The Rotary Club of Accra East has held a presidential fundraising ball to raise funds to support various humanitarian projects.

The funds raised will be used to undertake a Literacy Project involving the refurbishment and furnishing of a school library at the Kotobabi Presbyterian School with a population of over 400 pupils;

Also, a medical outreach programme in selected communities in the Greater Accra Region for at least 1,000 people, and a tree-planting exercise at the Lighthouse Children Orphanage in AburI which houses over 30 orphans.

The event held at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Accra on Saturday was graced by many Rotarians as well as invited guests.

Rotarian Dinah Bondzie, the Rotary President for Accra East for the 2017/2018 Rotary year highlighted the need for persons with sufficient means to collaborate with Rotarians in addressing the issue of global poverty and deprivation among the underprivileged.

"It is only when such humanitarian services are provided that life will be peaceful" she added.

The event was sponsored in cash and in kind by individuals and companies including Vanguard Assurance, Bayport Savings & Loans Ltd, Rotarian Olu Lutherking, Rotarian Andrew Asamoah, Rotarian Serge Oga, Rotarian Doris Ablo-Adadevoh, Tropical Cable & Conductor Ltd, Silver Star Auto Ltd, KLM, Tescon Ghana Ltd, Sunlodge Hotel, Moneygram, African Regent Hotel, Crown Apartmento Hotel, Dodi Travel & Tours, Jerk & Carbs, Golden Tulip Hotel, Aviation Social Centre, Pergola Lounge, Voltic, Rotarian Anyadi Richard, Dar-Bem Medical Centre, Joy 4 Fame Shipping Co. Ltd, CBC Properties, and many other benevolent institutions and individuals.

The occasion was also used to honour a number of Rotarians for their humanitarian services, and all individuals and corporate bodies that made contributions to the Ball and to the cause of Rotary.  A special recognition award, the Distinguished Service Award was presented to African Rights Initiative International (ARII), a non-Rotary organisation, for their decade-long commitment to addressing the issues of global poverty.

The guest Speaker, Dr. Patrick Awuah Jr., founder and President of Ashesi University, delivered a rousing and inspiring speech which touched on the growth rate of Africa’s population over the next 30 years.

He outlined the challenges and opportunities that would present themselves; the effects of climate change on Africa; and the fourth Industrial Revolution involving the central role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in complementing human labour in several production-related activities.

He dismissed the fear that technology would displace humans in the workplace and advised that Africa should adopt AI to increase productivity and improve human living conditions.

Dr. Patrick Awuah Jr. charged all to acquire knowledge, which produces solutions in order to grow Ghana and Africa.

The Rotary Club of Accra East is one of the local branches of Rotary International: an international Service Organization whose stated Objective is to bring together business and professional leaders in order to provide humanitarian services, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and to advance goodwill and peace around the world.

It is a non-political and non-sectarian Organization open to all people regardless of race, colour, creed, religion, gender, or political preference. Over 34,000 clubs exist worldwide with about 1.2 million individuals as members.

The Rotary Club of Accra East was the first club in Ghana to attain full Paul Harris Fellowship status for its members.