Towards cleaner and safer communities
The Swachotsav project, initiated by DRR Mahi Bhan, brought together all Rotaract clubs across RI District 3120 to implement impactful community-cleaning programmes across Uttar Pradesh and parts of Madhya Pradesh.
The clubs organised river and temple-ghat cleaning, Adopt-a-Spot drives, Swachhta rallies and plastic-free campaigns. From cleaning public spaces to promoting eco-friendly practices, Rotaractors engaged schools, communities and local authorities to create cleaner, healthier surroundings. Many of these activities were carried out in collaboration with local municipal corporations.
One of the standout initiatives was the cleaning of ghats along the Gomti River in Lucknow. “The Gomti is Lucknow’s lifeline and its banks are dotted with ghats that are used for everything from rituals to recreation. While some ghats are alive with daily aartis and festive dips, others suffer from neglect and pollution,” says Mahi. Under Swachotsav, Rotaractors from the city’s clubs came together to clean several ghats, including the Visarjan Ghat, where they removed clay idols, flowers and other offerings from the river. The collected waste was safely disposed of with assistance from the Lucknow Municipal Corporation.
Another flagship programme is Project Shakti, executed with support from the UP Police and the state government’s Mission Shakti initiative. Launched in July 2025, the project focuses on training girls and women in self-defence and creating awareness about personal, digital and social safety. So far, around 1,000 women across eight phases have been trained, and the goal is to reach 3,000 women by year-end, says Mahi. Clubs also organised essay competitions and street plays on women’s safety and cybercrime, while experts in martial arts and cyber technology were roped in to conduct the sessions.
Under Project Uthan aur Unnati, Rotaract clubs organised Skill-to-Startup workshops, handmade product exhibitions, business competitions and networking events to help transform local talent into entrepreneurial ventures. Inspired by the #VocalForLocal movement, Mahi explains, “We wanted to empower residents of slum communities financially by nurturing their creativity and vocational interests through structured training.”
Looking ahead, the district is planning a two-day cultural and business meet that will host over 160 delegates from across India. The event will showcase regional trade and cultural highlights, alongside business and skill development workshops and panel discussions featuring Rotarians from diverse professional fields. “We have also planned a visit to the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on the third day,” she adds. A ‘Unite for Good’ Rotaract marathon is also being planned alongside the meet to strengthen fellowship between Rotary and Rotaract.
Under Project Umang, the district honoured teachers serving in schools for children with special needs across Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Rotaract clubs visited day-care centres and children’s homes to distribute gifts to the children and felicitate the dedicated teachers who nurture and empower them.
