RID 3030 Rotaractors find opportunities to serve
In the last week of June a severe cyclonic storm Nisarga swept across coastal Maharashtra, leaving the people of the region completely shattered. Kokan Kinarpatti comprising Alibaug, Dapoli and Ratnagiri was badly hit. The storm ravaged several acres of fields in this lush green region known for mangoes, palms, coconut, cashews and rice cultivation, destroying the livelihood of the villagers.
The Rotaractors of RID 3030 quickly reached out to the people affected by the storm. “Already, the area was grappling with the coronavirus pandemic and the storm came as a big blow for the people, especially the underprivileged,” said District Community director Nilesh Chaudhari. As soon as the storm eased, some Rotaractors visited the affected areas and assessed people’s needs. “Many farmers had lost their crops. We pooled in funds for a fortnight from our district team. Thirteen other NGOs also contributed to the cause.” Chaudhari’s personal contribution was ₹15,000. Cash was credited into the bank accounts of farm labourers and saplings were given to landowners whose crops were destroyed in the rains. His club, RAC Nasik Metro, adopted 80 families around Kokan. “We distributed grocery kits with sufficient quantity to last for at least two months,” he added.
The club has been providing sanitary pads to orphanages in and around Nasik since 2016,when it was chartered. “Last year we had given 15,000 packs to various orphanages. This year our target is to distribute 85,000 packs,” said club secretary Shouvik Basu, adding that the club members provide menstrual hygiene counselling to adolescent girls in the orphanages. The club is actively participating in the district project Shikshat to distribute stationery kits to schoolchildren throughout the year.
Rotaract clubs of Satana Pride and Satana Baglan planted 5,000 saplings in Virgaonpade village. Twenty-five Rotaractors, Rotarians and 250 RCC members helped in the greening drive which was launched with fanfare by chief guest Justice V A Avhad from the Satana court. “Our RCC members will water and nourish the saplings regularly,” said Kamlesh Jadhav, president, RAC Satana Pride.
Rotaractors from seven Rotaract clubs packed homeopathic immunity booster, Arsenic Album, in 7,850 bottles and distributed them among people in Jalgaon to provide them protection from coronavirus.
RAC JIT, along with RC Nagpur Ishanya, distributed face masks in and around Nagpur to over 1,500 people including police officers and sanitation staff. The Rotaractors conducted an awareness drive to safeguard against coronavirus by holding placards in busy traffic junctions across the city.
During the visarjan after Ganesh Chaturthi when idols of Ganesha were taken out in a procession to be immersed in the Godavari river, members of RAC Nashik Metro distributed sanitisers to people. “Since it was a huge gathering it was important to safeguard people from getting infected by the virus,” said Chaudhari.
Under the district project Seva hi parmo dharma, clubs distributed food to migrant labourers and the needy across the district. RAC Nagpur, along with an NGO Vibha Foundation, provided food and grocery kits to around 1.5 lakh people for ten days in March when the Covid lockdown was announced.
