Rotary District 3220 concludes impactful year with over Rs. 1 bn in service projects

By Rukaiya Riza

The Rotary District 3220 (Sri Lanka & Maldives) ended its Rotary Year having conducted more than Rs.1 billion worth of community service projects throughout the island.

Rotary District Governor Sushena Ranatunga of Creative Software shared in a briefing this week some of the significant projects undertaken in the parameters of healthcare, education, mental wellness, environmental conservation and economic empowerment under the theme of this year: Magic of Rotary.

“It is not a one-time project. We will be continuing our support in health care system in Sri Lanka in the form of ICU bed facilities, ventilator facilities, and pandemic preparedness,” Ranatunga said.

Over Rs. 200 million have been collected in the past with the initiative called the Rotary for Little Hearts used to provide funds to carry out paediatric heart surgery, while another Rs. 210 million utilised to purchase life-saving medical equipment making healthcare aid close to Rs. 1 billion along with corporate and public partnership, he shared.

The issue of mental health was covered by the Rotary campaign on the healing of minds. School Gatekeeper Training endowed youth and educators to tackle those psychologically distressed. Rotary has also enabled career guidance programmes that targeted thousands of school kids.

Under the environmental sustainability topic, Rotary for the Environment together with Hayleys initiated nationwide awareness programmes and planted 30 000 trees. In the meantime, Rotary on Ability assisted in generating inclusive employment to disabled people.

The business-based programme of Rotary, Rotary Means Business, facilitated mentorship and professional networking which led to 13 percent increase in membership and the creation of 5 additional clubs.

Ranatunga asserted financial transparency is guaranteed as all the Rotary projects are audited and logged on annual basis. Having a membership of more than 20,000 spread through Rotarians, Rotaractors, and Interactors, district 3220 functions as a massive body of volunteers that comprise senior professionals.

The 9 to 18 percent of national leaders who constitute the district leadership has kept instigating volunteerism as an important economic and social catalyst.

Rotary District 3220 is changing the minds of the people, who view it as a social club to an engine of national service, whilst it urges both the state and the private sector to invest in long-term and sustainable development of communities.