About Rotary

Rotary has three organizations: 1) Rotary Clubs & Districts, 2) The Rotary Foundation, and 3) Rotary International. The volunteers who join Rotary Clubs to serve locally and around the world are called Rotarians.  We are celebrating the effort to eradicate Guinea Worm Disease from Ghana.  The effort to eradicate Guinea Worm Disease was spearheaded by a partnership of Rotary Clubs and Districts. The funds raised were matched by the Rotary Foundation.  Now Rotarians want to tackle Buruli Ulcer and other neglected tropical diseases.

The Rotary Foundation is the charitable arm of Rotary International.  It is supported by contributions from Rotarians and friends of the Foundation.  Through Foundation grants, Rotarians are able to advance six priority areas for humanitarian projects.  The priority areas are:  1) Peace, 2) Water and Sanitation, 3) Disease Prevention, 4) Maternal and Child Health, 5) Basic Education & Literacy and 6) Economic Development.   

Rotary International’s top humanitarian goal is eradicating polio. Rotary raised more than $1 billion U.S. dollars to fight polio since 1985. Rotary members have donated their time and money to help immunize more than two billion children in 122 countries. Rotary International is working with The World Health Organization, the U.S. Center for Disease Control, the Gates Foundation, and UNICEF. Fewer than 1,300 cases of polio have been reported in all of 2010, compared with 350,000 cases in 1988.