Rotary without borders: interclub action from Brazil supports students in Africa

In October 2025, the Rotary Club of Rio de Janeiro Maracanã and the Rotary Club of Taubaté, from District 4571, carried out an international interclub action that united purpose, cooperation and commitment to education. Through a solidarity-driven effort, 83 school uniforms were donated to UBUMI School, in the city of Kitwe, in the Copperbelt region of Zambia, benefiting students transitioning to secondary education.

The delivery, resulting from a humanitarian partnership between clubs, represents a gesture of recognition of the daily struggle faced by students who, in many cases, depend on the school uniform as a symbolic passport to remain within the educational system.

In Zambia, challenges related to access to education remain significant. According to data from the Education Policy and Data Center, approximately 42 percent of girls and 30 percent of boys of secondary school age are out of school. Contributing factors include structural poverty, lack of infrastructure, early pregnancy and, in many cases, the requirement of basic items such as school uniforms.

“The school is where dignity begins to take shape, and the uniform is part of that identity. When we ensure this access, we are telling every young person that they belong and that they matter,” said Cláudia Reis, President of Rotary Maracanã for the 2025-2026 term.

A simple piece of fabric that carries an invisible weave of hope, stitched by the solidarity of those who believe in the power of education as a tool for social empowerment.

Sources

• Education Policy and Data Center (EPDC). Zambia National Education Profile. 2018.