Revitalizing economically depressed regions is a complex challenge that requires a careful balance between driving economic growth and ensuring social equity. In various parts of Africa, South America, South Asia, and Southeast Asia, communities face significant hurdles such as high unemployment, crumbling infrastructure, and insufficient investment. The Rotary Action Group for Community Economic Development (RAGCED) plays a pivotal role in addressing these challenges by offering essential resources, expertise, and fostering partnerships that promote sustainable development.

Changing Lives: GG2015629 in the Meru Region

The Rotary Action Group for Community Economic Development (RAGCED) is pleased to feature an inspiring story from the Meru and Tharaka Nithi Counties of Kenya in this edition of our newsletter. The Global Grant 2015629 project, completed in June 2024, has made a significant difference in the lives of women and girls, showcasing the powerful impact of community economic development initiatives worldwide.

The Rotary Convention in Singapore was a time of fun, friendship, and information sharing for members of RAGCED who volunteered to help Rotarians from around the world learn about community economic development.

by PDG Carl Treleaven

Over the past year as Chair/President of RAGCED, I’ve concluded we can dramatically increase our impact.  I now believe that of all 25 Rotary Action Groups, RAGCED could and should have the very broadest reach, and maybe even the greatest impact, of all.  That’s not at all to say that RAGCED is any more important than the other RAG’s.  All Rotary Action Groups do very valuable work for Rotary, but it seems to me there’s a possibility for RAGCED to have the greatest reach and impact.  

My wife and I spent much of the month of March in South Asia. Initially, we were conducting a Rotary Foundation Global Grant that my Rotary Club in the USA and the Rotary Club of Hong Kong Channel Islands were working on in Guwahati, Assam, India. At the same time, we've had numerous opportunities to meet with Rotarians and Rotaractors. While I learned various things during the trip, I’d like to focus on three key points related to economic development:

As I’ve said many times before, one of the most important ways that Rotary Action Groups can help individual Rotarians, Rotaractors, and their clubs is to help in developing global grant projects.  The members of every club within the Rotary world know the needs of their local communities, and when they identify a need, they usually know exactly how to bring the right resources together to solve the problem.

However, how do you solve the problem when it’s a continent, or maybe even half-world, away?   One of the first tasks is to identify like-minded Rotary Clubs in other countries that might be interested in working with you and your club.  I want to share with you a not particularly well-known way to help make the right connections: project fairs.

Over 700 million people, constituting 10% of the global population, live on less than $1.90 a day. Amidst the challenges posed by the COVID-19 crisis, conflicts, and climate change, these numbers are expected to rise. Addressing poverty, especially for the most vulnerable, is at the core of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and takes centre stage in Goal 1: No Poverty.

Welcome to the December 2023 edition! This month, our spotlight falls on two transformative Global Grants: GG 2015466 – CED for Jundiaí's Poor Community Project Report and GG 2096194 - Ntenjeru Women's Empowerment Project Report. PDG Nick unfolds the nuances of microfinance, showcasing how RAGCED steers change. Mark your calendars for upcoming 2024 project fairs: Uniendo America (Jan 25-27, 2024) and Colombia 9th Project Fair (Feb 01-03, 2024). Join us in anticipation of the possibilities ahead.

Warm regards,

Gomathy

Editor, RAGCED Newsletter

Contact: editor@ragced.org

Introduction:

Rotary International, renowned for its commitment to humanitarian service, has been a driving force in fostering community development and international collaboration through various initiatives. One such pivotal event is the West Africa Project Fair, an annual gathering that epitomizes Rotary’s ethos of service and partnership. This article delves into how this fair, in collaboration with the Rotary Action Group for Community Economic Development (RAGCED), is expanding its visibility and impact, both in West Africa and globally.

Empowering Remote Communities Through Global Grants: A Perspective by Bonaventure

By Bonaventure Fandohan

By Carl W. Treleaven, Past District Governor

President/Chair of the Rotary Action Group for Community Economic Development and the Rotary Club of Saint Petersburg, Florida, USA

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE – OCTOBER 2023

Carl W. Treleaven, President (RY 2023-25)

Community Economic Development (CED) is not just a term; it's a transformative approach that lies at the heart of the Rotary Action Group for Economic and Community Development (RAGCED) and its mission. But what exactly is CED, and why is it so vital?

Dakshinpatha, a prominent chapter within the Rotary Action Group for Community Economic Development (RAGCED), has earned a reputation as one of India's most successful and impactful Rotary chapters. Its journey towards success is characterized by a commitment to community development and a track record of delivering tangible results.

ROTARY ACTION GROUP FOR COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (RAGCED) – PRESIDENT’S SEPTEMBER 2023 MESSAGE!

Carl W. Treleaven

President (RY 2023-25) 

You are cordially invited to attend:

The 2022 RAGCED Annual General Meeting (AGM)

To Register: https://ragced.org/1/217/Contact_Us/
Please note the limit of 100 participants

Wednesday July 27, 2022 at 10:00 AM EST 09:00 Central (Chicago)

The Community Solutions Program is a professional leadership development program for the best and brightest community leaders worldwide.

Rotary International is excited to announce a partnership with the U.S. Department of State’s Community Solutions Program (CSP) that offers Rotarians across the United States the opportunity to host international fellows for a professional practicum at their workplace or a rich cross-cultural exchange through a homestay from August through November 2022

The Informal Economy
According to a recent report by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 60% of the world's population participate in the informal sector - these are the legions of subsistence farm owners, market traders, street food sellers, seamstresses, and cobblers we see when we visit a poor country.
Since the 1970s, international development practitioners, including many International Rotarians, have supported the idea that with a small loan, those running "microbusinesses" in this informal economy will begin to prosper. Over the past several years, however, a growing body of evidence shows that while those with the best established businesses are prospering, most loans are used for immediate needs - food, medicine, school fees. For those living on the edge of survival, repaying these often costly loans is very difficult.

HECD – Honduras Economic & Community Development – was birthed in 2012. It is a multi-faceted, multi-staged vision, founded on the principles of microfinance and sustainable development.

Goal: for HECD to have 10 Phases and raise $1M for holistic microfinance/community economic development in Honduras.

What works for Women?

In this short video clip the focus is on supporting women through joining the Rotarian Action Group for Community Economic Development.