District 3850
Happiness and Being Fed for a Lifetime
Secretary's Corner, October 2015
DS Emilio Benito Aquino, RC Zamboanga City West
I would like to share an insightful Chinese proverb which I grabbed from a highly effective speaker some years ago and it goes this way:
“If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap.
If you want happiness for a day, go fishing.
If you want happiness for a month, get married.
If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune.
If you want happiness for a lifetime, help someone.”
It is the last sentence, which I wish to underscore in this message in relation to the month of October now focused on Economic and Community Development projects in lieu of what we used to commemorate as our Vocational Service Month.
Who doesn’t want to be happy for the rest of his or her life? Evidently everybody would but the better question is…. how does one help someone.
We then quote another Chinese axiom (or American as some would claim): “Give a man a fish, and you have fed him once. Teach him how to fish and you have fed him for a lifetime”.
Thus, the month of October has witnessed many Rotarians teaching our less fortunate brothers and sisters on how to earn a living that would allow them to feed not only themselves for a day…but for the rest of their lives…and not just them singly but for their entire family.
One such project is the establishment of technical vocational centers in different parts of their cities or provinces. A Rotary Club in our district aims to get a Global Grant that would put up tech-mobiles which have capabilities and facilities for teaching basic computer lessons to non-digital literate individuals in far-flung areas. This will help our impoverished kababayans avail of the wonders of technology for work opportunities and to network with people all over the world. A number of Global Grants are also in the pipeline for some clubs in our district to address the lack of equipment, tools and machines for senior high public schools following the tech-voc track. The expected impact of these projects considering the want of accredited senior high schools especially among public schools, would be spectacular as they are very relevant and timely. These noble efforts will indubitably contribute to the economic development of our small communities and the least of our people.
Indeed, our Rotarians are true gifts to the world as they seek to help others help themselves. God bless the Rotarians of District 3850.