International Projects | Rotary Club of Southampton

Less well known is our dedication to international understanding, peace and goodwill throughout the world by our international service efforts.

The Rotary club of Southampton has a rich history dating back to the Second World War of helping those in need around the world.

Typically, around 20% of our club’s funds are devoted to global initiatives. Whether its vaccinating a child against polio, or building a well to provide clean water or improving child and maternal health in a developing county. We proactively respond to disasters through our support of the internationally recognised Shelter Box and Aqua Box programs, you will see us in action on the world stage.

Peace Pole - Dedicated September 21, 2022

The idea came from the club's wish to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations in 2020 and recognize Rotary’s focus on peacebuilding and conflict prevention.

Unfortunately, the installation has been delayed due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This pole will be one of over 250,000 that are located in almost every country of the world.

The pole will be inscribed: ‘May Peace Prevail on Earth’ in the 6 languages of the United Nations and Ojibwa.

The pole was dedicated at a short ceremony on ‘International Day of Peace" Wednesday, September 21, 2022. Perkins Park, Southampton. CLICK HERE for a short video of the ceremony

What is a Peace Pole?

A Peace Pole is an internationally-recognized symbol of the hopes and dreams of the entire human family, standing in vigil for peace on earth. Each Peace Pole bears the message 'May Peace Prevail on Earth' in different languages on each of its four or six sides. There are estimated over 250,000 Peace Poles in every country in the world dedicated as monuments to peace.

Planting a Peace Pole is a way of bringing people together to inspire, awaken and uplift the human consciousness the world over. Peace Poles are now recognized as the most prominent international symbol and monument to peace. They remind us to think, speak and act in the spirit of peace and harmony. Stand as a silent visual for peace to prevail on earth.

Click for more info on Peace Poles

Eradicating Polio

Rotary’s flagship international effort is the eradication of polio.

When Rotary and its partners launched the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988, there were 350,000 cases of polio in 125 countries every year. We’ve made great progress against the disease since then. Today, polio cases have been reduced by 99.9 percent.

Africa was declared polio free in 2020 and now polio remains endemic only in the remotest regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Helping Beirut Lebanon

Helping Beirut

Southampton Rotary Club joined Rotary Clubs from Ontario who worked with McMaster Hospital

and Rotary Clubs in Lebanon to send critical medical supplies to Beirut, Lebanon.

The Hand Up Group

The Southampton Rotary Club is a member of the Rotary Hand Up Group which is a collaborative partnership between over 40 individual Rotary Clubs in Canada and the United States, 5 Rotary Clubs in Cameroon, 5 Cameroon registered non-government organizations (NGOs) and many community groups, schools and organizations.

We work together to develop and fund international projects. We pool our resources so that we have sufficient funds to qualify for grants from organizations such as the Rotary International Foundation and the Canadian Government.

In the past 25 years, Hand Up has invested over $2 Million of funds from local Rotarians, Rotary Clubs, The Rotary Foundation and the Canadian Government into humanitarian projects in Cameroon. Projects have included Education, Maternal Health, Entrepreneurship, Water and Sanitation and Nutrition as well as many others.

Bringing Clean Water to 10,000 People in Kumbo, Cameroon

The Club in partnership with the Hand Up Group and our global partner the Rotary Club of Kumbo in the Mbororo District of Cameroon and with funding from the Rotary Foundation has provided clean water for 10,000 people in 4 villages.

The inhabitants now have a convenient and safe source of potable water that is spring fed from a source in the hills and delivered by gravity to tap stands within their communities on the lower areas.

Wash stations and toilets were built at a school.

Disaster Relief Support

Each year natural disasters occur throughout the world and it’s difficult to respond to each and everyone. So to be proactive we channel our support by annual contributions to Shelter Box and Aqua Box who are both internationally respected Rotary Partners. These boxes are then ready and available to be dispatched as the need arises.