How Rotary is providing
opportunities for a brighter 
future

School children in Kampala, Uganda.

By Carolyn Johnson, Vice-Chair of the Literacy Rot-
arian Action Group and member of the Rotary Club
of Yarmouth, Maine, USA

Recently, I visited a small government school out-
side Kampala, Uganda. The school is located on
the edge of a growing community, but most of
these students live in a small nearby fishing vil-
lage.

Many of the children were barefoot and dres-
sed in what they could assemble of the school
uniform. The school is basic: a concrete floor,
block walls and a tin roof- but clean and neat,
with all the children wearing broad smiles and
clearly happy to be in school with caring and
supportive teachers. The first time I visited
this school, it was a very different sight. 

Just three years ago, the school was a tiny
building of three cramped classrooms – no
doors and no windows. Each teacher taught
two grades without books and education ma-
terials. That day, children weren’t attending
classes, but a cow had made itself at home
in the school: tipping over benches, knock-
ing down the old blackboard with its horns,
and doing what cows do. It was not surpris-
ing that parents didn’t enroll their children
in school.  It just didn’t seem worthwhile.

Serving as role models

A child sports his backpack.

Enter the Kajjansi Rotary Club – Rotarians
living or working nearby who clearly saw
an opportunity. After talking with the teach-
ers and education officials in the area, they
made plans to build three new classrooms – 
basic rooms to provide a classroom for
each grade level.

The Rotary members also understood
that these children would benefit from
role models to encourage regular atten-
dance and commitment to studying. Each
Rotarian mentors a student, as do local
members of Rotaract. The club gave each
child a backpack and some basic school
supplies to help them with their studies.
It wasn’t a huge monetary investment
and all funds were raised locally. But this
investment is clearly yielding great dividends.

In return for the Rotarians’ investment, the
ministry fulfilled its commitment to provide
a teacher for each grade level. The school
now has some text books and a few teach-
ing supplies.

The school Rotarians helped build in
Kampala.

And the results?  Enrollment increas-
ed from 16 children three years ago
to 96 children attending classes today!

My Rotarian colleagues recently took
me to visit the school, see the pro-
gress, and meet the students. All successful
business people dressed in business attire,
they commented that this school reminded
them of their own childhood: barefoot, walk-
ing to school, few resources, but committed
teachers. One by one, and totally unplanned,
each Rotarian shared their own story with the
children. Their message: despite humble begin-
nings, the opportunity to attend school and rec-
eive an education was the key to their success.

What is Rotary?

It was then my turn to talk to the students.
Though education has been so important in
my life, my experiences were so unlike the
challenges these children face. Instead, I ask-
ed,“What is Rotary – and what do Rotarians
do?”   A young girl, perhaps ten years old,
raised her hand and stood.  “Rotarians,” she
said, “are people who give us opportunities
for a better future.”

What more is there to say? Through con-
nections with our communities, Rotary ser-
vice offers opportunities for so many. What
better investment of resources or better im-
pact of Rotary service could there be than sup-
porting education to give opportunity for a bet-
ter future?

Learn more about how Rotary is supporting
education