Town.
Her family has also hosted RYE students from Brazil and Germany on various occasions. “I have a Brazilian brother, German and US sisters,” she smiles.
During the last Rotary year, the district led by the then DRR Rohit Ajmera hosted RotAsia and RAC Vapi Phoenix Beacons participated in organising it. It was a four-day event held in Vapi that drew delegates from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Delhi and Assam. “It was an incredible learning experience that honed my leadership and organisational skills. That’s the magic of Rotary; it shapes you into an all-rounder,” she says. Today, Shreya is a product designer in a healthcare firm and part of its strategic think tank.
Her successor, Kashish Shah, an HR professional, is now steering the club towards new goals. She is planning a mega career guidance workshop for college students, tapping into the diverse professional expertise of the club’s members. “We are a community-based club with members from various fields, and we want to channel our collective skills to benefit society,” she says.
