Rotary Club Stellenbosch

25/10/2026

Saturday 24 October is World Polio Day, a time to reflect on a promise Rotary made to children four decades ago: a world free from this devastating disease.

Our Rotary District D9350 held a mini conference in Somerset West and we heard from Past District Governor Sajid Pervaiz, based in Pakistan, about the endeavours Rotary has made over the last 40 years to eradicate Polio.

When Rotary and our partners launched the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988, polio paralyzed hundreds of thousands of children each year. Since then, Rotary members, donors, our partners, and health workers have helped reduce polio cases by more than 99.9%. This progress was made possible by people who chose to act.

People like you.

Through your support of The Rotary Foundation, vaccines have reached children in communities around the globe. Together, we’ve moved closer than ever to a world where no child has to experience the effects of polio.

But our work continues. Wild poliovirus remains endemic in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and until polio is eradicated everywhere, children everywhere remain at risk.

This World Polio Day, you can take action with us by:

Donating to our

Every contribution helps sustain our progress and supports the work still needed to reach every child. Thank you for uniting with us on World Polio Day to create a future where polio exists only in history books.

Together, we end polio.

Rotary Africa Magazine

To donate to this incredible cause, please contact Monique Labat on M: 082 924 6349 or email: [email protected]

23/10/2026

Made to Move, Born to Thrive!

Our Rotary Club of Stellenbosch had a fabulous evening with guest speaker Mia Steyn, who certainly had us jumping out of our seats! 🏃‍♀️💃

Mia is an International Somatic trainer and educator and this talk was in honour of Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Mia's inspiring presentation, Made to Move, Born to Thrive: Rediscovering Joy, Health and Vitality in a Sedentary World, reminded us of the importance of movement, embracing an active lifestyle and rediscovering the joy of being physically active. A wonderful reminder that small changes can make a big difference to our health and wellbeing!

We were also privileged to welcome visiting Rotarians Andre Kanya, Maja and Dieter Barelmann, and Kerstin and Goran Anderberg from Rotary Clubs in Berlin, Verden and Kristianberg, as well as current Rotarian back from Germany, Ute Geissner, past Rotarians Amy Lee Cairns and Koretha Ras and Friends of Rotary Almarie Whitehead and Sarah Cameron.

It was a wonderful opportunity to reconnect, share experiences and celebrate the international spirit of Rotary and friendship across borders. 🌍🤝

A heartfelt thank you to Mia for an engaging and energising presentation, and to all our visitors for making the evening so special.

Together, we continue to Create Lasting Impact! 💙💛

21/10/2026

Small Eyes, Big Dreams: Rotary Makes Vision Count!

The importance of the early detection of visual impairment in
young children cannot be overstated. Early intervention will
have a profound effect on a child’s social and educational
development, which will lead to greater outcomes into their
working future.

Rotary International, together with many national Rotary
Clubs are passionate and dedicated in their pursuit of making
a vast difference in this crucial area of a child's development.

The Rotary Club of Stellenbosch has a long-standing
partnership with local Optometrist Myrtle Van Neel.
Myrtle is an Honorary Rotarian of our Rotary Club of Stellenbosch and together with the support of local heads of schools, teachers and parents we were privileged to have visited several schools in the wider Stellenbosch area to do initial eye screening in recent months.

Any child identified with a sight challenge, together with their parents are informed and invited to visit the local Optometry Practice for more specialised screening. If required, spectacles are produced, and the scholars eagerly choose their own
frame, design and colour. This enhances the enjoyment of
wearing the much-needed spectacles and allows the
incredible and individual personalities to shine through.

Last week we were warmly welcomed by the staff and
scholars of the Devon Valley Primary School, as we delivered
the first of a series of brand-new specs. There was much
excitement, and we look forward to a long standing, and
impactful relationship at the school as we continue our journey
together.

If you would like to contribute in any way to the expansion of
this initiative and Create Lasting Impact, please drop an email to
Rotarian Christina Chambers: [email protected]

Excited to have their new glasses, learners from Devon Valley Primary School with optometrist and Honorary Rotarian Myrtle van Neel.

14/10/2026

In a world where we spend more time sitting, stressing and disconnecting from our bodies, movement has never been more important.

In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, our guest speaker, Mia Steyn explores why movement is so much more than physical exercise. Drawing on the science of movement, somatic education and her experience in holistic health, she shares how moving with awareness and joy can support physical vitality, emotional resilience, nervous system regulation and overall well-being.

This uplifting and interactive talk invites us to rethink our relationship with movement and discover how simple, pleasurable movement can help us feel better, age well and thrive — regardless of age or fitness level.

Please RSVP to Rotarian Jackie Hunter on M: 082 574 1289

19/09/2026

Race for Glory and Support our Community

What better way to combine fun, fellowship and community support than with a colourful Duck Race on the Eerste River at Spier W**e Estate?

The Rotary Club of Stellenbosch’s Duck Race today brought together an enthusiastic crowd of entrants, with ducks sponsored by corporate companies, community organisations, individuals and fellow Rotary Clubs, including the Rotary Clubs of Groot Fisantekraal, Helderberg-Sunrise and Paarl.

With lots of brightly decorated and dressed up yellow ducks taking to the water, the atmosphere was filled with excitement as participants cheered their ducks on in the race for glory!

