Project DHAARA yet again another International Service Avenue initiative splendidly ended, being a significant project which focused on promoting sustainability to the world.

‘DHAARA’ was a unique project organized by the International Service Avenue of the Rotaract Club of the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka as a joint project with their twin club Rotaract Club of PDEU, India. This project was based on a competition targeting the Sustainable Development Goals which are set by the United Nations for the year 2030 to serve as a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet now and into the future, in order to fabricate a better world where human beings and animals could co-exist peacefully. 

Through this project, we were able to accomplish our goal of doing something for the betterment of the world beyond geographical boundaries. Project DHAARA was not only a project but also it was a platform for Rotaractors who joined with us to enhance their capabilities along with team spirit and ingenuity. Soon there were a number of successful completions that presented more and more benefits to the society.

Project “DHAARA” was initiated with the objective of reaching out to an international community, through international Rotaract Club collaborations while focusing on the sustainability of the Rotaract movement internationally, thus having an immensely positive impact on the entire Rotaract movement. 

In the process of conducting the project, five clubs got registered for the SDG-based competition,

1. Rotaract Club of Chittagong South (RID3282)
2. Rotaract Club of Charusat University (RID3060)
3. Rotaract Club of Swami Vivekananda Homeopathic Medical College (RID3060)
4. Rotaract Club of Mount Carmel College (RID3190)
5. Rotaract Club of Jamnagar Smile (RID3060)

with each team covering Rotary focus areas and an SDG. Mentioned below are the topics that were chosen by each team. 

1. Good Health and Welbeing
2. Quality Education
3. Fight Communicable diseases
4. Responsible consumption
5. Reduced Inequality

The Final Event was held on the 13th of February 2023 in which the panel of judges who determined the winners of the competition after going through a hard yet fair judgemental process were  Mr.Hashan Wijesingha, a lecturer attached to the Department of International Studies of the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, Ms.Richa Gupta, an educator, social entrepreneur and the Co-Founder & CEO of Labhya Foundation, Ms. Sandesha Perera a lecturer attached to the Department of International Studies of the University of Kelaniya, Mr. Loay Radwan, an environmental engineer and Rtn. Rtr. PP Ahmad Hussain, the District Rotaract Representative of Rotaract District 3220, Sri Lanka and Maldives for 2022-23. 

The competition was fierce, and the stakes were high. Each club was tasked with coming up with innovative projects that would make a significant impact on their communities, beneficiaries, and their club. The focus was on creativity and impact, with the judges carefully scrutinizing each project to determine the winner.

But there was a catch. Each club was advised to keep the cost of their project below 5000 INR. This was a significant challenge for the clubs, but it was intentional. We wanted to see how much impact they could create with a limited budget, and the results were astounding.

The “DHAARA” project has proven to be an outstanding endeavor that has greatly impacted the sustainability of the global community, particularly those located in particular areas of Bangladesh and India. The project was a comprehensive and multi-faceted effort since its scope included a number of crucial elements. A professional judge panel, which included the distinguished DRR. Rtn. Rtr. Ahamed Hussain evaluated each project and engagement thoroughly and carefully, making sure that every effort was assessed with the utmost professionalism.

The Rotaract Club of Mount Carmel was awarded as having carried out the “most effective project,” and the club also won the “most popular project category“. Rotaract Club of Mount Carmel College executed ‘A newspaper drive’ project under the SDG goal Responsible Consumption. The initiative of this project was to reuse the available resources for a better and more efficient purpose. With this in mind, they decided to embark on a mission to help an NGO called “CARE,” which provides shelter and care to stray animals. The NGO needed a daily supply of newspapers for sanitation purposes, which was a challenge for them. The Rotaract Club of Mount Carmel College saw this as an opportunity to make a difference and set out to organize a Newspaper Collection Drive in their college. They rallied their fellow students and faculty members, urging them to donate old newspapers to the cause.  With their mission accomplished, the Rotaract Club of Mount Carmel College delivered the newspapers to “CARE.” The NGO was overjoyed and grateful for the donation, which would go a long way in helping them take care of the stray animals. The Rotaract Club of Mount Carmel College set an example for us all, showing that small actions can have a significant impact on our world.

DHAARA was more than simply a contest; it provided a prime illustration of the value of teamwork and the effect that can be made when people work together for a common goal. The Rotaract Clubs that participated in this project demonstrated that every initiative matters toward achieving a better world and that even the smallest contributions may have a big impact.