The Rotary Club of Bhubaneswar, New Horizon, the only all-women Rotary Club in Odisha (District-3262), is spearheading its multi-facet activities in a big way.
Relatively new yet proactively vibrant, the club is forging ahead with innovative community welfare programmes under the leadership of its president Dr Bijoya Mishra.
Dr Mishra is leading a group of dedicated professional Rotarians like club secretary Dr Shree Mishra, Dr Jayanti Jagdev, Dr Tarulata Dwibedy, Dr Kajal Rakshit, Dr Puspa Mohapatra, Jyoti Singh Deo and Niharika Mishra.
Rotary District Governor RN Nanda has espoused the theme of Gaon ku Chalo for the year 2013-14. In response to this call, New Horizon has adopted two villages around Bhubaneswar.
At Ramchandrapure of Balianta block, the priority is skill development among village women and sanitation programme, especially construction of home toilets. Sewing machines have been supplied to women and an instructor has been engaged for training. The products would be marketed by the club. The Rural Development Department of the State Government would be taking steps for toilets.
At Panchagaon of Jatni block, the focus is on health, particualtly of women and children. Apart from periodic health camps, a medicinal garden, Dhanvantari Batika, has been established in the village with 25 species having already been planted.
A Computer literacy and Practice (ClAP) project at the School for Deaf and Dumb at Palaspalli is a signal initiative. New Horizon has provided computers and instructors for vocational training of 60 differently-abled schoolchildren.
The club also conducts health camps and literacy programmes for women in urban slums. It would also be taking up Project Sahay, its home nursing programmes for poor school dropout girls very soon. The four-month programme including one-month hospital attachment would enable helpless girls to find employment and serve needy sick and elderly senior citizens.
A Rotaract Club for college youth, Rama Devi Guiding light, in the Rama Devi Women’s College, and an Interact Club for schoolchildren, Helping Hand, in Mothers Public School, have been established by New Horizon to involve students in social work. These young volunteers render help in service projects.
Engage Rotary, Change lives is the theme of Rotary this year, given by Rotary International president Ron D Burton. “We, in New Horizon try to follow this ideal,” said Dr Bijoya Mishra.