Get to know Rotaract
Big on service.
Easy to understand.
New to the club? Start here. Find the words, meet the movement and see what service looks like in Nakuru.
The words you’ll hear.
Acronyms should never be the thing that keeps you out of the conversation.
Try “DRR”, “fellowship” or “service”.
Meet the people behind the titles23 terms
- Areas of focus
- Rotary’s seven causes, such as education and maternal and child health. They describe what a project addresses.
- Avenues of service
- Five ways to serve: club, vocational, community, international and youth service. They describe how people contribute.
- Board
- The club’s officers working together on its leadership and organisation. Meet Menengai’s current team on the Leadership page.
- Club service
- The work that keeps a club welcoming and well organised, from fellowship to committees.
- Community service
- Working with people where you live to address local needs.
- District
- A regional grouping of clubs. Menengai belongs to District 9215, covering west of Nairobi, western Kenya and South Sudan.
- District GovernorDG
- The Rotary leader serving a district for a Rotary year.
- District Rotaract RepresentativeDRR
- A Rotaract leader who helps connect and support clubs across a district.
- Dues
- Membership payments. Menengai publishes its annual subscription and pin cost on the Membership page; guest fellowships are free.
- Fellowship
- Time together as a club. Menengai meets on Thursdays, 5:30–6:30 PM at Nakuru Athletic Club.
- Four-Way Test
- Rotary’s ethical guide, asking about truth, fairness, goodwill and benefit to everyone concerned.
- Induction
- The club’s welcome into membership. An officer confirms the process; finishing an online course does not automatically make you a member.
- International service
- Service and understanding that connect people across national borders.
- Orientation
- An introduction to the club. Our full course includes 14 lessons, reflection activities and an assessment. A club passcode unlocks the lessons; progress is saved in your browser.
- Rotaract clubRAC
- Clubs for adults aged 18 and over who serve, build skills and make friends. Members lead their own clubs and projects.
- Rotary InternationalRI
- The worldwide association of Rotary and Rotaract clubs.
- Rotary year
- The club year from 1 July to 30 June. Leadership and annual plans follow this cycle.
- Rotary Youth Leadership AwardsRYLA
- Rotary’s leadership training programme for young people.
- Service Above Self
- The motto we share with Rotary: putting service to others at the heart of club life.
- Sponsor club
- A club that supports and mentors another club. Menengai’s sponsor is the Rotary Club of Nakuru; sponsorship is not mandatory for every Rotaract club.
- The Rotary FoundationTRF
- Rotary’s charitable foundation, supporting service through programmes and grants.
- Vocational service
- Using skills and professional experience to serve others, with integrity.
- Youth service
- Supporting young people through service, leadership and learning opportunities.
Definitions adapted from Rotary’s Rotaract guidance, District 9215 and our club information. Explore Rotary’s programmes and values.
From a need to a day of action.
A useful way to think about a service project, from the first conversation to the follow-up.
Listen first
Talk with the people affected. Agree on the need together before choosing an activity.
Make a plan
Set responsibilities, a realistic budget and a way to check whether the work helps. Agree with the host on access and care for participants.
Bring people together
Match volunteers, skills and supplies to the plan. Be clear about each partner’s role.
Do the work
Deliver the activity with the community. Record what happened, with permission for photographs.
Follow through
Share results, ask for feedback and agree on what happens next. A completed activity and a lasting improvement are different things.
Doing something is the start.
Packs delivered, seedlings planted and an art day held are activities we can record. Better health, surviving trees and lasting confidence need follow-up evidence. Follow-up helps us understand what lasts and what needs more work.
Mother Pack Project at Kabatini Maternity
Menengai and Rotaract Club of Bahati delivered Mother Packs at Kabatini Health Center alongside partner Rotary and Rotaract clubs.
See the photo story
Empowering Minds: art and learning at Pangani Special School
Art and creativity, writing clinics, reading and storytelling with learners at Pangani Special School, alongside essential supplies and the Girls’ Support Drive.
See the photo story
Mazingira Day at Pangani Special School
Marking Mazingira Day with learners to promote environmental awareness and conservation.
See the photo storyTwo ways to describe service.
The avenues describe how we serve. The areas of focus describe the cause we address.
Five avenues
- Club service
- Vocational service
- Community service
- International service
- Youth service
Read more about Rotary’s causes. Want to bring a skill or an idea? Find a way to work with us.
A movement that keeps moving.
A few moments that explain the Rotaract you’re joining today.
Read Menengai’s own storyThe first Rotaract club
Rotary certified its first Rotaract club at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Rotary’s historical accountA place in Rotary’s membership
The Council on Legislation recognised Rotaract clubs as a membership type of Rotary International.
Rotary’s policy updateMore room to build a club
Rotary removed the upper age limit and the mandatory sponsor requirement. Clubs may set an upper age limit in their own bylaws. Menengai’s sponsor remains the Rotary Club of Nakuru.
Read the policy changesOur district’s next chapter
Menengai is part of District 9215, covering west of Nairobi, western Kenya and South Sudan.
Meet our district
Get to know your club.
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