Pune’s Rotaract-Interact join hands for child welfare
In a novel move, Rotaract clubs in Pune (RID 3131) have joined hands with the city’s Interact clubs to roll out three impactful service initiatives for underprivileged and differently-abled children. “This could probably be the first district-level Rotaract–Interact collaboration. Earlier, we only had a few instances of joint projects at the club level,” says Vageesh Baheti, chair of the district’s Rotaract–Interact Relations Committee.
The committee, which functions under the district Rotaract office, plays a key role in nurturing young Interactors. “I keep track of the functioning of both school-based and community- based Interact clubs, and our team regularly visits them to motivate members to join Rotaract once they complete school,” he explains.
To mark Children’s Day (Nov 14), the committee launched Project Bachpan, carried out in three phases with the participation of the Interact Clubs of Salisbury Park and Poona Downtown, and the Rotaract Clubs of Pune Mideast (of which Baheti is a member) and Sinhagad College of Pharmacy.
The first phase reached out to 125 children at the Ayodhya Charitable Trust. Rotaract and Interact volunteers spent time with children with hearing and speech impairments, engaging them in fun activities and games, and distributing stationery and books. A doctor also conducted a posture-correction session, adding a health-awareness component to the visit.
In the second phase, the team fanned out across eight city localities to distribute cooked food, new clothes, and stationery to 120 street children. “We even cut a cake to make the day special; the children were thrilled,” smiles Baheti.
The final phase was dedicated to 25 children with autism, who participated in games and sports activities at the Vaishnavi Sports Club, with support from the Unmesh Foundation. The emphasis here was on inclusion, confidence-building, and joyful participation.
Beyond the immediate impact on beneficiaries, Project Bachpan strengthened collaboration between Rotaract and Interact, giving Interactors hands-on exposure to planning and executing meaningful service projects. Inspired by the success of this initiative, the district Rotaract-Interact Committee is now planning a larger collaborative programme, including a science exhibition and a ‘waste-to-best’ creativity event involving 30–35 Interact clubs, says Baheti.
