Rotary Pakistan has conferred the Jang media group with ‘Services to Humanity Rotary Partnership Award 2022’ on Monday in a ceremony in honour of the first-ever woman president of Rotary International, Jennifer Jones.
Rotary Pakistan held a press briefing, as well, as a separate event on Monday with Jones at a private hotel. Jennifer Jones is the founder and president of Media Street Productions, an award-winning 27-year-old media company in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
Her leadership has strengthened the Rotary’s reach and impact as she has served as Vice President, director Rotary Foundation Trustee, and co-chair of the End Polio Now. At the award-giving ceremony, she said that no child should ever have to suffer with a crippling disease such as polio. As for the fresh polio cases in Pakistan, she said, the nation should never feel alone in its battle against the polio virus. She said different nations around the world have pledged donations for Pakistan to combat the polio virus.
Jang Group’s managing director Shahrukh Hasan, receiving the award on behalf of the Jang Group, said that the group is delighted and humbled to have partnered some memorable initiatives with the rotary group Pakistan, and globally as well. “One program was the heart to heart campaign. In this campaign, some 10 years ago, about 250 underprivileged children were provided free heart surgeries. Many of them were children of Taliban,” he said, adding that they came back with wonderful stories.
In partnership with the Rotarians, he pointed out, they brought in children, between the ages of 14 and 18 years from India and sent children from Pakistan there, to live with each other’s families. “The bond they shared, the poetry they wrote, the music they made -- it was absolutely fantastic and its own reward,” he said.
Jang Group also acknowledged Aziz Memon for the work he has done on polio and what a privilege it was to work for the elimination of polio.
At the press briefing, Jones said that the Rotary is constantly trying to improve people's lifestyle and economic situation through welfare projects. Rotary has rendered valuable services in Pakistan, and now it is time to start new welfare projects with new commitment from the platform of Rotary in Pakistan.
Director of Rotary International Mohammad Faiz Kidwai, Trustee of Rotary Foundation Aziz Memon and Chairman of Rotary International Zone Institute Mohammad Iqbal Qureshi were also present at the press briefing.
Memon said that Rotary does a variety of projects. He said that there are 400 rotary clubs in Pakistan which are involved in different community-related projects. During COVID-19, he said, they provided ventilators and they also have a waste management system project and they are doing mangrove plantation with a global grant.
Meanwhile, Jones said that Rotary is working in more than 200 countries of the world and it has 1.4 million members who are constantly striving to improve the lives of their communities and the people of the country. Rotary has exemplary contributed towards eradication of polio from the world. Rotary’s PolioPlus investment in Pakistan for polio eradication is $353.8 million and overall its global contribution has been around $2.5 billion. Rotary, she said, is committed to keep contributing until the world becomes polio-free. “We are a united front in getting rid of polio,” she said, adding that they need to make immunization workers safe in Pakistan. “We need to make sure that mothers who do door-to-door campaigns are safe,” she stressed.
Advocacy, she said, is critically important for the eradication of polio. She said that Rotary members believe that they have a shared responsibility to take action on our world’s most persistent issues. “We provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through our fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.”
She said Rotary is dedicated to causes that build international relationships, improve lives, and create a better world. She emphasized Rotarians all over the world are involved to undertake projects in the seven areas of focus which includes peacebuilding and conflict prevention; disease prevention and treatment; water, sanitation, and hygiene; maternal and child health; basic education and literacy; community economic development and environmental sustainability and climate change.
Appreciating the remarkable performance of Rotary in Pakistan on the occasion of natural disasters, she said that be it earthquake situation or flood disaster, Rotary has always stepped forward and played a full role in providing immediate relief to the victims and their rehabilitation. Rotary Pakistan has distributed around 25,000 shelter boxes /tents donated by Rotary in UK.
Speaking on women rights, she said, being able to be in a country where women rights need to be elevated is an opportunity for her to work for the cause. She said that 26 percent of Rotary members are females and she also looks forward to seeing more female presidents of Rotary in future.
She also appreciated Rotary’s role towards Total Literacy and Quality Education where almost each of the 500 clubs in Pakistan are involved to eliminate illiteracy from Pakistan. She was also appreciative of the 2,500 congenital heart surgeries jointly undertaken for children in Pakistan and India.
There is a need for many more such projects in the country. Rotary International should continue to support in this regard. The project of artificial limbs under Rotary in Pakistan is also performing significant services. Under this project, disabled people are enabled to play an active role in the society. Similarly, Rotary is also doing significant services in the field of education. She thanked the government, media and civil society for supporting the Eradication of Polio program and hope that soon Pakistan will achieve the status of a polio-free country. The media is urged to play its role in creating awareness for routine immunization which can be most useful for a polio-free Pakistan.