DRR MESSAGE- SEPTEMBER, 2021.

Basic Education and Literacy Month

I could remember at the inaugural meeting with them, one of them asked me a very direct question- what type of event do I want? I was stunned, briefly, confused couldn’t really clear my head either to gaslight my desire or just give a simple reply. However, I answered with boldness that I want an event where everyone will enjoy, have fun and of course, memorable till eternity. I said I would love to change the narrative and raise the bar.

Dear Changemakers, obviously, the investiture of the 38th District Rotaract Representative was a colourful event with unprecedented success. Truly, it was evergreen and really standout (Oyato). I am officially reaching out to say a big thank you to all for the love and the believe.

DISTRICT UPDATES
The August month was quite a busy month for the District. On the back of the beautiful investiture, we also had a Membership seminar just two weeks after the investiture, precisely, 21st August, 2021.

An event that had 5 Clubs in partnership and induction of new Rotaractors. The event had so many highlights; we have been charged to grow Rotaract while Rotaract clubs to charter another Rotaract clubs.

Two clubs have actually promised to work towards chartering another Rotaract Clubs and I will gladly continue to emphasize it during my official visits to the Clubs. Let me also reiterate the charge by the District Governor that Rotaract Clubs to Charter at least 10 Rotaract Clubs while Rotary Clubs have been charged to charter at least 30 Rotaract Clubs.

At the beginning of July 1st 2021, the membership record in the Rotaract District started with 1,431 across 72 Clubs. As at now, the record has risen by net gain of 32 to a total of 1,463. I want to urge that we should continue to grow Rotaract in quantity and quality.

DRR VISITS
As part of mandatory responsibilities of the District Rotaract Representative to visit all Rotaract Clubs. I have visited 7 Rotaract Clubs.
The visit avail the opportunity to richly remind the clubs about the vision of Rotary International President, Shekhar Mehta and also rub minds and acquaint the District to the Challenges of Clubs and proffer solutions or recommendations where necessary.

THE ROTARY FOUNDATION
The District through The Rotary Foundation committee is kickstarting a PHF Challenge from September through November. A well designed initiative for Rotaractors to be more responsible and be a key player by contributing as little as a 100 Dollars to become a PHF

SEPTEMBER ACTIVITIES
ROTARY INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT’S VISIT
The Rotary International President Shekhar Mehta will be in Nigeria from Thursday 2nd to Tuesday 7th September, 2021. District 9110 will be hosting first. Rotary District has scheduled Rotaract session with the President as part of the itineraries. The in-person selected leaders with be having conversations with the President Shekha Mehta. Meanwhile, the hashtag for the visit are #RIPresidentVisitsD9110 and #D9110WelcomesRIPresident. We shall be adding #RotaractD9110MeetsShekharMehta to the two hashtags during the duration of the conversation with Rotary International President.

PROJECT
The month of September is designated for Basic Education and Literacy month. No doubt, education (in any form) is a legacy that stands the test of time and weather. Clubs are encouraged to impact households and communities through various initiatives and ideas. In tandem to the Adopt-a-School vision of the Changemaker District Governor Remi Bello FCA, we shall be coordinating partnership with Rotaract Clubs towards a school project. The project shall commence with site assessment by the Basic Education Project committee for a block of classroom identified for facelift.

GREAT TREK
Dear Changemakers, it is with utmost pleasure I invite you to join us at the District Great Trek holding on Friday 17th to Saturday 18th September, 2021. The trek is centred on creating awareness on DEPRESSION. Depression is a significant public health problem, and at a prevalence rate of 3.9%. Nigerians currently suffer from it according to online research.

This awareness would not have better suited now than ever; the news of the demise of a member of Rotaract Club of Ikoyi last year hit me so rudely. A promising young chap, cool, calm and cheerfully smiling always but discovered to have truncated his life with sniper. It is no more a news that passionate and very dedicate member of Rotary family who was also a Past Rotaractor died last week; the news in there is that his death was also attributed to Depression going by his recent social media before his death.

While we remember them in our prayers and also hold the great trek in their honour; we shall seize the opportunity to create awareness in Oto Awori and its environ.
Please register for this mega trek that will be full of fun, fellowship and service because we are LIFE CHANGER.

Dear humanitarian, your supports in just few months in the the Rotary year reinforce my believe that together we can move mountain. Let us continue in good stead!

