Happy New Year and warm greetings Rotarians and Friends of Rotary!
We have celebrated the traditional holiday months of December and January in our special way this year due to the pandemic. It was especially gratifying to see that many Rotarians spent time to bring a smile to the faces of many underprivileged individuals and families around the district! I also commend clubs for the innovative ways in which you made Christmas real to those in need.
January each year is our Vocational service month, which is Rotary’s second avenue of service.
During this month, each Rotarian should reflect on the commitment she/he made to represent our vocation or occupation to fellow Rotarians. We also ought to exemplify the characteristics of high ethical standards and respect the dignity of all occupations.
In this, we should actively seek to improve business relations and quality of trade, industry, commerce, and our professions. It is a great time to promote the Four-Way Test in everything that we do.
I would also like to highlight “The Declaration of Rotarians in Businesses and Professions” that was adopted by the Rotary International Council on Legislation in 1989 to provide more specific guidelines for the high ethical standards called for in the Object of Rotary:
As a Rotarian engaged in a business or profession, I am expected to:
- Consider my vocation to be another opportunity to serve
- Be faithful to the letter and the spirit of the ethical codes of my vocation, to the laws of my country, and the moral standards of my community
- Do all in my power to dignify my vocation and to promote the highest ethical standards in my chosen vocation
- Be fair to my employer, employees, associates, competitors, customers, the public, and all those with whom I have a business or professional relationship
- Recognize the honor and respect due to all occupations which are useful to society
- Offer my vocational talents: to provide opportunities for young people, to work for the relief of the special needs of others, and to improve the quality of life in my community
- Adhere to honesty in my advertising and all representations to the public concerning my business or profession
- Neither seek from nor grant to a fellow Rotarian a privilege or advantage not normally accorded others in a business or professional relationship.
Whilst we cannot expect to make a sea change in a short time, we as Rotarians can be the vehicle to start that change process in our communities and countries. This would be the translation of Vocational Service into action – at its best.
An example of recognizing the honor and respect due to occupations was the action during the COVID 19 pandemic, of recognizing the frontline medics through “the flowers of hope” program led by my good friend PDG Bimal Kantaria. This was done across Kenya and also in the UK. I am sure that there are many others that we could showcase during this month.
District Governor’s Club Visits
I have immensely enjoyed the clustered physical visits to clubs so far. For the month of January, I will focus on Ethiopia and South Sudan and the balance of clubs in Kenya.
The virtual visits to clubs have gone well except for some parts of Kenya and in Ethiopia and South Sudan where there has been a challenge of low internet availability or quality.
I plan, by exception to meet the clubs physically, during the month with the support of the Country Chairs and my EXCO team.
During the visits, we have been able to help many clubs that have over the years struggled with governance issues. I hope that by the end of this Rotary year, we will have clubs that are in better shape going forward to allow District Governors to focus on other growth aspects.
As I conclude official club visits, my gratitude goes to all the Rotary Clubs and Presidents for making my visits so easy and worthwhile. For your energy, good planning, and selflessness, I am truly humbled.
Membership Progress
We congratulate and celebrate the newest kid on the block – Rotary Club of Nairobi Samawati!
It is a pleasure for me each time I sign a form initiating the charter of a new club, whether Rotary, Rotaract or Interact, and knowing that the membership has been properly selected, well trained, and confirmed to be committed to the Rotary journey.
One of our goals as a District is to grow membership by 50%. Rotary’s work is made easier each time one more person joins Rotary.
However, it is regrettable that towards the end of the first half of the Rotary year, we lost close to 170 members for various reasons. Some of these reasons are curable and it is my prayer is that club leaderships will reach out to those deregistered and mutually design and agree on a cure.
Considering the effort that goes into identifying and onboarding a new member, losing even one Rotarian is very costly.
Let us take advantage of the new year’s energy and freshness to rekindle the zeal for member recruitment and retention but with a caveat – proven quality, committed through early action, and well prepared.
Have you given to the Rotary Foundation this year?
No matter how big or small your donation is, it always multiplies and does wonders for families in our communities. The time is Now! The foundation is the essence of sustainability for our development projects. This is how we get grants.
It is easy and affordable. Just do it!
Any Rotary club that has collected money for the TRF and has not submitted the funds to the Foundation account needs to do so with a sense of urgency and to then submit future funds collected monthly.
Rotary Grants are directly connected to our giving.
This month, I implore each Rotarian to make their vocation active at the club level by “dirtying their hands” through the application of their vocations in club activities. First – do all that is in your power to impact a community, second – create awareness of Rotary’s good works, and third – showcase your vocation. We always need to create an opportunity to say who we are by action through our Rotarians at Workday!
Many thanks to all who have registered for the DCA 2021.
The 96th DCA Organizing Team is working to ensure that you have the best experience at the foothills of Mt Kenya, a conference in the wild. They will not only ensure that you have an engaging conference but also provide the opportunity for a vacation of your lifetime.
We are working with experts – professional conferencing planners, medical experts, and the government to ensure that we can deliver on the promise whilst observing COVID 19 protocols.
I am banking on your support to make this DCA a success.
Terry & I wish you a great year ahead, full of Prosperity, Favor, and Good Health.
Be Unlimited!
