RAC RCDM SCHOLARS’ END POLIO INITIATIVES CAMPAIGN (EPIC)

by Jan Frances Danielle Ligna, Rotaract Club of RCDM Scholars

If we do this, we will give the world one less infectious disease to worry about once and for all!

The Rotaract Club of RCDM Scholars launched the End Polio Initiatives Campaign (EPIC) in celebration of World End Polio Month this October 2022.

Spearheaded by the Foundation Committee, three projects were organized to champion the causes of the Rotary Foundation for End Polio— First up, the End Polio Initiatives Campaign (EPIC) “10 Piso para sa Polio”, which is a fund-generating initiative adopted from the Rotaract Club of Makati. Rotaractors promote the spirit of charity by asking for 10 pesos from community members. The 10 pesos is a significant and symbolic amount as Apolinario

Mabini, a Philippine hero also affected by polio, is the face imprinted on the 10-peso-coin.

End Polio Initiatives Campaign (EPIC) Rafflefor-a-Cause, was one to be called an invigorating fund-generating initiative, as community members were encouraged to join a Raffle where they were able to win cash prizes and other consolation rewards. The rest of the funds generated were accounted for by the Rotaract Club of RCDM Scholars and were processed to be used in polio eradication programs as well as a form of donation to the Rotary Foundation.

Last but not the least, the End Polio Initiatives Campaign (EPIC) Info Drive was the information dissemination initiative that transpired across various social media platforms. Pieces of information shared were not only limited to #EndPolio causes of Rotary and Rotaract but also how the process and genius of #EndPolio initiatives were able to guide, help, and support other disease prevention and treatment projects.

Perhaps, most people nowadays don’t know someone affected by polio but the enthusiasm, involvement, and efforts of the Rotaractors, the stakeholders, and every community member for the End Polio Month were astounding— it was evident in the amount of support given by everyone in the End Polio Initiatives Campaign (EPIC) of the Rotaract Club of RCDM Scholars.

In the words of one Rotary International President, “we cannot indefinitely sustain the effort to eradicate polio. We have been on the ‘final stretch’ for several years now. Tantalizingly close to global eradication, but still falling one percent short”. The Rotaract Club of RCDM Scholars started the End Polio Initiatives Campaign (EPIC) during the Rotary Year 2020-2021, thereby reigniting it this Phenomenal Year 2022-2023.

There goes a spark of hope that #EndPolio initiatives will not just “end” in ending polio— it will prevail through inspiring more causes and advancing the projects of Rotary and Rotaract to fruition. As much as our funds and time have helped so much for #EndPolio, there is a challenge for all of us to also use our voice to deliver our message across the world. It is, again, to— give the world one less infectious disease to worry about once and for all.