It’s easy for Rotarians to understand what World Community Service is all about because it goes to the heart of Rotary: using service to advance international understanding and goodwill.

A WCS project is born when Rotary clubs from two or more countries join together to accomplish a community service project. The WCS program links Rotary clubs needing extra help with clubs in other countries willing to provide funds, materials, and technical and professional assistance.

The World Community Service program was officially launched in 1967. Since then thousands of WCS projects involving Rotarians around the world have been completed. Each year, Rotary clubs provide an estimated US$26 million in funds and supplies.

Benefits of Participating in World Community Service

Why help people in another country when there are needs in your own local community? The answer is simple. World Community Service benefits extend far beyond the communities where the projects are carried out.

WCS benefits include:

·          Enabling the local Rotary club to undertake more ambitious projects.
WCS can provide greater financial and material resources.

·          Developing closer ties with fellow Rotarians abroad.
A WCS project may lead to other joint efforts between clubs.

·          Furthering international understanding.
WCS projects allow people of different countries to learn more about each other.

·          Building goodwill overseas.
WCS projects help create a favorable image of your country and of Rotary.

·          Addressing global concerns.
WCS projects may help resolve problems that do not have national borders, such as pollution and disease.

·          Empowering all participants.
WCS projects demonstrate that by working together and developing a sense of self-help among the people they serve, Rotarians can make a difference.