Project Abigail: Restoring dignity and opportunity for girls in Uganda

Australian Rotary clubs in Districts 9705 (ACT and NSW) and 9423 (WA), assisted by a club in Washington DC, have helped turn one Ugandan student’s dream into reality, funding 10 new bathroom cubicles at Kimaanya Secondary School to restore dignity, improve hygiene and empower more than 750 girls to learn with confidence.

For too long, mornings at BS Kimaanya Secondary School in Masaka, Uganda, began with frustration and fatigue. Hundreds of girls queued for hours at the school’s crumbling bathroom facilities, some forced to bathe in the open, their privacy and dignity stripped away. What should have been a simple daily routine became a source of exhaustion before the first lesson even began.

Thanks to the vision of Rotary Peace Fellow Emily Nabakooza and the generosity of 16 Rotary clubs across Australia and the US, this story has been rewritten. Through Project Abigail – named after a courageous student whose video plea touched hearts across the world – 10 brand-new, modern bathroom cubicles now stand at Kimaanya Secondary School, transforming the lives of more than 750 female boarding students.

Donors to The Rotary Foundation celebrated some big achievements in fundraising in the past year, showing their support for the wide array of programs the organization sponsors all over the world.

A multiyear campaign to increase the Endowment to US$2.025 billion by 2025 exceeded its goal by US$25 million. In 2024-25 alone, members and others contributed more than half a billion dollars to the Foundation.

The traditional model of Rotary, with weekly meetings at a local venue, may not suit the lifestyle of many, especially people developing their careers or caring for young children. But that doesn’t mean they miss out on the joy of Rotary!

IN 2019, a group of committed young Rotary alumni decided it was time to explore a new model of Rotary. It would focus less on meetings and more on connecting people, ideas, passion and skills to create the change they want to see in the world.

The club’s unique structure adds value in this changing world, allowing those with varying work or study schedules or locations, carer responsibilities, mobility or transport issues access to Rotary.

Rotary Foundation receives highest rating from Charity Navigator for 17th consecutive year

For the 17th consecutive year, The Rotary Foundation has received the highest rating — four stars — from Charity Navigator, the largest and most utilized independent charity evaluator in the United States.

The Foundation earned the recognition for adhering to sector best practices and executing its mission in a financially efficient way, demonstrating both strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency.

Faced with declining numbers, the Rotary Club of Belmont, WA, has turned the tide by embracing a whole-club approach to membership growth.

WORDS: Elizabeth Newton-Faas. Rotary Club of Belmont, WA.

I TOOK on the challenge of being president for the Rotary club of Belmont, WA, for 2024-25. When I joined the club six years ago there were 24 members and it gradually dropped to 17. One of my goals as president was to increase membership back to 24. I started with no membership director and no-one wanted the role. I introduced the concept that we are all responsible for membership.

I adopted a six-step plan to achieve my membership goals.