By Muhammad Amaan
The Rotary International Foundation said that it has approved about $2 million grants for maternal and child healthcare in Nigeria.
The Past District Governor, Mr Victor Onukwugha, said the district benefited from $2 million in grants under the Programme of Scale.
According to him, the scale programme is dedicated to improving maternal and child health by the Rotary International Foundation.
Speaking at a press briefing ahead of the Rotary International Foundation’s Trustee Chairman, Mark Maloney’s visit to Nigeria, Mr Onukwugha said the foundation provides four types of grants, district grants, global grants, the disaster fund, and the newest addition, the program of scale.
“These are the avenues through which the Rotary Foundation continues to make a difference globally,” he said.
Mr Onukwugha added, “Since its establishment, only three countries in the world have benefited from it, Nigeria being one, and the Nigerian fund, which is about $2 million, is channeled to maternal and child care.”
Speaking on Maloney’s visit, the former district governor said the foundation trustee chairman visit would present an opportunity for Nigeria to access greater benefits from the global humanitarian organization.
According to him, the visit would also avail Maloney the opportunity to know how the fund has been spent, knowing fully well that Nigeria would still benefit more from the foundation.
He explained that the visit of Maloney, alongside his spouse, Gay, from January 15 to 20, 2025, underscores the significant role rotary plays in global humanitarian efforts, with a particular focus on its impact in Nigeria.
Maloney, who would also hold a town hall meeting with Rotarians and non-Rotarians in Nigeria in Abuja during the visit, would also witness a symbolic polio immunization exercise considering the feat the country has made to combat polio.
“Through donations from Nigerians and people in over 200 countries, Rotary has helped Nigeria transition from being the country with the highest polio cases to being polio-free since 2020.”
He added, “Recently, the Nigeria Polio Plus Committee donated $14 million to sustain polio eradication efforts. This collaboration demonstrates Rotary’s unwavering commitment to Nigeria’s health sector.
“This is the first time in many years that a Trustee Chair of the Rotary Foundation is visiting Nigeria, and we are excited about the opportunities it presents.
“Rotary International, founded in 1905 as a fellowship and service organization, established its humanitarian arm, the Rotary International Foundation, in 1917. From a modest beginning of $26.05, the foundation’s endowment has grown to over $2 billion.
“The Foundation has become the engine through which Rotary has been doing good all over the world,” Onukwugha noted.
