YOUR DONATIONS TO THE ROTARY FOUNDATION
Our impact on local economies Rotary members train people to become resources for their community, offering networking activities, advice on new business development, and mathematics and financial management training. Rotarians make amazing things happen, like: Breaking the cycle of poverty for women: Most of the women living in rural Guatemala do not have the collateral to get loans from regulated financial institutions. The Rotary Club of Guatemala de la Ermita helped 400 local women complete financial literacy courses so they could pool their money and fund their own microlending program. | $89.82 mil The amount The Rotary Foundation has spent to grow local economies and reduce poverty last year |
Skills development, business training: In Esmeraldas, Ecuador, Rotary members helped grant more than 250 microloans and train more than 270 community members in sewing, baking, plumbing, microcredit, business management, and leadership. Sustainable farming: In west Cameroon, soil erosion and loss of soil fertility have significantly reduced farmers’ harvests. Rotary members gave farmers the skills they needed to improve soil fertility, control soil erosion, and market their produce. The results: increased crop yields and profits. Micro Credit In Saint Lucia, The Rotary Club of Gros Islet gave farmers micro credit loans to assist with recovery after devastating storm systems. Some farmers purchased seed to re-plant crops that had been washed away, some purchased pumps that had been lost and others used the funds to diversify their crops to include some more climate resilient crops. Farmers were in desperate need and were unable to access government or bank finance. The result that those farmers were able to use the funds to restore their livelihoods and support their families. | 795 mil people — or 1 in 9 people in the world — do not have enough to eat 60% of the world’s hungry people are women and girls 70% of the world’s poorest people live in rural areas and depend on agriculture and related activities for their livelihood |