INSIDE THIS ISSUE Stain of child abuse 16 Reality of Climate Change 30 Toastmasters alliance 32 Champions of Change 48 rotarygbi.org August/September 2021 4 THANKS A MILLION! Rotary lends a helping hand Facebook: Twitter: Instagram: YouTube: Rotary International | Rotary CONTENTS /RotaryinGBI | @RotaryGBI | @RotaryGBI | in Great Britain & Ireland Cover story 04 LENDING WITH CARE 16 10 42 30 6 16 22 ARTICLES FEATURES NEWS & EVENTS TALK FROM THE TOP: SHEKHAR MEHTA 21 THE ANSWER LIES IN THE SOIL 06 HOW ROTARY HELPS ENTREPRENEURS 04 New Rotary International President, Shekhar Filipina farmer Bernadeth Cabusog has THe story behind the partnership between Mehta, reflects on the challenges ahead. benefited from Rotary support for her business. Rotary and the charity Lendwithcare. TALK FROM THE TOP: NICKI SCOTT 22 AUNTY NANCY IS A SHINING LIGHT 08 CREDIT UNIONS PROVIDE SUPPORT 10 & DAVID ELLIS How Aunty Nancy Chaima, or 'Aunty Nancy' Credit unions have been stepping up to support Rotary GB&I's Leader of the Association and has been supported by Rotary in Malawi. the vulnerable during the Covid pandemic. Chairman of the Executive set out their stalls CHILD ABUSE: A STAIN ON SOCIETY 16 TRUE SERVICE ABOVE SELF 14 TALK FROM THE TOP: JOHN GERM 24 How Rotary clubs in Norfolk are working THree Rotarians from England have been & AMANDA WATKIN together to help tackle child sex abuse. honoured by Rotary International.. Reflections from the Rotary Foundation Trustee THE SECRETS BEHIND CLOSE DOORS 18 ROTARY IS AT TIPPING POINT 26 Chair, and General Secretary of Rotary GB&I.. Norfolk's Lord Lieutenant, Lady Philippa Dannatt, Former Rotary International President, Barry LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 36 describes the horrifc stories of child abuse. Rassin, details plans being hatched to reshape Four pages of letters covering subjects including the structure of Rotary. A HUMANITARIAN CRISIS 30 famous Rotarians and corporate membership. THe impact which climate change is having GIVING HOPE IN THE LEBANON 46 AND FINALLY 58 on the work of charities such as ShelterBox. Rotary clubs across Great Britain & Ireland have Rotary magazine editor, Dave King, evaluates supported the rebuilding of Karantina Hospital in TOASTMASTERS ALLIANCE 32 how Rotarians can benefit from the partnership Beirut devastated by an explosion a year ago. with Toastmasters International Explaining how the partnership between Rotary and Toastmasters International can benefit.. JUST CHAMPION! 48 Profiles of the Champions of Change award FIFTY YEARS OF RYLA 42 winners who have just been announced. A look back at a half century of the Rotary Youth Leadership Award scheme. Read online | rotarygbi.org/magazine FSC® Certified Papers This product is made with wood sourced from Listen online | rotarygbi.org/listen certified forests and other controlled sources This magazine is available as an audio experience for visually-impaired readers and is accessible for all our members. Visit: rotarygbi.org/listen rotarygbi.org August/September 2021 | Rotary | 3 Rotary | NEWS & EVENTS Rotary clubs lend £1.3 million to Lendwithcare, and counting Rotary clubs have been helping communities grow by providing loans to entrepreneurs across the world. The scheme, working with the charity Lendwithcare, has so far provided more than £1.3 million from Rotary clubs to help those fighting their way out of poverty. | LAURA WILLCOX | UNDREDS of Rotary clubs have dedicated to raising funds to Lendwithcare was a brilliant fit with clubs across Great Britain lend, and their commitment to continuing Rotary’s values, and the partnership has & Ireland have been to recycle their loans.” grown and evolved along with the loans and supporting Lendwithcare The partnership between Rotary the businesses they support. since 2011. They have raised and Lendwithcare began in 2011 when “It continues to be a fantastic Hfunds to make small loans to entrepreneurs Currie Balerno Rotary in Edinburgh partnership, and we hope Rotary continues in developing countries allowing them to invited Lendwithcare to talk at one of on to the next million – and beyond.” start and expand their businesses and work their meetings after hearing a feature on Despite reaching the £1 million their way out of poverty. microfinance on the radio. milestone, Rotary clubs are showing no Lendwithcare is a revolutionary way Since then, they have continuously signs of slowing down as loans continue to to help people in low income countries to made generous loans to entrepreneurs as change people’s lives. work their way out of poverty with dignity. hundreds of other Rotary clubs followed She praised the work of John Crowe at Lendwithcare allows you to lend as their lead, allowing small loans to create a Nantwich Rotary in Cheshire whose club little as £15 to fund a small business, and huge impact. has been at the forefront of the scheme. once your money is repaid