Under the leadership of president Ali Okhowat, the U of T Rotaract Club, a campus group dedicated to volunteerism in Canada and around the world, has begun to make its presence felt-and not just here at U of T.
The Rotaract Club is the youth branch of Rotary International. The members focus on four areas through which they foster and promote leadership and “responsible citizenship.” The first area is community service, which includes volunteering both with the Rotary Clubs and in joint ventures with other organizations like Habitat for Humanity. Support for HIV/AIDS education is also done in partnership with Dignitas International through education, screenings, and information sessions.
The second part is international service. During the winter break, Okhowat visited a small village in Krishnagar, India to implement the International Child Health and Literacy Project. This initiative is aimed at creating pre-primary school programs that will help to facilitate learning in areas such as these. The U of T Rotaract Club has already raised over $8,000 for this literacy program and its members are in the process of producing a documentary to raise awareness.
The other areas the club emphasizes are professional development and leadership opportunities, such as seminars on effective administration and communication skills, vocational counseling, career planning programs, and various other leadership camps and training sessions that Rotoract runs for its members.
Last week Rotoract members helped Habitat for Humanity build ten townhouses in Toronto for low-income families.
The club will also be participating in the “Race for Dignity,” a 24-hour marathon across Africa started by Scott Simpson, a member of HIV/AIDS advocacy organization Dignitas International and a person living with HIV. Activities related to the race will be hosted on U of T campuses in mid-September to raise awareness and funds for HIV/AIDS education and intervention programs.
