Rotary delivers more than 100 kg of milk to SAPE in Rio de Janeiro

In July 2025, the joint effort of five Rotary Clubs in Rio de Janeiro, Maracanã, Grajaú, Rio Comprido, Dois Irmãos and Copacabana, resulted in a significant donation initiative in support of vulnerable children. Together, the clubs delivered 278 sachets of powdered milk weighing 400 grams each, plus two additional cans of the product, to the Sociedade dos Amigos da Pediatria do Hospital Gaffrée e Guinle (SAPE), totaling 280 units, which represents more than 112 kilograms of donated milk.

The initiative directly serves the population assisted by SAPE, including babies, children and adolescents hospitalized in the pediatric ward of the hospital, as well as their families. These are family units in situations of social vulnerability who, in many cases, face difficulties in maintaining adequate nutrition during prolonged medical treatment.

SAPE is a nonprofit organization that has been working for more than 25 years to provide comprehensive support to children hospitalized at the Hospital Gaffrée e Guinle, a reference in public healthcare in the south zone of Rio de Janeiro. The organization’s work goes beyond the provision of basic supplies, also offering emotional support, social assistance and family guidance, pillars that help reduce hospital readmission and increase the chances of recovery for pediatric patients.

According to the IBGE (2022), in Brazil approximately 32.8 percent of children live in situations of multidimensional poverty, without full access to food, healthcare and education. In the state of Rio de Janeiro, severe food insecurity affects 5.8 percent of the population, according to data from the Rede PENSSAN (2023). The donation of powdered milk directly addresses this critical shortage, especially among children under five years of age, whose physical and cognitive development strongly depends on adequate nutrition.

The campaign is aligned with the areas of focus of Rotary International, especially Maternal and Child Health and Disease Prevention and Treatment, two of the seven global causes that guide humanitarian projects supported by The Rotary Foundation.

In addition to meeting an urgent need, actions such as this strengthen the culture of interclub partnerships and create greater collective impact. It is the strength of networked work, the true Rotary spirit, acting in favor of life.

Sources

• IBGE. Continuous National Household Sample Survey PNAD Contínua 2022.

• The Rotary Foundation Reference Guide, 2023.

• Sociedade dos Amigos da Pediatria SAPE.