End Polio

Poliomyelitis is a highly infectious disease that most commonly affects children under the age of 5.

Most know it as poliovirus. The virus is spread from person to person, typically through contaminated water. It can attack the nervous system and in some instances, lead to paralysis. Although there is no cure, there is a safe and effective vaccine – one which Rotary and our partners use to immunize over 2.5 billion children worldwide.

“Rotary was the first organization to push for a polio-free world, and so many Rotarians have been part of fundraising, vaccination, and advocacy efforts. The final steps to a polio-free world are the hardest — and we’ll need the help of every Rotarian to get there. But I’m confident that we will end polio together.”

Bill Gates,
co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Funding is crucial to eradicating polio

If polio isn’t eradicated, within 10 years, hundreds of thousands of children could be paralyzed. Global healthcare costs would rise dramatically, and the quality of life for people affected by the disease would be drastically diminished.

After 40+ years, Rotary, along with our partners, has reduced polio cases by 99.9 percent worldwide since our first project to vaccinate children in the Philippines in 1979. We are close to eradicating polio, but we need your help!

As part of our commitment to raising awareness and funds for Rotary End Polio Now, during September and October, we offered a gift box with 25 beautiful tulip bulbs for €15. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will match every €1 Rotary commits to polio eradication 2-to-1, up to €50 million per year.

During 2022, in addition to our fundraising project, we carried out two service projects one in Germany, in collaboration with “Leb Bunt e.V.,” and one in the Netherlands, in partnership with “Ut Peppelhof,” also tripling our IMPACT, locally and internationally! Now everyone can look forward to seeing the 775 tulips bloom next spring!

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