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Rotary International

Rotary International President Olayinka H. Babalola called on members to Create Lasting Impact by making their clubs more welcoming, carrying out impactful projects, and allowing their Rotary experiences to transform them personally.

“Rotary has changed us. It has shaped who we are and made us better people,” Babalola said at Rotary's International Assembly in Orlando, Florida, USA, on 12 January. “We often talk about changing the world. We talk about ending polio, about building peace. We do not think enough about how Rotary transforms us.”

Babalola, a member of the Rotary Club of Trans Amadi, Nigeria, described how joining a Rotaract club as a teenager enlarged his perspective beyond the limited, privileged outlook he'd once had. That change in awareness came from observing the lasting impact his club had in the community, particularly from teaching people to read and write.

As members of Rotary, we share a vision of a better future,” he said. “To make this vision a reality, we must acknowledge and unleash the change within ourselves. We must focus not only on outcomes, but on impact.”

Change and impact are not the same, he added: “Change is only the beginning. Impact is what endures.