There were missing chairs.
In the rooms of the elderly home in Fleurus, there were none. The Rotary Club of Fleurus had just been founded in 1977, and one of its very first actions was to fill this very concrete gap.
The gesture aimed further than just the rooms. By offering these seats, the members wanted to make the municipal managers understand that attention to the needs of the residents needed to be strengthened. The club derived a guiding principle from this. "To act is good. To ensure awareness is raised is better and has a lasting impact."
Beyond Fleurus
The club sought allies early on. With a London club, it launched the Eye Camps in India, where cataracts still deprive part of the population of sight. The operations followed one after another, camp after camp.
Other projects followed, always led with other clubs. Drinking water delivered to Madagascar. Twenty-six wells and boreholes dug in Nayéga, Togo, where over 3000 children also received their school supplies. Maternity clinics equipped in Côte d'Ivoire.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Monielo project supports mothers in precarious situations. They cultivate, then transform their harvest into chikwangue that they sell themselves. In Burundi, the Haguruka project has given rise to a reference center in physical medicine and rehabilitation. The accompanying training allows the work to stand strong long after the inauguration.
Here, first
The club keeps its eyes focused on its own region. Disability, whether mental, physical, or social, is at the heart of its actions. Two of its members have created a public utility foundation dedicated to this field, which gives the club a valuable lever.
This is how the Picasso Workshop was born, in a center that welcomes people with disabilities. They now have a large painting and sculpture workshop there. Elsewhere, the club has helped renovate buildings, set up adapted playgrounds, and redo accessible bathrooms. Specialized schools, residential homes, day care centers, the rule remains the same. "In case of need, we are here to help."
The young people who pass through here
Through youth exchanges of Rotary International, many Belgians have gone to live abroad for a year. In the opposite direction, the club has welcomed Mexicans, Argentinians, South Africans, Americans, and Canadians. It also participates in RYLA, a few days of conferences designed to develop leadership among young people.
Youth interests the club for a simple reason. It is its future.
What the numbers say
Every year, the club contributes to the Rotary Foundation. Since 1977, the total has reached $244,682, or nearly $5,000 per year. This money comes back in another form, as the Foundation in turn supports the club's projects. Over the course of actions, the club has received much more than it has given.
He was present from the launch of the vaccination campaigns against polio. Since the late 90s, he has supported PolioPlus through donations and numerous lectures. One of the most listened-to voices is that of a member who himself contracted the disease in his youth and recounts its ravages.
Serve first
The club nurtures a hope, that of seeing the young people it welcomes take the Rotary motto seriously in turn. Serve first.
Nearly fifty years later, the list has grown to include wells, maternity wards, and painting workshops. The reflex, however, has not changed since the chairs. See what is missing, then ensure that others see it too.