Basic Education and Literacy

"Education is the most powerful weapon for changing the world."

My Dear Fellow Rotarians,

I trust you are all doing well, and keeping yourselves and your family safe in this COVID situation.

We just had the observance of our Basic Education and Literacy month – among the seven areas of focus of Rotary International.

I am happy to note that our Rotarians have made this as one of their priorities by supporting educational projects that provide technology, teacher’s training, and vocational trainings. Many clubs have also donated educational supplies and low-cost textbooks to their respective communities.

The UNESCO data show that there are at least 773 million youth and adults who still cannot read and write and 250 million children are failing to acquire basic literacy skills. This results in an exclusion of low-literate and low-skilled youth and adults from full participation in their communities and societies.

Beyond the conventional concept as a set of reading, writing and counting skills, literacy is now understood as a means of identification, understanding, interpretation, creation and communication in an increasingly digital, text-mediated, information-rich and fast-changing world.

Being literate has the “multiplier effect” of empowering people, enabling them to participate fully in society and contributes to improve livelihoods.

Thus, I congratulate all of you because what you have been doing is essential towards RI’s concept of advocating Basic Education and Literacy as a means to eradicate poverty, reduce child mortality, curb population growth, achieve gender equality, promote social inclusion and ensure sustainable development, peace and democracy, among others.

This month I also sent out to all 53 clubs the “NOTICE TO ALL ROTARY CLUBS OF RI DISTRICT 3850 ON THE ELECTION OF OUR DISTRICT GOVERNOR FOR RY 2024-2025”. I hope your club will make a worthy and qualified submission on or before November 9, 2021.

Moving on to some great news about the End Polio Now campaign of our district, I am happy to announce that we are going to induct more than 200 Polio Plus Society Charter Members on October 16, 2021. This just shows that we have so many generous Rotarians in our district who embrace our advocacy to End Polio together. Thank you all so much and let’s continue to encourage more Rotarians to sign-up for this historic first in our district.

We also have two inspiring and important Rotary International events coming, and I am asking for your full support to attend these: Rotary Presidential Conference Manila 2021 – November 26, 27 and 28, 2021 Online - Join community leaders and business leaders from all over the world for a three-day virtual event hosted from Manila, The Philippines. For details, please visit https://www.rpc21.ph.

Rotary Institute Singapore 2021 – December 3, 4 and 5 online - Enjoy the 2021 Singapore Rotary Institute from the comfort and safety of your home or office. For details, please visit www.2021singaporerotaryinstitute.org. 

I am very happy to note the achievements of each club as we end the first quarter of our life-changing journey. Despite the current challenging times, many Clubs continue to actively render humanitarian service to their communities in need, continue to keep their Clubs running, continue to bring in new members, continue donating to The Rotary Foundation and continue to stay connected even through virtual meetings.

This is what the Rotary spirit is all about – to make our presence felt in these trying times. We have lost some Rotarians in our district and my heartfelt sympathy to their families and their clubs. I pray that you will all be safe and remember to practice basic health protocols and get vaccinated.

I am hoping that I will be able to meet each and every Rotarian in our district as I start my Governor’s Club Visit this month until the end of this year. I am also looking forward to visit and witness your inspiring and impactful club projects come January 2022 and I hope this is enough time for your clubs to prepare and showcase your life-changing initiatives and let’s continue to believe that, “Together, we can and together, we will.”