By Joshua Céspedes Campos, President, 2023-25, Cartago Rotaract Club, Costa Rica
Rotaract as a catalyst for environmental collaboration
In a world where people come together and take action to protect the environment for a sustainable future, collaboration between Rotaract clubs demonstrates how teamwork can make a significant impact. Six members of the Rotaract Club Cartago visited the Rotaract Club Guatemala Oeste, staying six days in Guatemala City and Antigua. This experience not only strengthened the bonds of friendship, but also resulted in important collaborations on community and environmental projects.
Rotaractors at the arch in Antigua
A highlight of the visit was attending the environmental symposium organized by the Green Team of Districts 4240 and 4250, in collaboration with the Rotary Leadership Institute. This event allowed participants to present their environmental projects and learn from the experiences of other clubs, identifying opportunities for future collaborations on sustainable initiatives.
Experts from the Rotary Leadership Institute presented key tools for the development of environmental projects, which generated a great impact on the listening members and inspired them to continue their work for the environment.
Sustainable fashion projects
The clubs discussed a series of innovative and sustainable environmental projects. Among the notable initiatives was the Trashion Fashion Show, an event that promotes sustainable fashion through the reuse of recycled materials. In addition, the participants shared projects such as cleaning and reorganizing gardens in schools and local environmental parks, as well as informative talks on reuse projects designed for students in kindergartens and schools. We also discussed training workshops for students, to educate young people about the importance of sustainability. Other projects include the planting of native trees and the preservation of mangroves, essential for biodiversity and coastal protection.
Trashion Fashion
During their week together, the two Rotaract clubs enjoyed traditional Rotacamping, an activity that encourages leadership, teamwork, and skill development through recreational activities. This experience enabled members of both clubs to enjoy friendship and fun. In addition, the Crafts Fair in Antigua provided the opportunity to learn about Guatemalan culture and support small local entrepreneurs, thus strengthening cultural and economic ties.
Rotaract as an agent for community development
Collaborative Art at the orphanage
One of the most significant moments of the visit was collaborating on a service project at an orphanage. For a full day, members of both clubs dedicated their time to conducting recreational and educational activities for children, positively impacting their lives and leaving a lasting mark.
The visit of the Rotaract Club Cartago to the Rotaract Club Guatemala Oeste not only reinforced the ties of friendship between their members; but also established new alliances to increase efforts in environmental and community projects. These types of collaborations are crucial to addressing the climate, biodiversity and pollution crisis that threatens our planet. The work done by these clubs should not only inspire other Rotaract Clubs, but also all districts committed to environmental sustainability.
Rotoractor Joshua Céspedes Campos is National Coordinator of the Green Team Rotaract-Interact for Costa Rica, and a political science student at the University of Costa Rica. He gave a fabulous talk for ESRAG’s Projects + webinar series on May 15, 2024 on the Trashion Fashion project he organized in collaboration with several Rotaract and Interact Clubs. Club members researched the items which most often end up as solid waste in their communities. They wrote up their research and designed amazing outfits using these materials to showcase the beauty and fragility of biodiversity, and presented their designs in a fashion show at the District Peace Conference in April, 2024.
