CRISIS IN THE FAMILY — ROTARY INTERNATIONAL

Rotary International, noting with growing concern that the continued breakdown in the traditional structure of the family in many areas of the world is, in turn, “threatening the fabric of community life,” has called upon its 1.2 million members in more than 160 countries to actively address this “crisis in the family” and institute programmes to tackle it. It has designated the second week in February, on an ongoing basis, as Family Week, and is encouraging Rotarians,  Rotary Clubs and Rotary Districts worldwide through programmes already in train to tackle “the most formidable problems facing families today,” including domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, homelessness, drug and alcohol abuse, gang activities, child care needs and underemployment.

Rotarians in Trinidad and Tobago, who within recent years have had reason to be uncomfortable with the incidence of family life breakdown in all too many homes in the country, have been called upon by Rotary International, their umbrella organisation, the world’s largest service organisation, to step up their battle to combat the social and economic problems that are undermining the family structure. And in tackling the vexing contributory factors to the breakdown in the family in the East-West Corridor, Central, North and South Trinidad as well as in Tobago, the country’s Rotarians inasmuch as the breakdown is a worldwide cancer can draw on the successful strategies employed in the United Kingdom, Nigeria, India, the United States of America, China, Colombia, Russia or Japan. And, in turn, exchange ideas with these countries.

The exercise will mean going into the troubled communities, interacting with familes, whether single family or otherwise, and as is customary not merely lending the sympathetic ear but gathering critical information relative to their problems, making mental and written notes, collating the material and coming up with strategies on how to approach the needed grappling with the issues. What must be understood is that Rotary involvement, which apart from the interaction noted earlier also includes fundraising activities as well as the seeking of corporate sponsorship to help meet the costs incurred in implementing a wide range of social welfare projects, is further strengthened by the involvement of the communities themselves. I had mentioned in a preceding paragraph Rotary International’s suggested guidelines for the encouraging of Rotarians in dealing with the crisis in the family.

Others are: “Instill the importance of universal human values in the homes, schools and communities... Continue current projects and undertake new ones that strengthen the family structure and make it a secure anchor for the larger community...  Demonstrate their commitment to family and community through projects, activities, and events in celebration of ‘Family Week’ during the second week of February each year.” RI insists: “Healthy and happy children are key to achieving Rotary’s goal of building international understanding and peace in the world. There is no better place to nourish a young mind than in a family whose basic needs have been met  and who can spend time together.”

I ask the reader to bear with me as I detail RI strategies for arresting and eventually reversing the slide in the family be it in Trinidad and Tobago or the more than 160 countries which embrace Rotary. It has asked Rotarians to “consider bringing together the mothers, fathers, children, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and members of your Rotary family into shared activities,” as well as to participate “in a community service project that will help strengthen families in your community by:
“Sponsoring a seminar for new parents on child development.
“Organising a father/daughter or mother/son dinner.
“Promoting a family literacy project which emphasises parents reading to their children.
“Raising awareness of child abuse prevention programmes in your community.
“Chaperoning a safe and fun weekend activity for the community’s teenagers.
“Volunteering at a shelter for homeless families.
“Assisting the elderly in nursing homes with simple crafts that they can give as gifts to their families.
“Creating a park or recreational area where parents can spend time with their children.
“Providing materials and support to a daycare facility or orphanage.
“Creating an after-school activities programme for older children which will give them a safe place to go while their parents are at work.”

Some of the above have already been in place with one or more Rotary Clubs in Trinidad and Tobago, for example sponsorship of the All In One Child Development Centre, an early childhood care centre at Beetham Gardens and seminars on positive parenting, again at Beetham Gardens. There have been other projects, in addition to the above in which Rotary Clubs here have been involved — the provision of wheelchairs to schoolchildren as well as the elderly; the St Jude’s Home for Girls; the National Alcohol and Drug Abuse Programme; provision of books and uniforms to schoolchildren through an Adopt a Child Programme; the donating of Christmas hampers to needy families, and the list goes on.

What is crucial is that even as Rotarians in Trinidad and Tobago and by extension the Caribbean Community of Nations continue to deal with the crisis in the family, they are not alone and there will be a pooling of ideas which will make the tackling of the “host of complex social and economic problems” attacking the family structure that much easier.