International Service

Subpages

Photo Albums

International Service

The Rotary Club of Honolulu is committed to making a difference in communities throughout the world. We started our hands-on projects in 2003, and over the past 17 years have completed 19 projects: 15 in the Philippines, and 1 each in Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Nepal, which represents a total of 452 participants and $684,000 spent on these projects.

Past International Humanitarian Projects:

The Philippines Project, March 16-25, 2019

We improved a public school on tiny Malapasqua Island. The plan is to build a classroom, and also add walls and concrete on the school grounds. Our Hawaii group will be joined by about 20 young adults from Hiroshima, Japan, and a similar sized group from Cebu, Philippines, giving us an anticipated 70 workers on site. Our host is Cris Caparoso, who is director of the Cebu YMCA and is an active Rotarian. No special skills are required to be a contributing member of our project team. Skilled workers will be on site to direct our activities. What is required is decent general health and a good attitude. We will stay at the Cebu YMCA when we are in the city before and after the project. The Y is located in the heart of the city. There are many beach resort and casino type hotels around Cebu for those who might wish to add an upgraded extension.

The Thailand Project, October/November 2019

In October & November 2019 we did a project in the small ancient town of Lamphun which lies just south of Chiang Mai, Thailand where we did a project in 2013.

Lamphun is a town of about 15,000 people with a lot of charm, some 1,000 year old temples, good accommodations and interesting eating options. This will be a comfortable experience that will be couples friendly. The project is a 100 year old wood house that serves as a educational facility in the town of Lamphun. It is mainly used for conducting English and other classes. These and other programs are primarily but not exclusively for children. The facilities have been leased for about 20 years and definitely need improvements. There should be good opportunities to teach English for those less interested in physical labor. Air travel service to Chiang Mai is quite reasonable in price and fairly convenient.

The Nepal Project, November 1-5, 2018

A delegation of 27 participants traveled to Charikot in Dolakha District, Nepal to finish building a habilitation center for street kids, including digging a septic tank and building a toilet, installing ceilings and painting the buildings, and installing perimeter fencing and gates. In addition, participants taught the local children games like bingo and 3-legged racing, and brought paper lei craft kits. President Bub even brought his ukulele and led the kids in song. Through the Foundation of the Rotary Club of Honolulu, $30,000 was donated to Child Protection Centers and Services International for construction costs.

The Philippines Project, March 17-27, 2017

A group of 20 participants made their way to the poor fishing village of Japitan near the town of Barili on Cebu Island, Philippines to make improvements to the local school. The Rotary Club of Honolulu provided scholarships to 13 students from the University of Hawaii, Hawaii Pacific University, and Iolani School to cover participation costs. The $14,000 project cost covered a new water tank and distribution system, repair and painting roofs, construction of toilet facilities, concrete voleyball court, concrete walkways, building a cement block wall, painting school buildings, and the donation of educational equipment and supplies. Six dentists sponsored by the Talisay Cebu Rotary Club extracted 407 teeth and made 35 sets of dentures for village residents. The Hawaii Eye Foundation donated 240 pair of reading glasses to the Rotary Club of Honolulu. We distributed 207 pair to villagers and left the remaining 33 pair with the school principal.

The conscious inclusion of young adult students provides a life-changing experience that will pay great dividends for humanity and the future.