International Service

Rotary is a global network of community leaders and professionals dedicated to providing humanitarian service and advancing peace and goodwill across the world. The Rotary motto Service Above Self conveys the humanitarian spirit of the organization’s more than 1.2 million members. Strong fellowship and meaningful community among Rotarians and international service projects characterize Rotary worldwide. 

The Rotary Club of Northfield constantly strives to provide service on both levels, with projects as diverse as building a serology lab in Togo to providing Meals-On-Wheels drivers in our own community. We are currently in the process of selecting major international and local projects that will fulfill our mission and become our focal point over the next few years. 

Since 2003, we have led two National Immunization Day teams to Togo, Ghana, Benin and Burkina Faso and have been the lead sponsoring club for matching grants to Africa that total over $100,000 as well as leading efforts that raised over $25,000 for PolioPlus.

Are you interested in learning more about how you can get involved with Rotary Club of Northfield 's International Service team? Just send a message to membership@northfieldrotary.org.

2023 Clean water system project partners in Tanzania. Fourth from left is Moses Lauwo who was the local project leader, along with other local leaders who helped to complete this critical project.  
2024 the Rotary Club of Northfield contributed funding towards medical equipment in Ukraine to treat babies.

International Service Projects

Rotary provides countless opportunities for clubs across the globe to work with each other.  With the assistance of Rotary's Global Grants, Rotary Club of Northfield has participated in service project. 
 
2024
Project: Global Grant to purchase and put into service an Olympic Brain Monitor in partnership with the Lviv International Rotary Club and the Lviv Rotarack Club in Lviv, Ukraine for the Saint Nicholas Hospital in Lviv. The brain monitor is being used to treat babies born with asphyxia (lack of oxygen) as part of a Hypothermia treatment to prevent brain damage.
Combined Grant Total: $40,000
 
2024
Project: Books for Africa for Sudan.  
Grant: $25k raised.  $12.5k match for a district grant.  Total value including the books of $100k.
 
2023
Project: Clean Water System in Nyamuswa, Tanzania 
Partner: Seventeen Rotary Clubs and districts from the US, Europe and Africa
Combined grant total: $101,600
 
2019-2021
Project: A major clean water project in Guatemala, making a difference in the lives of residents living in some 50 villages in the region, is just now being formulated. 
 
2016
Project: Books for Africa for Monrovia, Liberia
Partner: Project Blackboard
District Grant: $12,000
 
2014
Project: Books for Africa container of books and shoes valued at $165,000 of books and $12,000 of school supplies to villages across Democratic Republic of Congo.
Partners: U.S. State Department, local schools and Cilong Foundation
Grant: In-kind – Books and shoes valued at $165,000, school supplies valued at $12,000.
 
2013
Project: Provided 56 beds to the Association of Charity Benemerita Old People’s Home of Guanam, Brazil.  The Home was built by our partner club.
Partners: the Rotary Clube De Guanambi in Bahia, Brazil, district 4550
District grant of $8,100.
 
2012
Project: This project included a brick-making machine, rice thresher, modern toilets, computers, desks and academic materials. Recipients were a school and orphanage in Baan Mai Phattana in the hills of Thailand on the Myanmar boarder.
Partners: Chiang Mai Thin-Thai-Ngam Rotary club (an all women club) in Chiang Mai, Thailand of District 3360.
Global grant of $35,000.
 
2011
Project: Children’s village library in Tema, Ghana
Partners: District 5590
Grant: $8,000
 
2010
Project: Solar panels for rural medical clinic in Togo.
Partners: Cambrai-Fendon, France Rotary Club
Grant: $20,000 match
 
Other recent investments

In addition to club led projects Northfield Rotary has supported these many projects originated by sister Rotary clubs and by non-Rotary groups.  The projects take the form of Rotary district grants, which are matched by our Rotary district, or direct grants from the club.  

Grants made from 2022 through 2025 include Books for Africa for Kano, Nigeria; Nicaragua Water wells; PTD learning center in Cambodia to build a football pitch; Water distribution to three schools in Uganda; a technology hub at the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya; Water, sanitation and hygiene project for four schools in Pune, India; Ear & hearing care medical equipment for Liberia; Improving access to clean water in Tanzania; Borehole well and pump in Kenya; Food distribution in Bangladesh through Nourish Bangladesh;  and Refugee support in Lesvos Greece, Gaza Palestine and Syria.