But this was a race with a very special purpose. All proceeds from the Duck Race will go towards supporting the Gender Based Violence Centre in Ida’s Valley, Stellenbosch.

The Gender Based Violence Centre is a unique Stellenbosch community facility providing vital services to victims of gender-based violence. Importantly, the Centre is open to everyone, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, ensuring that help is available when it is needed most. It provides high-quality medical care, psychological support, legal assistance and emergency accommodation — all completely free of charge.

The Centre is a wonderful example of what can be achieved when a community works together. The Rotary Club of Stellenbosch has proudly supported the Gender Based Violence Centre for several years, and we are delighted that the Duck Race will contribute towards the continuation of its important work.

We extend our sincere thanks to Spier W**e Estate for generously allowing us to sail our ducks on the beautiful Eerste River and for their generous donation of w**e prizes. Their support helped make the event particularly special.

A huge thank you to Rotarian Simon Mills, the champion behind our Rotary Club of Stellenbosch’s Duck Race initiative. His enthusiasm and determination turned a wonderful idea into a successful community fundraiser.

We are equally grateful to all our Rotarians, our volunteers, our sponsors, our participating organisations and all the individuals who gave their time, energy and support to make the day such a success.

The Duck Race may have been about racing for glory, but its true victory will be measured in the support it provides to people affected by gender-based violence in our community.

Together, we are creating lasting impact — one duck at a time!

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16/09/2026

South Africa has one of the highest rates of stunting among upper-middle-income countries globally.

Additionally, there is little change despite large improvements
in the expansion of child grants and the dramatic shifts over the last three decades in improved housing and access to
sanitation and water.

Sincere thanks to Prof. Lisanne du Plessis of Stellenbosch University, our guest speaker who shared a systems approach for Stunting reduction in her talk "Break free, grow tall, reach far".

Stunting means a child is too short for their age, a sign of long-term, chronic undernutrition and other deficiencies in the early environment. A stunted child is not just small; their brain development, school performance, and lifetime earning potential are all affected. Stunting harms in the first 1,000 days of life (from conception to age two) can last a lifetime; and be passed on to the next generation.

During this Basic Education and Literacy Month of Rotary, we are looking at how Rotary can support the evidence review which identifies two interventions with the strongest short-term evidence for reducing stunting in children aged 6–24 months:

1) nutrition education for caregivers (especially around complementary feeding) and

2) small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNS), affordable, nutrient-dense pastes that can improve linear growth when provided at scale.

Evidence suggests nutrition education is most effective in food-insecure contexts, where it is paired with food access; information alone does not change diets households cannot afford.

Keen to work with us on this vital issue? Please contact Club Secretary Jackie Hunter on email: [email protected]

Rotary Africa Magazine **elands Stellenbosch University

From left: Rotarians Julie Streicher, Monique Labat Maryna Ulyate, John Whitehead, Prof. Lisanne du Plessis and Rotarian Lesego Ramokgali

14/09/2026

Our Rotarian Curt August, champion of Project Uplift galvanised Rotarians from the Rotary Clubs of Bellville, Groot Fisantekraal, Hermanus, Paarl and Stellenbosch at The W**e Arc, Nietvoorbij.

We discussed our ambitious initiative aimed at addressing youth unemployment through structured training, industry partnerships, and access to resources, while aligning skills development with real economic opportunities.

This project aligns itself to Rotary International’s Area of Focus: Economic and Community Development.

Thank you to of Sigma International for generously making available a beautiful W**elands venue, The W**e Arc for our meeting.

For more information on how you can assist our Rotary Club of Stellenbosch to make a meaningful difference in our community, please contact Project Champion, Rotarian Curt August E: [email protected]

Rotary Africa Magazine

14/09/2026

Seen at Klapmuts High School from left:

Patrick Klaassen, President Rotary Club of Paarl, Monique Labat, President Rotary Club of Stellenbosch, Mr Donovan Mackier, Principal, Klapmuts High School.

Rotary in Action: Restoring Dignity After Fire❤️

Following a devastating fire that left families in Klapmuts without their homes and many learners without their school uniforms and shoes, Rotary stepped in to help restore a sense of dignity and normality as they returned to school.

Rotary Club of Paarl President Patrick Klaassen approached our Rotary Club of Stellenbosch to request a contribution towards purchasing school uniforms and shoes for learners at Klapmuts High School. We were honoured to join hands in supporting these young people at a very difficult time in their lives.

School Principal, Mr Donovan Mackier expressed his sincere gratitude for Rotary's intervention and the practical assistance provided to the learners and their families.

Representing the Rotary Club of Paarl at Klapmuts High School were Rotarians Patrick Klaassen, Elsabé Koch and Clive Trent.

We are also deeply grateful to our wonderful friends and family who contributed school stationery, school bags and previously loved clothing. Your generosity has helped ensure that these learners can return to school with confidence, dignity and the knowledge that their community cares.

This is Rotary at its best - people coming together, responding to a need and making a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

Rotary Africa Magazine **elands

05/09/2026

Our latest Rotary Club of Stellenbosch newsletter capturing all the activities, events, projects and visits - thanks to newsletter editor Robert Fraser and enjoy the read!

https://mailchi.mp/ee536668b357/turning-pages-stellenbosch-rotarys-fresh-august-2026-issue

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