you can choose Tracey added: “When we did our first The Cheshire club has lent more than to recycle your loan to support another talk at Currie Balerno Rotary to tell them £60,000 to almost 11,000 entrepreneurs in entrepreneur, or withdraw your money. all about Lendwithcare, we didn’t dream it 11 countries. From figures published earlier Tracey Horner, Head of would lead to so many other clubs getting this year, the club has helped 34,184 family Lendwithcare, praised those Rotary involved and an official partnership with members and created 2,582 jobs. clubs who have contributed towards the Rotary! John said: “Nantwich Rotary is proud £1.3 million lent to entrepreneurs. “They loved the idea, and it spread to be part of this fantastic initiative. She said: “We have been bowled over from there,” she said. “Lendwithcare is a great way to help by the amount of time and effort the many “It became clear quite quickly that people out of poverty. You see exactly who 4 | Rotary | August/September 2021 rotarygbi.org "THROUGH LENDWITHCARE, ROTARY HAS HELPED CHANGE THE LIVES OF MORE THAN 5,000 ENTREPRENEURS AROUND THE WORLD SO FAR." the money is going to and what they will Lendwithcare seeking to invest in more and use it for.” more small businesses that preserve, protect Rotary in East Anglia (District 1080) and improve the environment. is also one of the pioneering areas for “For example, with our loans for solar | | Lendwithcare, through the work of Nick lighting and bio-fuel loans. Fact file Corke and Brian Davies. "We’re now turning our attention LENDWITHCARE “They were very supportive of towards businesses that are helping to • Lendwithcare is an initiative of poverty Lendwithcare in the early years and set reforest the Amazon rainforest. It feels like fighting charity, CARE International UK. up our most prolific lending team,” added Lendwithcare and Rotary are moving in the Tracey. same direction, and there’s so much to look • CARE fights poverty and injustice in 87 countries around the world to help the “Through Lendwithcare, Rotary has forward to together.” l world’s poorest people. helped change the lives of more than 5,000 entrepreneurs around the world so far. • CARE’s innovative solutions aim to ensure “It continues to be a fantastic that poor people across the world have partnership, and we hope Rotary continues access to the financial tools and training they need to lift themselves out of poverty. on to the next million – and beyond.” And with the environment now • 100% of loans go to the entrepreneurs. Rotary’s seventh area of focus, the | Information | • CARE is non-religious and non-political, Lendwithcare chief said this has opened up allowing it to deliver humanitarian and even more horizons for closer working. Lendwithcare is keen to get more Rotary development assistance to anyone in She explained: “There is so much clubs involved. For information, contact: need, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, [email protected] scope for the future – with Rotary focusing age, religion, political view or sexual lendwithcare.org more closely on the environment, and orientation. rotarygbi.org August/September 2021 | Rotary | 5 Rotary | FEATURE The answer lies in the soil ERNADETH Cabusog is a labourers I hired to help us in the farm. This will help me expand and increase 34-year-old farmer and mother- During the lockdown because of the harvest of crops. If ever I can save of-two from the Philippines COVID-19, we had almost nothing left. enough money, I want to buy or install who has received loans from The stores, hotels and restaurants were rain shelters or greenhouses so I can still Lendwithcare, including from closed. We were having difficulties selling operate my farm even in the rainy season. BStevenage Grange Rotary in Hertfordshire. our farm produce. But after eight months The future is what I am looking forward She lives in the village of Sudlon II of struggle, we are about to start a new life. to: good farming; good income; good life in Cebu province, along with Jennifer Almost 75% of our institutional buyers are and good health always of my family. l Timbal, and they have been working as operating now, so we’re getting back on farmers since they started living together track. 13 years ago. Amount requested: Bernadeth plants crops on three What did you do with your loans? £2,623.41 different plots of land. Of course our means of living is farming. She is lucky to have an area with an First thing first is to buy farm inputs. I Repayment term: abundant source of water nearby which have two persons who I pay to work in the 24 months lets her continuously grow crops without a farm. I pay them every week 1,800 pesos problem during the dry season. each person (£22). Loans help us a lot, Activity type: They have been repeatedly growing but in return we help 2 persons to have Farming crops such as lettuce, 'baguio' beans, a job.