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Count on preparation, not luck
N ot long ago, in a small health center in resources are limited, and the need is urgent. It is the
commitment to prepare people before a crisis arrives
the village of Aaye in southwest Nigeria,
a woman arrived in labor carrying twins.
and to stand with communities when it does.
The facility was short-staffed. The nurse
Maternal and child health is not an abstract goal.
midwife in charge was not present. It is deeply personal. It is a mother who survives
A community health worker stepped forward. childbirth. It is a newborn who takes a first breath.
She had participated in Together for Healthy Fami- It is a family that remains whole because someone
lies in Nigeria, a Rotary Foundation Programs of was trained, ready, and cared enough to act. Rotary
Scale initiative. And though she was not formally understands that service means investing in people
trained as a midwife, she was equipped with essen- and systems long before they are tested.
tial emergency obstetric skills. Programs like Together for Healthy Families in
Hours later, both babies had been delivered, Nigeria show what is possible when Rotary brings
one at the health center and the other at a general together local knowledge, global partnerships, and
hospital, where the mother had been referred after sustainable solutions. By working alongside health pro-
complications were quickly identified. The new- fessionals and local leaders, Rotary helps ensure that
borns and their mother were alive and safe. lifesaving care does not depend on luck or location.
PHOTOGRAPH: MONIKA LOZINSKA
Women around the world face similar circum- The story of the mother and her twins is at its core
stances every day — moments when the difference a story of service. It is a reminder that Rotary’s impact
between life and loss depends on well-trained medi- is measured in human moments when people step
cal staff and reliable systems and procedures. forward to help others in their most vulnerable hours.
When we Unite for Good, service becomes more
Together for Healthy Families in Nigeria exists
PHOTOGRAPH: MONIKA LOZINSKA hope. By strengthening health systems and training FRANCESCO AREZZO
to increase the chances that those moments end in
than an ideal. It becomes a lifeline for families, a
source of strength for communities, and a promise
frontline workers, this program helps communities
that Rotary will continue to go wherever help is
needed most.
protect mothers and children even when circum-
stances are difficult.
This work reflects the very heart of Rotary service.
Service is not only what we do when conditions are
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臺灣扶輪 2026.7
ideal. It is what we do when systems are strained,
President, Rotary International
APRIL 2026 ROTARY 3

apr26-A-PresMessage.indd 3 3/1/26 23:27