Geeta Manek's presentation at the Reach out to Africa "Off and Running" Meeting in Livingstone, Zambia on 22-23 July, 2012

1. GETTING SERIOUS
ABOUT
MEMBERSHIP
By Geeta Manek
DISTRICT GOVERNOR 2012-2013
D9200
Rotary International

2. DISTRICT 9200
•We are comprised of 6 East African
countries:
•KENYA
•SOUTH SUDAN
•TANZANIA
•ERITREA
•ETHIOPIA
•UGANDA
•The total population of all six countries is
about 130 million in an area of 3,139,000
square kilometers.

3. DISTRICT 9200

4. How Was Growth Achieved?
1. Increasing our presence in untapped territories, particularly rural and
remote towns.
2. Conducting Membership Drives such as cocktails and open events to
explain Rotary and share our success stories from community
intervention
3. Through successful Community-Owned Service Projects that
attracted the attention of individuals in the community
4. District 9200’s strong foundation:
• Our current leaders are able to seek guidance from past leaders and are
answerable to them
• We strive to promote leadership beyond the Club and even District level, which
ensures we are well-versed in Rotary procedures

5. CHALLENGES FACED
• Spreading Rotary into rural areas where
infrastructure was a significant barrier, this led to:
– Insufficient information reaching Clubs
– Poor communication
• Poor membership in fledgling Clubs which
weakened their efforts
• Minimum standards were laid out initially, thus
some Clubs were satisfied with just the bare
minimum and not challenged further

6. MEMBERSHIP
• The value of DEDICATED AND PASSIONATE members
cannot be stressed enough - retention is more important
than recruitment
• I always insist on holding the sponsoring member
responsible for the wellbeing and retention of the new-
comer to ensure participation, attendance and payment
• Each member is a COG in the ROTARY WHEEL.
• Therefore, we aim to induct people who will make good
future Rotarians by ensuring they understand their
responsibilities and the demands of Rotary.

7. EXISTING CHALLENGES
• Weekly Attendance
• Rotary has to compete with the other priorities and hectic lifestyle
that diverts members’ focus away from Rotary
• Youth interests are social and they want to do hands-on service as
opposed to weekly meetings
• Failing to meet the expectations of new members
• Time Management
• Content has to be relevant
• New generations finding some protocols to be ‘outdated’
• Most of Clubs are concentrated in urban centers, those in
remote areas are not supported sufficiently

8. 2012-2013 MEMBERSHIP
GOALS
• Last year as one collective District, therefore, it is imperative we
have a stable foundation going forward
• We have a challenging target of increasing membership by 1100
to reach 5000
• This is a net growth taking into account attrition
• 40% FEMALE, 20% NEW GENERATIONS
• 50 INTERACT CLUBS
• AWARDS – MEMBERSHIP, ETHICS, DIVERSITY, NEW
GENERATIONS

9. FUTURE APPROACH & STRATEGIES
• Ensuring Professionals are consciously invited and followed
up:
– Earlier in July we hosted a Corporate Breakfast to extend a
hand of friendship to Corporations in the community
– Continuing Membership Drives
– Regular evaluation of Classification List
– Check the ageing of members through the duration of
membership
– Inviting those who work and live around us to attend
meetings, fundraisers and service projects

10. FUTURE APPROACH &
STRATEGIES
• Encouraging youth and women to assume leadership
roles since they can offer a fresh perspective and
identify impediments they face
• Easing the transition for Rotaractors from Rotaract into
Rotary
– Through mentorship
– Encouraging Rotaractors to form new Rotary clubs
stemming from their Rotaract Club
– Rotary/Rotaract simultaneous conference

11. FUTURE APPROACH & STRATEGIES
• Social Media
– I encourage Clubs to harness the Internet, in particular Social
Media, to their advantage for widespread PR and effective
communication
– Rotaractors and Rotarians have begun to follow me on TWITTER
and/or FACEBOOK
– Hotline for those thinking of ‘throwing in the towel’
• Making Service the focus

12. THANK YOU