It’s Time For Africa!
It’s Time For Africa! Rotary Clubs in Africa Celebrate 100 Years of Service
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” – African Proverb
Family of African Rotary Clubs! Stand up and be proud! We’ve reached a milestone—100 years since the first African District Conference and Assembly (DCA) in 1925, and millions of lives changed through your sustainable projects. As we embark on this new Rotary year, we celebrate a centenary of impactful service and look forward to a future filled with even greater achievements.
Rotarians are people of action. Nearly 4,000 Rotarians from District 9212—comprising Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and South Sudan—are part of a global network of 1.4 million neighbors, friends, and leaders who volunteer their skills and resources to solve issues and address community needs. In the 2020-21 Rotary year alone, $333 million was awarded for global service initiatives, funding sustainable projects that change lives.
The history of Rotary in Africa dates back to 1921 with the founding of the Rotary Club of Johannesburg in South Africa. Eight years later, Rotary established its presence in North Africa with the chartering of the Rotary Club of Cairo, Egypt. In 1930, the Rotary Club of Nairobi was formed, bringing Rotary to East Africa, and in 1939, the Rotary Club of Dakar, Senegal, brought Rotary to West Africa. Here in District 9212, our story began with the Rotary Club of Nairobi, chartered in 1930. In 1955, the Rotary Club of Addis Ababa became the first club in Ethiopia. The Rotary Club of Juba, South Sudan, was chartered on March 16, 2010, further expanding our reach.
To mark this momentous centenary of Rotary Clubs in Africa, we proudly launch the “100 Days of Rotary Stories” digital campaign. This initiative will celebrate the legacy of Rotary District 9212 clubs across our region, highlighting their community service projects, unique stories, and lasting impact. This campaign aligns with Rotary’s vision of uniting people to create lasting change globally, in our communities, and in ourselves, upholding the motto “Service Above Self.”
There will be many ways to celebrate this centenary year in our district, from monumental community service projects to our much-anticipated Centenary District Conference in Mombasa in May 2025. This year, Rotary International’s theme is “Magic of Rotary,” while our district theme is “100 Years of Rotary.”
We launch our centennial year today, July 1, 2024, at Pumwani Maternity and Referral Hospital from 9 am to 12 pm. July is also Rotary’s Maternal and Child Health Month. Rotary makes high-quality healthcare available to vulnerable mothers and children so they can live longer and grow stronger. We expand access to quality care so mothers and children everywhere can have the same opportunities for a healthy future. An estimated 5.9 million children under the age of five die each year because of malnutrition, inadequate healthcare, and poor sanitation—all of which can be prevented.
We chose Pumwani to focus our centennial year on improving maternal and child health by supporting developments at this 97-year-old maternity hospital. Additionally, we will support the Kenya Tissue and Transplant Authority’s effort to mobilize blood donations and establish a blood bank within Nairobi.
In This Issue:
- Centenary of Service: District Governor Joe Kamau set to lead Rotarians in the centenary year. https://timeline.rotary9212.org/centenary-of-service/
- Rotaract Representative Hiwot Nekatibeb to Leverage Partnerships in New Role: Read more
- Meet your Centenary District 9212 Executive Committee: Read more
- Mombasa Set to Host Centenary Conference https://timeline.rotary9212.org/mombasa-set-to-host-historic-centenary-district-conference/
- Britam Urges Rotarians to Safeguard Their Children’s Education https://timeline.rotary9212.org/meet-your-centenary-district-9212-executive-committee/
- Rotary Club of Lavington, Ministry of Health, Red Cross, Others Launch Mental Health Initiative: Read more
- Rotary District 9212 Officials Join RC Lamu as It Sets Sail for the New Rotary Year https://timeline.rotary9212.org/rotary-district-9212-officials-join-rc-lamu-as-it-sets-sail-for-new-rotary-year/
Here’s to the Magic of Rotary and 100 years of extraordinary service in Africa!
Happy Reading.
Caroline Njiru, MPRSK
Editor In Chief- The Timeline
