Rotary International president-elect emphasizes effective action and ‘embracing the world with open arms’
Rotary International President-elect Olayinka H. Babalola called on members to Create Lasting Impact by making their clubs more welcoming, carrying out impactful projects, and allowing their Rotary experiences to transform them personally.
“Rotary has changed us. It has shaped who we are and made us better people,” Babalola said at Rotary’s International Assembly in Orlando, Florida, USA, on 12 January. “We often talk about changing the world. We talk about ending polio, about building peace. We do not think enough about how Rotary transforms us.”
Rotary International President-elect Olayinka Babalola's 2026-27 Presidential Message - YouTube
Babalola, a member of the Rotary Club of Trans Amadi, Nigeria, described how joining a Rotaract club as a teenager enlarged his perspective beyond the limited, privileged outlook he’d once had. That change in awareness came from observing the lasting impact his club had in the community, particularly from teaching people to read and write.
“As members of Rotary, we share a vision of a better future,” he said. “To make this vision a reality, we must acknowledge and unleash the change within ourselves. We must focus not only on outcomes, but on impact.”
Change and impact are not the same, he added: “Change is only the beginning. Impact is what endures.”
Understanding impact
Rotary members have made an impact by expanding early childhood education in Knysna, South Africa, and increasing access to prenatal care in Nigeria, Babalola said. The Rotary Club of Knysna empowered local women to open and manage early childhood education centers.
“The project has reached thousands of children and families, and it will continue to provide education in those communities for generations,” Babalola said. “We can recreate this kind of impact in other parts of the world, and in doing so we can earn the trust and recognition of our neighbors in the communities we serve. And when more communities trust Rotary, more people want to join.”
Babalola also described the wide-ranging impact of Together for Healthy Families in Nigeria. The initiative to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality rates received a US$2 million Rotary Programs of Scale grant in 2022.
“Before Rotary’s intervention, many women avoided prenatal care, which is essential to ensuring a safe birth for both mother and child,” he said. “After working with Rotary, systems were put in place to help expecting mothers receive prenatal care. The community was involved. Attendance went up. Mortality went down. That project [will] transform lives across Nigeria for decades.”
Extending a welcome
Babalola urged members to take a more open, welcoming attitude toward newcomers to their clubs. He described how, when he was a Rotaract club member eager to join a Rotary club, the president of the Rotary club treated him with scorn.
“He said, ‘What audacity! You cannot just join. You need an invitation,’” Babalola recalled. “I could have walked away. Instead, I said, ‘I didn’t know a child needed an invitation to enter his parents’ home.’”
While things have changed since that time, Babalola said, they haven’t changed enough. Some clubs close themselves off instead of “embracing the world with open arms,” he said. Young people aren’t necessarily treated with respect, he added, and people with different ideas and backgrounds aren’t always made to feel welcome. He urged members to think about how they could better welcome others.
“You never know whose Rotary story might begin — or end — based on the way you make them feel at a meeting or service project,” he said.
Another way members can focus on personal change, he said, is to aim to do better than their best. He urged district leaders to examine their past successes in raising funds, planning projects, and recruiting members. Then, he said, they should challenge themselves to surpass their past triumphs.
“When we change ourselves, we change our clubs and districts,” he concluded. “When we change our districts, we change the communities we serve. And when we change our communities, we create lasting impact across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.”