Countdown to History
End Polio Now… That is the name of a campaign, begun by Rotary International in 1985, to rid the world of the debilitating disease polio. Since 1988 it has worked in partnership with the World Health Organisation, local agencies and, more recently, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Rotary in Harpenden have been a regular contributor to the campaign, donating a share of the money raised by our annual Quiz of Quizzes event. During the Covid pandemic, when we could not hold the quiz, we donated the proceeds from our virtual balloon race to the campaign.
Working together, the medical authorities in Pakistan and Afghanistan are making great strides in vaccinating children against polio. Only in those two countries does wild poliovirus remain endemic. Rotary in Harpenden will maintain their fundraising efforts in support
Find out more on the End Polio website.
Latest news
Modular homes revive Ukrainian village
Local Rotarians pictured with one of the 124 temporary modular homes that have helped to house residents of Moshchun, a village near the Ukrainian capital, where Russian bombardment destroyed or severely damaged 70% of the buildings.
Their appeal to other Rotary clubs brought support from 12 countries including Britain. Our Ukrainian Quiz Night, held in November, raised funds for furniture and other household essentials.
Ready to receive
Some 19 months ago Rotary in Harpenden took on a project to raise funds to equip a new operating theatre being built at the Kyengera Women’s hospital in Wakiso, near Kampala, Uganda.
We had the task of raising the equivalent of US$5,000 to get the $30,000+ project off the ground.