Rotaract libraries in Bengaluru schools
In a mega outreach programme, six Rotaract clubs of RID 3192 (Bengaluru) are setting up libraries in government schools under Project Padho Bharath (Read India) in and around the city in a phased manner. The literacy project was the brainchild of PRIP Shekhar Mehta who wanted to spread the reading habit among schoolchildren as part of his TEACH programmes across the country.
Depending on the school and the number of students enrolled, “we decide on the library size — it may range from a small one room filled with diverse books to a mobile book lending unit shifting locations within the campus,” said Venkateswara Rao Paritala, director, Community Service, RID 3192. Around 65 Rotaractors took up a massive book collection drive from schools, colleges, residential colonies and public libraries. “We collected over 8,000 books across genres, as our Rotaract teams knocked at the doors of individual houses, societies, educational institutes, and visited libraries too to amass a huge bank of tomes, hardcovers and paperbacks,” he explained.
They have already set up two libraries at the Farooqhiya English High School, R T Nagar, and Government Higher Primary School, B R Hills in rural Bengaluru, “which would benefit 350 students of both the schools. RACs Bangalore, Raj Mahal Vilas and B M S Yehalanka are into the nitty-gritty of identifying the beneficiary schools, and the process of setting up libraries with the coordination of teaching faculty. “We are mentored by the Rotary Club of Bangalore West as their members guide us through different phases of Project Padho Bharath which is just eight-month-old now,” said Paritala. “In the coming months, we will install libraries in eight government high and higher secondary schools benefitting 2,000 students. The funds required for setting up libraries are met through internal mobilisation by our Rotaract clubs.”
A polio walkathon in November last year saw 200 Rotaractors and Rotarians marching with electric candles in their hands from the Vidhana Soudha, the legislative complex, to the Rotary House of Friend on Lavelle Road to create awareness on Rotary’s global campaign against the disease. It was a 3km End Polio Now rally that put the spotlight on “the need to completely eradicate the crippling disease, and we spread the message through placards, banners and raising slogans.”
The district clubs tied up with a primary health centre at Narayanpura, a city suburb, in December to give polio drops to over 6,000 infants through door-to-door campaign, and at two PolioPlus booths at the PHC and K R Puram Metro Station. “Around 100 Rotaractors went around to give oral drops to infants in the neighbourhoods, and also volunteer at the two polio booths, that lifted the public image of Rotary, in the one-day immunisation drive.”
Anti-plastic drive
In Kannada, Parishe Ge Banni, Kai Cheela Thanni is a popular slogan inviting people to ‘come to the fair with cloth bag in hand.’ And to sensitise the public and shopkeepers on the need to avoid plastic bags that harm the environment, a four-day Rotaract campaign distributed 7,000 cloth bags and two lakh paper bags across busy markets and retail malls.
Not less than 50 Rotaractors from RACs Bangalore North West, Bangalore West, M E S Institute of Management and M E S College were involved in the collection of old newspapers and magazines in a two-day drive. After which they formed groups to make paper bags out of the newsprint, while a Rotary club funded the purchase of cloth bags. “We collected the plastic bags from consumers, roadside shops and retailers, and replaced it with our eco-friendly bags. Further, we urged the public and shop owners to use only cloth bags and adopt an eco-friendly lifestyle for a healthy planet,” explained Paritala.
Looking back at his six-year-old stint in Rotaract, the 23-year-old cyber security expert working in an IT company said, “my home club, RAC Bangalore R T Nagar helps me to reach out to the people in need. I enjoy doing service to less privileged.” Stating that Rotaract has given him confidence to face life’s challenges, he added “I wanted to continue my journey as there is no age limit for Rotaractors.”
While he is happy being in Rotaract, he said, “I may join a Rotary club after 4–5 years. But as of now, I enjoy what I am doing here.”
