. 

Rotary Club Dnipro-Region:  “We put soul into every little action, and hope that it will inspire others to step into the same way”

When one decides to make personal contribution for the good of world, at once plenty of questions raise. Where is the start point? How to distribute money granted for help? Now Ukraine passing through tough times. In addition, for one person, it is hard to provide all what needed: support orphans, raise humanitarian help for soldiers, stand in line of defense, hold the number of social projects etc. The best way to make it all work - to get together, to help people together, to support each other in the path of making the world a little bit better. That is what Rotarians do. Pavlovska Olena, current President of the Rotary Club Dnipro-Region endorse this idea.

Rotary Club Dnipro-Region already exists for 15 years. But currently in the Club there are no old residents. Over the years the team had changed completely.

"Give baby a dry night"

This year, during several months Dnipro and Kharkiv Rotarians carried out the charity action. They collected diapers for kids from Dnepro orphanage №2.

For orphanage №2 lack of diapers was a serious problem. Every day kids need certain amount of diapers, but there is no enough money coming from the state budget to buy sufficient quantity. Thus, except other difficulties, in cold days children even were not able to play outside, because in wet diapers they were freezing and might catch a cold. As the result of  this action, 1366 packs of diapers were collected for orphanage.

"I paint life"

Another long-term project of Rotary Club Dnipro-Region was called "I paint life". It was held for children from Dnepropetrovsk orphanage №1.  All kids were asked to draw pictures, reflecting their perception of the world. Best works were included into the special calendar. All funds from selling of the calendar (9560 hr.) were forwarded for the needs of children. The authors of the best drawings got money awards.

Cooperation with other Rotary clubs

Rotary Club Dnipro-Region is open for cooperation with other Clubs. Dnipropetrovsk Rotarians are always ready to welcome guests from other cities and countries at their meetings. Current President 2014-2016 of Dnipro-Region Valentyna Kisleiko sincerely believes in the importance of learning from greater Rotary Clubs, which have a big experience in realizing of huge charity projects.

Now Dnipro-Region is involved into negotiation process aimed to develop joint projects with Spanish, Italian and Canadian Rotary Clubs.

Rotary Club just got a tremendous help from Polish Rotary Club Wanda Krakow.  Polish Rotarians granted 1000 euro for medical treatment of Ukrainian girl Mariana Leyb'yuk from Ivano-Frankivsk.

Terrible tragedy happened with fourteen years girl – she was hit by a car, as result, her leg was damaged in several places. Without complicated and expensive treatment she might become handicapped.  Her family lives in a village and they had no money or any options to provide it for her. Members of Rotary Club Dnipropetrovsk-Dnipro-Region along with Polish Rotary Club Wanda Krakow learned about their situation and stepped in. Lately Mariana already had her last surgery and now she is in rehabilitation process. Doctors say that she has good chances to work normally again.

St. Nicholas Day in Dnipro

On St. Nicholas day Rotary Club Dnipro-Region organized a campaign of selling the cakes, as the result they managed to raise 3860 hr. Part of this money they gave to the hospital, where soldiers from the zone of ATO in Donbass get medical treatment. For the rest Rotarians bought warm clothes for children and refugees. 

Christmas carols time

At Christmas members of Rotary Club Dnipro-Region organized for kids from city orphanages music tour to five major city business companies. Kids were singing carols and getting reward.  Young singers gathered about 4500 hr. On top of that, they all received little tasty gifts.

Projects, aimed to provide social adaptation for children

Material support is not the only thing children need. Their social adaption is not less important. For the orphans emotional support is crucial when they are making up their minds about the future. For children, living in rough conditions it is important to get attention and some helpful advises from successful people.  Therefore, a number of projects of Club aimed to contribute to the intellectual development of the children and give them moral support.

For instance, in Dnipropetrovsk music school №15, directed by the Club member Maryna Chekalkina, talented children can record songs for free. In addition, talented students receive a small monthly scholarship. Other grants go to those, who win first prizes in different music talent competitions.

Also, Natalya Probachai, member of the Rotary Club Dnipro-Region and gynecologist of highest category with great working experience, reads a cycle of lectures for teenagers about pubescence and how to deal with it. Also, she performs free ultrasonic examinations for girls.

To help children in their intellectual development former member of the Club, Stas Ivanov, specialist in IT-technologies, bought for the orphanage №1 book by Robert Kiyosaki "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" and the computer game with the same name. The game helps to develop logical thinking, and in addition, children can play it with Rotarians through Internet, thus can get constructive tips and interesting communication.

Other project called "The Podium" is still in plans. The idea of “The Podium” belongs to President of the Club Valentyna Kysleiko, co-owner of TM "Magic Fur". She wants girls from city orphanages to be among professional models on a catwalk, demonstrating fur coats of her trademark. That will make girls feel more confident.

Caring for children is, for sure, one on the main and constant priorities for the members of Rotary Club Dnipro-Region. But another "sore point" for Rotarians, like for all Ukrainians, is the situation in the east of country. Club members regularly collect and sending packages of food and clothing to the ATO zone. 

Despite that, now Rotary Club Dnipro-Region does not have many members, their number grows every year.  Members of the Club are not just listed in the membership board, they all time involved into projects, developing new ideas and bring them to life. For instance, current President 2014-2016 of the Club Valentyna Kisleiko likes to say: “When Club members put soul into every little action, it inspires others to step into the same way”. So, undoubtedly, all the biggest projects of Rotary Club Dnipro-Region are yet to come.