The MedSummer Challenges : A Recap

Indeed, the Med MDIO knows how to make your summer a more exciting season where you can do some meaningful activities. Let us see what had the international services committee done as challenges for this summer. As a first, Med MDIO had launched a MEDSUMMER challenge which was the seedball. Rotaractors all around the Mediterranean had create their seed balls. Summer means beautiful fruits🍒🍉🍊🍓🥝!  Instead of throwing away the seeds of the fruits, this challenge focused on supporting the cycle of nature by making tiny seed balls and leaving them on the soil. How to do the seed balls?

Materials needed;

•Seeds from fruits

•Clay

•Soil

•Water

Steps for making the seed ball;

•First mix soil and clay in a deep bowl.

•Adding our seeds to the mixture and roll them in walnut size.

•As a final step, place it on a tray and let it dry.

After the seed ball is ready, Rotaractors placed the seed balls in various places where they can grow into plants.  After the seed balls are placed on soil and receive proper water, they break apart and the seeds inside begin to germinate. Some of the clubs that participated in this challenge is Rotaract Club of Aley. They had created a peach seed ball following the above steps and planted that ball and waiting for it to grow in a plant then a big tree. 

Besides, the second summer challenge was all about spreading awareness and love. The challenge was addressing animals, and focused on spread kindness and proper treatment. This challenged asked clubs all around Mediterranean to target the animals that are being treated badly and to advocate for animal care and rights. It had four steps that clubs can implement.

• The summer season has begun and the weather became hotter, feed and give water to the street animals
• Make simple feeding stations for stray animals
• Focusing on the animal abuse, try to use animal cruelty free products and spread awareness about animal cruelty
• Visit an animal shelter in your country and make donations (food, medication etc.)

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That being said, Rotaract Beirut Cedars – Lebanon– had launched a social media campaign addressing the importance of animal adoption. Besides, the members of this club chose a day to be “Free animal products day” so that we can contribute to the concept of animal cruelty free products.

Rotaract Thessaloniki-East from Greece have also paid visits to our pawed little friends and provided pet food, as well as medicine, taking part in the challenge.

Furthermore, Rotaract Ljubljana from Slovenia organized collection of old bed linen and towels and then donated them to the animal shelter so that they can use it for animal’s sleeping places, they were also donating 5€ each and bought food for dogs and cats.

Moreover, Rotaract Club of LAU Byblos – Lebanon – started a social media campaign to raise awareness and spread the message on three major points in that context. First, how to donate for the abused animals and where; second, how to report an animal abuse and where; lastly, where to volunteer and with whom. Those three categories where of huge help for those who want to help but truly do not know where and how to start.  

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In a nutshell, this summer was one of a kind, Rotaractors had the chance to work on two different challenges by which they were raising awareness and using their time for meaningful activities. It is the small things that make the biggest difference, having that being said, our challenges and our work as the Med MDIO, as an organization that connects clubs from various countries and continents, are the platforms for youth to advocate for change, development new concepts, and use their time wisely to benefit others.

Written by Anhal Kozhaya

Edited by Melis Leyal Gürel