As we enter the first “ember” month, kindly remain focus and be positive. You’re sure closer to your goal.

Happy new month of September!

Your in service

Signed
Ayodeji Ezekiel Sobowale
District Rotaract Representative 2021-22
Rotary International District 9110.
drrdeji2021.22@gmail.com
08033699311

DG MESSAGE- SEPTEMBER, 2021.

BEAT THE CLOCK…

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the month of ‘knowledge sharing and acquisition’. September is the month of 'BASIC EDUCATION AND LITERACY’ in the Rotary world.

In this address, may I relate with ‘time’ as I did in my last two releases. Since September is the third month in our ‘Change Maker Year’, we need to accelerate faster than we did in the last two months. It is time to ‘beat the clock’ because before you know it, the year will be over. Therefore, ‘beat the clock’ fellow Rotarians.

As scheduled in the District Governor’s calendar for the year, ‘DG Speaks’ took place on 5th August, 2021. It was a virtual meeting where all Rotarians were given the opportunity to talk to the District Governor. The concept was widely received and it will continue on a monthly basis as planned in the calendar. Some naughty issues agitating the minds of Rotarians were discussed during the session.

OFFICIAL WORKING VISIT OF ROTARY INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT SHEKHAR MEHTA AND SPOUSE TO NIGERIA
Interestingly, this is a month we are having an august visitor in September. Our Rotary International President, the Change Maker President, Shekhar Mehta and his spouse, Rashi Mehta, are both visiting our country to pursue his goal of making change in that magical figure from 1.2m to 1.3m in our global membership strength and promoting his pet project of empowering the ‘girl-child’. During the visit, the RI President promised to throw more light on Rotary Days of Service.

MEMBERSHIP AND NEW CLUB DEVELOPMENT
I am pleased to report that in the month of August, Membership and
New Club Development month can be said to be successful. The ‘Each One Bring One (Retain All)’ strategy is being vigorously pursued by the clubs and the District during the DG’s visit to clubs. We have been able to grow our membership with a net gain of 248 new Rotarians during the first two months of the year. We started the year with membership strength of 3,621 and now increased to 3,869 members.

Regrettably, seven clubs were terminated by Rotary International for failure to meet up with their RI dues obligation. The District has started engaging members of the terminated clubs that are still willing to serve through invitation to other clubs and some are being encouraged to join new club formation initiatives.

Two new Clubs have been formed since the beginning of the Rotary Year while the third club is awaiting charter from the Rotary International. The plan for the year is to form 36 new clubs and grow our membership by adding 1,600 new members at the end of the Rotary Year. The two new clubs are Rotary Club of Alakuko and Rotary Club of Ajao Estate.
May I use this medium to once again congratulate the Rotary Club of Ikeja South and Rotary Club of Mushin Metropolitan respectively for the sponsorship of the new clubs. I also congratulate the charter members of our new clubs.
It is my hope that we shall cross the 4,000 band by the end of the first quarter of the year. The good news in the net gain is the spread across clubs in the District.

Meanwhile, Rotarians that sponsored the new members are to be presented and recognised by the Rotary International President Shekhar Mehta at a reception holding at The Rotary Centre, Ikeja, Lagos in commemoration of the President’s visit to our District on Thursday 2nd September, 2021.
As at 31st August, 2021 the official District Governor's visit has been conducted in 33 clubs out of the 127 clubs in the District. It has been a worthy experience from the clubs visited so far. Dues are being paid; DEWEF pledges and payment are encouraging.

THE ROTARY FOUNDATION
The starting is slow but very promising with about four AKS pledges secured. One of the four is awaiting pledge form from TRF.

PREPARATION OF A NEW STRATEGIC PLAN – 2021-2024
A Strategic Planning Committee was inaugurated during the month of August under the leadership of the District Troika led by the District Governor with DGE and DGN serving as Vice Chairman 1 and Vice Chairman 2 respectively. The committee is to review and update the District Strategic Plan 2018-2021 that expired on 30th June, 2021 for another 3-year period.

INAUGURATION OF DISTRICT FINANCE COMMITTEE
In line with the provision of RI Manual of Policies and our District MOP, the Finance Committee with PDG Jide Akeredolu as Chairman was also inaugurated.

