Together, We Can Do So Much
Being bestowed with the trust to guide Rotaract Club of Karura over the past one year was one of the best gifts that I was ever bequeathed.
Rotaract is a group of young professionals who come together to improve their lives and those of people in the community they live in.
Therefore assuming the presidency comes along with much responsibility; among them, managing internal affairs of the club and connecting the club to other clubs in the district and beyond.
The Rotary year 2019-2020 was such a short and sweet episode that comprised of elevating our game to greater heights and achieving all that we aspired. At the onset, we created a calendar of events and a tentative budget for the year.
We were swamped in work in the first half of the year, since we had to ensure that our club followed the set guidelines from Rotary International.
We also dived into rebranding of our club’s merchandise to support marketing the club. Our Public Relations Director Violet Gatwiri led this tremendous role. Her dedication captured the attention of the district and was awarded the coveted ‘Public Image Director of the Year’ award.
As a board, we received immense support from our members. This was as a result of cohesion and team building since most of our club meetings and activities were planned or organized from the committee level where all members participated.
We also had trainings and events, which helped us to attract more members and reach out to more people in the society. The highlights of my year as the president would be walking into a meeting room to find it fully packed with members, friends and guests. Our warm reception to guests is one of the best among Rotaract Clubs in Kenya. Pure bliss!
Other highlights that I would pinpoint would be the home swallow-ship, the Rotaract Club of Karura Koroga Festival, our twin project with our twin club, the amazing Rotaract Club of Kampala South and the Annual Mangroves project down at the Kenyan coast.
Another interesting experience was the preparation of handing over the mantle to the next president. This normally happens in phases. In my opinion, the first phase was allowing the President-Elect to chair committee meetings, board meetings and also club meetings as you watch and give guidance. This allows the President-Elect to amass confidence to take the club to greater heights.
To our incumbent President Annette SECOND NAME?, as you lead us through ‘Rotary Opening Opportunities’ this is our prayer for you: May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind always be at your back, may the sun shine brightly upon your face and the rains fall soft upon your field.
To the awesome friends and club members of the Rotaract Club of Karura, from you I have stitched friendships to keep for life and also business partners to generate wealth with. May we give our President and her new board of directors our full support as they guide us through ‘Rotary Opens Opportunities.’
As an immediate past president of a Rotaract Club, I do acknowledge the power of teamwork. In the words of Helen Keller, “Alone we can do little but together, we can do so much.’’
Article By:Lilian Kariuki |liliankariuki91@gmail.com
