Idaho State University’s Rotaract Club recently set aside plans to help build a school in the African country of Mali in favor of taking on a Rotary International project which aims to eradicate polio.
Rotaract, which is a college-level equivalent of Rotary Club, was working with ISU student Brandon Comish’s non-profit organization, Hope For a Better World, from which the idea to build a school originated.
Due to continuing conflict situations in Mali and recent changes in project funding, students would not have been able to visit the country and begin their project as planned, said Comish and Rotaract President Danielle Swenson.
ASISU awarded a $10,000 grant to the club last spring to use for the project but rescinded the funding in January amid claims of unfulfilled requirements detailing the club’s projected spending.
Though funding plans changed, Comish said local Rotary branches had expressed interest in the project and aiding in its funding. Local Rotary member George Chandler said Rotary would be unable to aid in the “brick-and-mortar” portion of the group’s project as it goes against Rotary guidelines. Instead, Comish said groups expressed interest in providing funds to stock the school with furniture, books and other supplies.
For now, Rotaract members will push on to connect with a group in Pakistan and raise funds to eliminate polio in that country, one of the few remaining places where the disease still exists.
“We’re going to Skype with them and build a connection and bond with other Rotaracters and raise awareness for what’s going on there,” said Stephanie Meyer, Rotaract’s vice president of international projects.
Meyer said the club plans to raise funds by selling T-shirts printed with original designs, and proceeds will be sent to the corresponding Pakistani club to be spent on immunizations, supplies and promoting awareness.
Eradicating the remaining one percent of polio in the world is a primary project of Rotary International. Though ISU’s Rotaract club is not chartered through Rotary International according to the organization’s records, they are recognized regionally by all four Pocatello chapters of Rotary.
James “Byrd” Yizar, the club’s adviser, said the Pocatello branch of Rotary is the club’s sponsoring organization.
He said the club is “current, active and doing what needs to be done” and expressed that Rotaract has local and district support and affiliation.
According to Swenson, Rotaract focuses its charitable efforts in three areas: school, community and international. While the fight against polio will serve as the club’s international project, Swenson said the club has local events planned as well.
“We also plan on doing a school cleanup project in April and then for community we’re going to go to the food bank and help with the blood drive,” she said.
Swenson encouraged students who are interested to get involved.
“If anyone’s interested in joining the club, they can just send me an email and we’ll let them know our plans for the semester,” she said.
“We don’t really do monthly meetings,” added Meyer. “It’s more that we meet at our service projects and then we can discuss other things we want to do.”
As the club begins to focus on other projects, Swenson said she is unsure of what will become of the almost $5,000 they raised for Hope For a Better World’s school.
Regardless, the club will continue to move forward and participate in philanthropic endeavors.
“It’s just a bunch of students that like to get together, have fun and volunteer,” Swenson said in summary.