1ST COUNCIL OF GOVERNORS’ MEETING
A well-attended 1st Council of Governors meeting for the year was held on August 18, 2021. One of the major decisions of the Council is the following Resolution taken on procedure for appointment of Independent Auditor to audit District Accounts.

RESOLUTION ON APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITOR FOR THE DISTRICT
The present system where the Auditors are appointed or sacked by the District Governor is not in the spirit of good corporate governance in line with RI Strategic objective of ‘Increase our adaptability’.

RESOLUTION:
It is hereby RESOLVED that the District through the Finance Committee annually (September/October) invite expression of interest among Rotarians with practicing firms of Chartered Accountants to audit the year's financial report. The selection is to be made by the Finance Committee with the concurrence of the DG.
The Auditor will thereafter be presented to a District Assembly for ratification by a simple majority of attendance at the Assembly. The Auditor is to express an independent opinion on the true and fair view of the Financial Report as presented by the District. The Finance Committee is to negotiate the audit fee or honorarium with the Auditor. The Auditor shall not be re-appointed for more than three consecutive Rotary Years.

PUBLIC IMAGE ACTIVITIES
The District Governor appeared on Eko FM radio breakfast programme on August 18, 2021. I also made a TVC appearance was during the World Humanitarian Day on the 19th August, 2021. Inner Wheel team of District 912 led by their Chair, Mrs. Adefunke Shinaba, was received by the District Governor on 22nd August, 2021.

BASIC EDUCATION AND LITERACY
We are honouring this year’s theme of Reading the Past, Writing the Future by looking back at education and literacy in Rotary through the years. We shall also be looking ahead to find innovative solutions to current challenges standing in the way of quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all in our country.
As we are settling down in the new Rotary Year, many clubs have done their investiture to raise funds for service projects. Clubs are encouraged once again to key into the ‘Adopt-a-School’ project of the District for the year. Let us now go to work as stated by our President: “Together we can, together we will”.

Let us beat the clock and be the change makers as we Serve to Change Lives.

Remi Bello, FCA
DISTRICT GOVERNOR

RI PRESIDENT MESSAGE - SEPTEMBER, 2021.

am sure you are having an enriching experience as you Serve to Change Lives. One of the ways you can make the greatest change in a person’s life is to help them learn to read. Literacy opens up the world to us. It makes us better informed about life in our own communities and opens vistas to other cultures. Reading and writing connects people and gives us another way to express our love for one another.

September is Basic Education and Literacy Month in Rotary. Enhancing literacy skills is critical in our pursuit of reducing poverty, improving health, and promoting peace. In fact, if all students in low-income countries left school with basic reading skills, it would result in a significant cut in global poverty rates.

Without education, illiterate children become illiterate adults. Today, 14 percent of the world’s adult population — 762 million people — lack basic reading and writing skills. Two-thirds of that group are women. Literacy and numeracy skills are essential to obtaining better housing, health care, and jobs over a lifetime.

Especially for girls and women, literacy can be a life-or-death issue. If all girls completed their primary education, there would be far fewer maternal deaths. And a child is more likely to survive past age 5 if he or she is born to a mother who can read. Improving outcomes for more people worldwide is possible only if countries remove barriers to education for girls. The economic argument for doing so is clear: In some countries where schooling is geared toward boys, the cost of missed economic opportunity is more than $1 billion per year.

Empowering people through education is among the boldest goals we have as Rotarians. We don’t have to travel far from our homes to encounter those whose lives are being curtailed because they struggle with reading, rely on others to read for them, or cannot write anything more than their own name.

Starting this month, consider how your club can Serve to Change Lives through literacy: Support local organizations that offer free programs to support adult literacy or local language learning, or that provide teachers with professional development centered around reading and writing. Become literacy mentors, or work with an organization like the Global Partnership for Education to increase learning opportunities for children around the world. Have conversations with local schools and libraries to see how your club can support their existing programs or help create needed ones in your community.

In India, the TEACH program, a successful collaboration between the country’s Rotary clubs and its government, has demonstrated how to scale up literacy efforts to reach millions of children. And at a time when schools across India were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the program’s e-learning component reached more than 100 million children through national television.

Literacy is the first step out of poverty. As Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai has noted, “One child, one teacher, one book, and one pen can change the world.”

Shekhar Mehta
Rotary International President 2021-22