Rotary Clubs Worldwide Meet $200 Million Fundraising Challenge for Polio Eradication
SAN DIEGO, California
(Jan. 17, 2012) — Despite a sagging global economy, Rotary clubs around the
world have succeeded in raising more than US$200 million in new funding for
polio eradication.
The
fundraising milestone, announced today at Rotary’s annual International
Assembly in
“We’ll
celebrate this milestone, but it doesn’t mean that we’ll stop raising money or
spreading the word about polio eradication,” Rotary Foundation Trustee John F.
Germ told the annual conference of Rotary leaders. “We can’t stop until our
entire world is certified as polio free.”
“In
recognition of Rotary’s great work, and to inspire Rotarians in the future, the
foundation is committing an additional $50 million to extend our partnership,”
said Jeff Raikes, Chief Executive Officer of the Gates Foundation. “Rotary
started the global fight against polio, and continues to set the tone for
private fundraising, grassroots engagement and maintaining polio at the top of
the agenda with key policy makers.”
Since
1988, the incidence of polio has plummeted by more than 99 percent, from about
350,000 infections annually to fewer than 650 cases reported so far for 2011.
The wild poliovirus now remains endemic – meaning its transmission has never
been stopped – in only four countries:
But
other countries also remain at risk for polio cases imported from the endemic
countries. In Africa in 2011,
Rotary
members not only reached into their own pockets to support the Gates challenge,
they engaged their communities in a variety of creative fundraising projects,
such as a fashion show in California that raised $52,000; benefit film
screenings in New Zealand and Australia that netted $54,000; and a pledge-supported
hike through Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, that brought in $38,000. Many events were
planned around October 24, widely observed as World Polio Day.
To
date, Rotary club members worldwide have contributed more than $1 billion
toward the eradication of polio, a cause Rotary took on in 1985. In 1988, the
World Health Organization, UNICEF and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention joined Rotary as spearheading partners of the Global Polio Eradication
Initiative. More recently, the Gates Foundation has become a major supporter.
In November 2007, the Gates Foundation gave Rotary a $100 million challenge
grant for polio eradication, increasing it to $355 million in 2009. Rotary
agreed to raise $200 million in matching funds by June 30, 2012.
Reaching
children with the oral polio vaccine in the disease’s remaining strongholds is labor
and resource -intensive due to a host of challenges, including poor
infrastructure, geographical isolation, armed conflict and cultural
misunderstanding about the eradication campaign.
Note to
Editors
About
Rotary
Rotary
is a global humanitarian organization with more than 1.2 million members in
34,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas. Rotary
members are men and women who are business, professional and community leaders
with a shared commitment to make the world a better place through humanitarian
service.
Rotary’s
top priority is the global eradication of polio.
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please visit: www.rotary.org/mediacenter