By: Justin Powell
Youthlinc has been working with various Rotary Clubs in Utah and internationally for the past 20 years. Much of what Youthlinc has been able to accomplish over the past twenty two years has intertwined with Rotary due to the complementary nature of our missions.
Rotary’s mission is to provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through our fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders. Youthlinc’s mission is to create lifetime humanitarians… the very type of people who go on to help accomplish Rotary’s mission.
Rotary is a global network of 1.2 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves. There are 35,000+ clubs all around the world striving to make their local communities better.
Youthlinc is grateful to the many clubs around Utah who have supported Youthlinc students as they have risen to the challenge of doing local service to qualify to take part on an international humanitarian trip. Rotary clubs from St George, Richfield, Vernal, Blanding, American Fork, Lehi, Draper, South Jordan, Millcreek, Salt Lake, Centerville, Kaysville, Ogden, Logan, Park City, and Heber have all had a hand in supporting student humanitarians. Many times this is through our Legacy Sponsorship program and other times it is through grants to support projects our teams work on abroad.
Youthlinc also partners with Rotary clubs abroad. Our longest running connection is with David Muiru, a Rotarian in Nairobi, Kenya. For many years David supported Youthlinc on the periphery and eventually through the Rotary Community Corp as our head international coordinator, overseeing projects in Kajuki and most recently in Nukuru.
We have also been working with Carlos Acosta, a Rotarian in Iquitos, Peru for that past 18 years. Carlos has helped orchestrate numerous projects at villages all along the Amazon River, including having his Rotary club be the host club for two Global Grants Youthlinc was a part of (thank you Logan Rotary club for being the main driver of those grants!).
Youthlinc worked with the Rotary club of Patong Beach, Thailand for several year until we moved our work from southern Thailand to northern and Eastern Thailand. For many years, Brad Kenny, a Rotarian there, coordinated our efforts, but sadly he passed away several years ago.
We have worked with the Rotary Club of Pursat, Cambodia for the past 9 years and with Sustainable Cambodia, which receives much of its support and funding from various Rotary clubs around the world. We have worked deeply with Polin Phang, Soy, and Paul Stringham (of the Salt Lake club) for years to work in Cambodia.
We worked with a Rotary Club in Antananarivo, Madagascar for a few years, even doing a Global Grant with them through Rotary International until we closed operations in Madagascar (for now). Thanks to the Park City Sunrise club and Tomoko Schlag for supporting that grant!
And most recently we have worked with a Rotary Club in Suva, Fiji for the past several years to coordinate our efforts there. We are grateful to Shahana Didar and Pastor Tomasi who have made our work there possible.
We are grateful to work with so many Rotarians all over Utah and abroad with the common purpose of raising others up through sustainable efforts that empowers the volunteers to make lasting differences in the world and the supports the individuals with whom we work as they strive to build a healthier and more stable life for their families.
Youthlinc’s Rotary Partnership