Rotary connections help students in Ukraine

A Ukrainian student with her used laptop, provided through a service effort between Rotary clubs in the US and the Rotary Club of Kharkiv.

By Sergii Stavitskiy, Foundation Chair for the Rotary Club of Kharkiv-International, Ukraine  

Before the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, I met with Randy Bretz of the Rotary Club of Lincoln, Nebraska, USA, and we agreed to coordinate a service effort we hoped could become a large-scale global project to provide small, stream-driven hydroelectric generators to remote villages in South America. I was visiting Lincoln, Nebraska, on a business trip and reached out to the Lincoln club to discuss the potential of engaging many clubs around the world on the project.

Later that year, we connected again at the Rotary International Convention in Toronto and discussed some more details. We were both excited by the idea and began to talk with people in our respective clubs and districts. But then COVID-19 hit and pretty much shut down the idea as one after another country went into quarantine. We stayed in touch via email and WhatsApp.

Shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, my club began to realize that students were missing school either because they were sheltering or their families had evacuated to safer locations. We began to explore the challenge and soon realized that students could remain current on their studies if they had working laptops. Our club began to collect the names of families and children that could use a laptop and soon we had 20,000 names. That’s when I began to contact fellow Rotarians around the world, including Randy.

To date, a dozen clubs have sent money to our club to purchase used laptops and distribute them to students that need them. When Randy heard of our need, he went to his club’s foundation and asked for a grant. That’s what Rotarians do, they connect with one another and when need arises, they take action. His club even produced a video to inform other clubs. 

We have received about 5,000 used laptops, marked them with a Rotary sticker, and distributed them to students. They are using them to keep up with online classes and even stay in touch with their fellow students. Through our global Rotary connections, the project has touched members in the United States, the UK, Europe, and South America.