Di jantung dari dampak global Rotary terdapat The Rotary Foundation — sebuah organisasi amal berprestasi yang berdedikasi untuk meningkatkan kesehatan, mendukung pendidikan, mengurangi kemiskinan, dan mempromosikan perdamaian. Melalui kemurahan hati para donatur, Rotary mengubah kontribusi menjadi proyek layanan yang membawa perubahan nyata dan berkelanjutan di komunitas-komunitas di seluruh dunia.
Warisan Kebaikan
Semua berawal pada tahun 1917, ketika Presiden Rotary saat itu, Arch Klumph, mengusulkan pembentukan dana abadi "untuk tujuan melakukan kebaikan di dunia." Dengan modal awal hanya $26,50, The Rotary Foundation lahir. Selama beberapa dekade, yayasan ini tumbuh menjadi kekuatan global untuk kebaikan, mendanai proyek-proyek kemanusiaan senilai miliaran dolar.
Tonggak Penting
1917: Konsep yayasan diperkenalkan
1928: Resmi dinamai The Rotary Foundation
1947: Program beasiswa pertama diluncurkan
1979: Mulai imunisasi anak-anak terhadap polio
1985: Program PolioPlus diluncurkan
1999: Pusat Perdamaian Rotary didirikan
2020: Hibah "Programs of Scale" diperkenalkan
Dampak yang Didorong oleh Misi
Misi Yayasan sangat jelas: mempromosikan pemahaman dunia, niat baik, dan perdamaian melalui program-program yang meningkatkan kesehatan, mendukung pendidikan, melindungi lingkungan, dan mengurangi kemiskinan.
Melalui proyek-proyek besar maupun kecil, lokal maupun global, Yayasan membantu anggota Rotary bersatu dan bertindak untuk menciptakan perubahan yang nyata dan berkelanjutan.
Prioritas Utama: Memberantas Polio
Pemberantasan polio adalah tujuan khas Rotary — dan kini kita semakin dekat untuk mewujudkan keberhasilan global. Sejak 1979, Rotary berada di garis depan dalam perang melawan polio, dimulai dengan imunisasi 6 juta anak di Filipina.
Melalui program PolioPlus, Rotary:
Menyediakan vaksin dan kampanye imunisasi
Mendukung pemantauan penyakit
Meningkatkan kesadaran tentang pentingnya imunisasi
Menyelenggarakan Hari Imunisasi Nasional untuk menjangkau setiap anak di bawah lima tahun di daerah berisiko tinggi
Dampak sejauh ini: Hampir 3 miliar anak telah diimunisasi di 122 negara, mencegah kelumpuhan dan menyelamatkan jutaan nyawa.
Target: Menggalang dana $50 juta setiap tahun, yang akan dilipatgandakan 2 banding 1 oleh Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, sehingga dampaknya menjadi tiga kali lipat.
Fokus Utama Rotary
The Rotary Foundation menangani tantangan global dalam tujuh area utama:
Memajukan Perdamaian: Mendukung pencegahan dan resolusi konflik melalui beasiswa, program, dan proyek.
Melawan Penyakit: Memperluas akses ke layanan kesehatan esensial dan menghentikan penyebaran penyakit seperti HIV/AIDS, malaria, dan polio.
Menyediakan Air Bersih: Memastikan komunitas memiliki akses ke air bersih, sanitasi, dan edukasi kebersihan.
Menyelamatkan Ibu dan Anak: Menyediakan layanan kesehatan ibu, imunisasi, dan klinik keliling.
Mendukung Pendidikan: Meningkatkan literasi, mengurangi kesenjangan gender, dan memperluas akses ke pendidikan berkualitas.
Mengembangkan Ekonomi Lokal: Menciptakan peluang melalui pelatihan keterampilan, edukasi keuangan, dan kewirausahaan.
Melindungi Lingkungan: Mempromosikan keberlanjutan, konservasi, dan harmoni antara manusia dan alam.
Hibah Rotary: Menggerakkan Perubahan
Anggota Rotary membawa semangat dan keahlian mereka ke proyek-proyek yang menghadapi tantangan global terbesar. Yayasan mendukung upaya ini melalui berbagai jenis hibah:
District Grants: Membiayai proyek lokal jangka pendek, beasiswa, dan pelatihan.
Global Grants: Mendukung proyek internasional berskala besar, beasiswa, dan tim pelatihan keterampilan.
Programs of Scale: Memberikan hibah sebesar $2 juta untuk proyek terbukti yang memiliki potensi pertumbuhan dan dampak signifikan.
Disaster Response Grants: Membantu komunitas pulih dari bencana alam.
Pengelolaan dan Akuntabilitas
Distrik dan klub harus memenuhi syarat untuk menerima pendanaan hibah. Ini memastikan pengelolaan keuangan yang bertanggung jawab dan pemanfaatan sumber daya yang efektif. Komitmen Rotary terhadap transparansi dan akuntabilitas telah memberikannya skor 100 dari 100 poin di Charity Navigator.
Beasiswa Perdamaian Rotary
Program pendidikan unggulan Rotary, Rotary Peace Fellowships, mengembangkan generasi pembangun perdamaian berikutnya. Dengan lebih dari 1.300 alumni di 115+ negara, para fellow bekerja di berbagai bidang termasuk pemerintahan, LSM, organisasi internasional, dan pendidikan.
Program Gelar Magister: Studi selama 15–24 bulan, pengalaman lapangan, dan riset di universitas terkemuka.
Program Sertifikat: Program intensif satu tahun bagi profesional yang telah bekerja di bidang perdamaian dan pembangunan.
Mendukung Karya Rotary
Kegiatan The Rotary Foundation didanai melalui tiga saluran utama:
PolioPlus Fund: Mendukung pemberantasan polio secara global.
