International Service Update

October 2006 / Issue 1

Welcome to the first issue of the new International Service Update! We’ve combined news from World Community Service, Rotary Volunteers, and Rotary Community Corps to provide you with a comprehensive update on International Service Programs. We hope you’ll find this new format informative and useful in administering international service projects in your club or district.

Promote international service

If your club is looking for ways to promote service projects at meetings, consider a screening of RVM: The Rotarian Video Magazine. RVM features documentary-style stories about Rotarian service projects worldwide and includes messages from Rotary leaders. The videos are about 60 minutes long and come with subtitles in French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Rotary Volunteers

International Project Sites

Rotary clubs that would like to invite volunteers to help with service efforts can register projects using the Rotary Volunteers International Volunteer Site Registration Form (285-EN), which is available on the RI Web site in French,

Portuguese, and Spanish.

Rotary club and district projects needing volunteers are posted in the searchable Rotary Volunteers International Site Database, a valuable resource for people seeking service opportunities. Rotaract and Rotary Community Corps projects can also be registered by their sponsoring Rotary clubs. Clubs and districts can register an unlimited number of projects.

As a bonus to the inherent benefits of hosting international volunteers, registering a Rotary Volunteers International Site will count toward the International Service category of the 2006-07 Presidential Citation.

Rotary Community Corps

Rotarians believe that communities everywhere can benefit from local members becoming engaged in community service projects. Some readers may recall that Rotary Community Corps (RCC) was first known as Rotary Village Corps. The new name Rotary Community Corps, was meant to embody both urban and rural communities. Your city’s Rotary club may want to consider engaging your community in service by starting an RCC. Some urban RCC project ideas have included equipping a local fire brigade, opening a community health clinic, implementing a tuition scholarship program, and operating a day center for the elderly.

New World Community Service

Project Data Form

We’ve updated the World Community Service (WCS) guidelines and Project Data Form (784-EN)! Check out the updated guidelines on the new form, which you should use to submit your next project. The forms are available in French, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Country highlight:

Bolivia (Repblica de Bolivia)

South Americas fifth largest country, Bolivia, is characterized by its diverse environment and population. In 2004, Bolivias population was almost 9.3 million, which is considered low given the countrys size. La Paz sits near the famous Lake Titicaca and, at 11,800 feet, is the worlds highest capital city.

Environment and economy

Bolivia features distinct geographic regions, which include the western Andes, semitropical valleys and lowlands, and the Amazon basin. Natural resources boosting Bolivias economy include large quantities of tin, antimony, gold, iron, natural gas, petroleum, tungsten, and zinc. Soil erosion and water contaminated by industrial waste are some of the environmental concerns Bolivia faces. About half the country is still covered by forest, but desertification is a growing problem given Bolivias history of slash-and-burn agriculture, overgrazing, and industrial pollution. Bolivia is working hard to preserve its natural resources, however, and it has a growing ecotourism industry.

Culture

Bolivia is an ethnically diverse country. More than 60 percent of Bolivians are of indigenous descent, and the majority of the population is Aymara, Quechua, European, or mestizo. Spanish is the primary language, but Aymara and Quechua are also official languages. Most people in Bolivia are Roman Catholic, but a small percentage is Protestant.

Development

One estimate indicates that 65 percent of Bolivians live in poverty. Illiteracy levels are high in rural areas, but the literacy rate is increasing in urban areas. Bolivia also has one of the highest child mortality rates in South America at 66 deaths per 1,000 live births. About 23 percent of Bolivians are malnourished. In rural areas, people dont have adequate sanitation or access to medical services.

More information on Bolivia

The Library of Congress - Country Studies

Encyclopedia Britannica - World Data

National Geographic - People and Places

Bolivia: WCS projects, Rotary Volunteers project sites, and RCCs

Two WCS projects in Bolivia are registered on the WCS Projects Exchange Database, and two project sites for volunteers are listed on the Rotary Volunteers International Site Database. Eight RCCs are active in Bolivia.

The Rotary Club of Trinidad seeks an expert in social security to help manage a system that will provide medical care to farm workers and unemployed people living on the outskirts of urban areas. A volunteer, who should speak English, Spanish, or Portuguese, is needed from April to September.

The Rotary Club of Santa Cruz de la Sierra would like to establish a rehabilitation center for burn victims under age 15. Over 20,000 children will be treated at the center each year. The club seeks funding, supplies, and Spanish-speaking volunteers experienced in rehabilitating young burn victims, especially in the areas of reconstructive surgery, kinesiology, physical therapy, and occupational therapy.

The Rotary Club of Oruro would like to provide the community with a lavatory and renovated water well featuring a pumping system, elevated tank, and distribution system. The well project will supply water to local homes. The club will contribute US$1,000 to the effort.

Translations available

Is English your second language? You can submit registration forms and updates in the language you prefer. Rotary International has an experienced staff of professional translators who will translate forms and correspondence received in other languages.

Copyright Rotary International

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