The President-Elect of Rotary International, Mário César Martins de Camargo, has passionately appealed to African nations to increase Rotary membership to amplify the organisation’s humanitarian reach across the continent.
Addressing the media at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra on Friday, May 12, 2025, Mr. Camargo underscored the need for more professionals, especially the youth and women, to join Rotary’s global network of volunteers.
“Africa is an emerging continent with growing infrastructure, improving education, and a rising middle class—this is exactly where Rotary thrives. My number one question is: what must we do in Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Tanzania, Zambia, Angola, or Mozambique to increase our numbers and expand our impact?”
Rotary International currently has 1.2 million members globally, but Africa, with a population exceeding 1.5 billion, accounts for just 45,000 Rotarians. That figure is fewer than Brazil’s 52,000 members. Mr. Camargo described this as a major opportunity gap.
The Brazilian lawyer and former Rotary youth exchange student said Rotary offers more than service—it cultivates leadership, public speaking, and global citizenship. He stressed the need for Rotary clubs to adapt and appeal to modern professionals by introducing flexible models such as satellite clubs.
“If younger people don’t join, clubs will fade—because time doesn’t stop,” he warned. “We must pass the baton to the next generation.”
Mr. Camargo also called for deeper partnerships between Rotary and African governments and institutions, particularly in the areas of education, healthcare, and peacebuilding. He cited Rotary’s Peace Centres, including the one at Makerere University in Uganda, which has awarded nearly 2,000 postgraduate scholarships over the past two decades.
His visit to Ghana—his 45th country on a global tour—was part of a four-day engagement with African Rotarians ahead of his 2025-2026 term. His theme, “Unite the World,” is a call to action to overcome divisions through collective service.
“We focus on what unites us, not what divides us,” he said. “Rotary has no borders—only a mission to improve lives.”
Rotary International Director for Africa, Daniel Tanasi, noted that despite the current gap, Africa leads globally in membership growth. Zone 22 (Africa) recorded the highest net increase in Rotary membership this year. However, he was quick to point out that growth must be grounded in Rotary’s core principles.
“Rotary is not about wealth or status—it’s about the heart,” Mr. Tanasi said. “If you have a profession and a desire to serve, you belong here.”
District Governor Florence Maame Christiana Hagan hailed the visit as a major honour for Ghana and appealed to the media to support Rotary’s mission by telling its story widely.
By: Ekow Annan/newsalertgh.com