Annual Fund: Mendukung hibah dan program Rotary di tingkat lokal dan internasional.
Endowment Fund: Menjamin pendanaan berkelanjutan untuk generasi mendatang.
Sistem SHARE
Sistem SHARE Rotary memastikan bahwa kontribusi dibagi antara World Fund (untuk proyek global) dan District Designated Funds (untuk inisiatif lokal). Setiap donasi memberikan dampak — dan klub-klub menetapkan target tahunan untuk mendukung misi Yayasan.
Terlibat: Setiap Rotarian, Setiap Tahun
The Rotary Foundation adalah milik setiap anggota Rotary. Baik melalui donasi, proyek hibah, maupun advokasi, setiap Rotarian dapat membantu memperluas jangkauan dan dampak Rotary. Peluang pengakuan, seperti menjadi Paul Harris Fellow atau Major Donor, memberikan kehormatan bagi mereka yang mendukung karya penting ini.
Siap membawa perubahan?
Bergabunglah dalam gerakan untuk melakukan kebaikan di dunia — bersama The Rotary Foundation, dukungan Anda menjadi aksi nyata, mengubah kehidupan dan menciptakan harapan di seluruh dunia.
The Rotary Foundation: Changing Lives Around the World
At the heart of Rotary’s global impact is The Rotary Foundation — an award-winning charitable organization dedicated to improving health, supporting education, alleviating poverty, and promoting peace. Through the generosity of donors, Rotary transforms contributions into service projects that make a lasting difference in communities worldwide.
A Legacy of Doing Good
It all started in 1917, when Rotary’s then-president Arch Klumph proposed creating an endowment fund “for the purpose of doing good in the world.” With just $26.50 in seed money, The Rotary Foundation was born. Over the decades, it has grown into a global force for good, funding billions of dollars' worth of humanitarian projects.
Key Milestones
1917: Foundation concept introduced
1928: Officially named The Rotary Foundation
1947: First scholarship program launched
1979: Begins immunizing children against polio
1985: PolioPlus program is launched
1999: Rotary Peace Centers established
2020: Programs of Scale grants introduced
Mission-Driven Impact
The Foundation’s mission is clear: to promote world understanding, goodwill, and peace through programs that improve health, support education, protect the environment, and alleviate poverty.
Through projects both large and small, local and global, the Foundation helps Rotary members unite and take action for real, sustainable change.
Top Priority: Eradicating Polio
Polio eradication is Rotary’s signature cause — and it’s closer than ever to being a global success story. Since 1979, Rotary has been on the front lines of the fight against polio, starting with immunizing 6 million children in the Philippines.
Through the PolioPlus program, Rotary:
Provides vaccines and immunization campaigns
Supports disease surveillance
Raises awareness about the importance of immunization
Hosts National Immunization Days to reach every child under five in high-risk areas
Impact so far: Nearly 3 billion children vaccinated in 122 countries, preventing paralysis and saving millions of lives.
Goal: Raise $50 million annually, with a 2-to-1 match from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, tripling the impact.
Our Areas of Focus
The Rotary Foundation addresses global challenges in seven key areas:
Promoting Peace: Supporting conflict prevention and resolution through fellowships, scholarships, and projects.
Fighting Disease: Expanding access to essential healthcare and stopping the spread of diseases like HIV/AIDS, malaria, and polio.
Providing Clean Water: Ensuring communities have access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene education.
Saving Mothers and Children: Offering maternal health services, immunizations, and mobile clinics.
Supporting Education: Boosting literacy, reducing gender disparities, and improving access to quality education.
Growing Local Economies: Creating opportunities through vocational training, financial education, and entrepreneurship.
Protecting the Environment: Promoting sustainability, conservation, and harmony between people and nature.
Rotary Grants: Fueling Change
Rotary members bring their passion and skills to projects that tackle the world’s toughest challenges. The Foundation supports these efforts through a variety of grants:
District Grants: Fund local and short-term projects, scholarships, and training.
Global Grants: Support large-scale international projects, scholarships, and vocational training teams.
Programs of Scale: Provide $2 million to proven projects with the potential for significant growth and impact.
Disaster Response Grants: Help communities recover from natural disasters.
Stewardship and Accountability
Districts and clubs must be qualified to receive grant funding. This ensures responsible financial management and effective use of resources. Rotary’s commitment to transparency and stewardship has earned it 100 out of 100 points on Charity Navigator.
Rotary Peace Fellowships
Rotary’s flagship educational program, Rotary Peace Fellowships, develops the next generation of peacebuilders. With over 1,300 alumni in 115+ countries, fellows work in diverse fields including government, NGOs, international organizations, and education.
Master’s Degree Program: 15–24 months of study, field experience, and research at top universities.
Certificate Program: One-year intensive for professionals already working in peace and development.
Funding Rotary’s Work
The Foundation’s work is funded through three main channels:
PolioPlus Fund: Supports the global eradication of polio.
Annual Fund: Powers Rotary’s local and international grants and programs.
Endowment Fund: Ensures sustainable funding for future generations.
SHARE System
Rotary’s SHARE system ensures that contributions are divided between the World Fund (for global projects) and District Designated Funds (for local initiatives). Every donation makes a difference — and clubs set goals each year to support the Foundation’s mission.
Get Involved: Every Rotarian, Every Year
The Rotary Foundation belongs to every Rotary member. Whether through donations, grant projects, or advocacy, every Rotarian can help expand Rotary’s reach and impact. Opportunities for recognition, like becoming a Paul Harris Fellow or Major Donor, honor those who support this vital work.
Ready to make a difference?
Join the movement to do good in the world — with The Rotary Foundation, your support becomes real action, changing lives and creating hope across the globe.
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