The Rotary E-Club of San Diego Global was started in February 2016 and is one of the few Rotary E-Clubs in the District. We meet once a month via Zoom to connect and discuss our projects and we also invite guest speakers to converse about relevant topics to Rotary’s mission. We engage our members and visitors virtually, but we also meet in person a few times a year. We are a group of professionals from all backgrounds and diverse countries united by the purpose to help our local and global communities.
We are a small Rotary Club with a strong international focus. Many of our members have international roots and are interested in supporting global Rotary projects. In the brief time we have been chartered we have collaborated with other clubs and organizations and completed District and International grants. Some of these grants are:
- A District grant for High School and College Scholarships in Guatemala. A total of 16 scholarships have been awarded to qualified students. Presently there are seven college scholarship recipients: one finishing her sophomore year in industrial engineering, three in business administration, one in computer engineering and one completing her degree in social work. Some students have started their own businesses: creating reusable menstrual pads, ecological soap, and masks to earn money for their tuition and to help support their families.
- We have partnered with Students Helping Honduras (SHH), an organization that helps build schools and orphanages in the El Progreso region of Honduras, we received a Global Grant for “Train for Change” (a partner of SHH) which trains teachers. In turn, these teachers train more teachers, creating a domino effect throughout the country. We hope this will be the start of systemic change.
- We contributed with the Solana Beach Eco Rotary Club to a project in Uganda to construct 14 latrines and provisions for solar panels. Our donation went towards the purchase of five solar panels for the Garden of Knowledge Nursery and Primary School, benefiting approximately 400 students and their community.
In addition to our grant activity, our club created a Peace Pole and along with the Rotary Club of San Diego Downtown Breakfast, celebrated the dedication of the bright yellow and blue Peace Pole in Balboa Park. Many fellow Rotarians, Peace Fellows, and supporters of this cause attended the event. There was a strong media presence too. The Pole stands as a critical reminder of the importance of cultivating peace on Earth. It is located near the International Houses, and symbolically states “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in 12 languages.
Lastly, the opportunity to participate in the community project of building houses in Tecate, México, organized by Project Mercy and Rotary Districts 4100 and 5340 had a profound impact in our club as well as in the Tecate community. We worked hands-on with the local community to bring about change to a community experiencing great hardships. The rewards are beyond words.
Installation meeting with Guest Speaker PDG Martha Knight
Group of Scholarship Awardees in Guatemala
Teachers in the “Train for Change” training program
Provision of solar panels for a school in Uganda, Africa
Dedication ceremony of the Peace Pole at Balboa Park
House build project at a local community in Tecate, México