Are you under 30 and seeking to help people in need while widening your circle of personal and professional contacts?
If yes, Rotaract Malta La Valette is the perfect philanthropic/networking club for you, say members Paul Cuschieri and Rachel Galea.
The Malta branch is part of a global community of young adults aged between 18 and 30 working for positive change.
Sponsored by mother organisation Rotary Club, Rotaract provides fertile ground for an exchange of ideas, hands-on service projects, fun networking, social activities and professional development opportunities.
Architect Mr Cuschieri, 29, is the club’s president. Ms Galea, also 29, is a medical representative. Other members include IT professionals, pharmacists, psychologists and sales managers.
“I joined Rotaract because I wanted to help others and also to better myself as a person,” Mr Cuschieri says.
“Three years down the line, I am more independent on levels I didn’t even know about. The club gave me the opportunity to take action and to make mistakes and learn from them.
“It has also given me the opportunity to meet serious and dedicated professionals. In fact, I’ve met a wonderful set of people: very capable and charismatic individuals who will help each other and work together.”
Ms Galea joined Rotaract four years ago out of curiosity. “My friends were in it. The social aspect appealed to me. I wanted to widen my circle of friends. Then, it became an addiction.
“You get to give so much and you feel really good about it. You also make lots of friends, locally and internationally. Rotary sponsors us to attend conferences and seminars abroad.”
Members meet once a month to exchange ideas, plan activities and projects and socialise.
They usually decide on one project per year and organise fun activities to raise funds, sometimes even volunteering physically such as helping refurbish homes.
Since it was set up in 2006, Rotaract has helped touch the lives of several individuals.
The club made it one of its missions to help Sven Mifsud, a boy born with Proteus syndrome, a rare condition that involves the disproportionate overgrowth of his left leg, forcing him to undergo several operations throughout his life.
It held several fundraising events and set up a trust fund to cover his educational costs and save for a prosthetic leg when he would require an amputation.
Rotaract also helped sponsor security features installed at Dar Merħba Bik, a shelter for abused women and their children.
The latest project was a donation to the refurbishment of Dar Franġisk in Marsa, a halfway house for people with mental health difficulties. After leaving Mount Carmel Hospital, they are helped to reintegrate into the community and increase their level of independence.
“You learn certain values: how to share ideas and to work with other people’s ideas. You also learn how to work in a team through thick and thin. It’s a bit like a marriage,” Ms Galea laughs.
“We’re looking for volunteers. So if you’re just out of University and wondering what your next step should be, Rotaract is the club to join.”
Search for Rotaract Malta La Valette on Facebook to join the team of volunteers.