Our Rotary district held its annual
conference this past weekend in the beautiful Lafayette Hill, right outside of
the city. A group of us represented Rotaract Philly among the many other Rotary and Rotaract clubs in District 7450 and got the
chance to learn about very important issues Rotary is getting involved in.
The day included two very
interesting lectures: one on clean water initiatives and another on efforts to
stem child slavery. We were first introduced to an organization called Water
Missions International, which undertakes clean water projects in 49 developing
countries, mainly throughout Latin America and Africa. The organization builds
clean water systems for public use that provide a safe alternative to the
contaminated water that has plagued communities with disease.
After some time set aside for
mingling with Rotarians/Rotaractors from other clubs, we saw a very moving
presentation on child slavery. It was very sobering to realize that the
phenomenon was so endemic throughout the modern world, and that the United
States was not immune. The lecture ended on a positive note, however, with a
segment on rescue organizations that were making headway in stemming back the
tide.
The most inspiring, and most
awaited, presentation of the day was given by Ramesh Farris on polio
eradication. Born in India, Farris had contracted polio at six months of age
and was paralyzed from the waist down. Farris’ mother, unable to provide the
resources her son would need, gave him up to an orphanage. He was then adopted
by a Canadian family, after initial opposition from the Canadian government
based on the fear that Farris would place too much strain on the country’s
healthcare system.
The
presentation was moving from the very beginning, when Farris crawled through
piercing silence from the back of the auditorium to the stage and began to tell
his story while sitting on the floor. The discomfort quickly gave way to
disbelief and cheer
as Farris
rose up and began to walk across the stage.
In Canada, Farris had undergone numerous surgeries, eventually allowing
him to walk with the help of leg braces. He has been traveling across the world
recounting his experience, in the hope that there will one day be no more
“crawlers.”
All in all, the conference proved to
be, as always, an immeasurably enriching and inspirational day. I would greatly
recommend that every Rotaractor try to go at some point. You don’t want
to miss out!
