DICKINSON — In a remarkable display of international collaboration, the Rotary Club of Dickinson and the Rotary Club of Santa Ana de los Rios De Cuenca in Ecuador have recently completed a two-year technology project that promises to uplift the lives of underprivileged individuals in the rural parish of Sinincay. The project, initiated through an agreement started in 2021, saw the concerted efforts of former Cuenca Rotary Club President Maria Gracias Flores, current president Pablo Velez Vintimilla, and a team of dedicated individuals from both clubs.
Nestled amidst the breathtaking Andes Mountains, Sinincay is situated a mere 30 minutes away from bustling midtown Cuenca. Despite its proximity to urban life, the parish predominantly consists of a low-income indigenous population with limited access to resources and opportunities. Recognizing the need to bridge this gap, the Rotary Club of Santa Ana de los Rios De Cuenca established its own banking account to handle the project.
With an investment of approximately $15,000, the Ecuadorian club directed their funds towards the Sigcho School, benefitting a staggering 130 rural students. The ambitious project aimed to equip the school with vital technological resources, effectively empowering the youth with the tools they need to succeed in an increasingly interconnected world. The collaboration with the Ecuadorian club would not have been possible without the efforts of Ruben Jerves, a former Rotary Youth Exchange student and his former host family.
Mark Billings, the former president of The Rotary Club of Dickinson, played a pivotal role in spearheading this remarkable endeavor. Reflecting on the inspiration behind the project, Billings said he knew immediately that he wanted to work on a project like the one in Ecuador.
"I knew the club had not initiated their own international project in quite some time, but I didn't know how many years it had been. That's one of the beauties of Rotary, its international reach. As the incoming president, I thought it would be neat to initiate a project like that and I made it a focus," he said.
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Billings, along with his wife Pat, reached out to former Rotary exchange students they had hosted during their time in Illinois. Recognizing the immense value of cultural exchange and fostering connections across borders, they opened their home to students from Mexico, Ecuador and Brazil. The experience was enriching not only for their children, Chad, Jarrett and Madeleine, but also for the exchange students who became an integral part of their family.
"Our kids were also learning to be bilingual in English and Spanish," Billings explained. "We lived in a largely Latino community, so the Spanish angle of it was kind of attractive as well. We hosted a student from Mexico first, then the student from Ecuador, then we had a student from Brazil. The program is one of the hallmark Rotary programs. I mean, we had no experience with that at all, but we just applied and then they picked host families based upon what some of our desires were, and we hosted them for an entire academic year."
In a departure from the usual practice of rotating exchange students among multiple host families, the small size of their Illinois-based Rotary club allowed the Billings family to host each student for the full academic year. This extended period allowed for a deep bond to form, with the exchange students becoming cherished members of their family. Billings fondly recalls the positive influence these students had on his own children, acting as older siblings and inspiring them with their academic prowess and personal growth.
“When Ruben was living with us, he gave us the impression that there were a lot of disparities of income levels and opportunities for Cuenca and Ecuador as a whole,” Billings recalled. “He grew up with a father and mother who both worked and they were very successful, but I think once you get into the rural areas near Cuenca, and up into the Andes Mountains, there's more of an indigenous population that live there. It's a very low income. I mean 80% are considered very low income, and 20% considered low income. There's a lot of disparities there.”
Billings added, “It just stuck with me.”
Years later, when Billings assumed the role of president at The Rotary Club of Dickinson, he seized the opportunity to invite the former exchange students to partner on a potential project. Through the Ecuadorian student, Jerves, who was pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of Washington, Billings was connected to the vibrant young professionals Rotary club in Cuenca. Impressed by their passion and drive, he realized that this was the perfect collaboration that his club sought.
"I think a lot of people associate Rotary with meetings, breakfasts, lunches, and name badges with perfect attendance — an old guard kind of thing," Billings reflected. "But really, it's an organization that's built on people worldwide. If you just take a step to see the world a little bit differently, it's big, and it doesn't take a lot of effort to see places where you can make an impact."
The project, culminating in the establishment of a state-of-the-art computer lab within the Sigcho School library, marks a significant milestone for both clubs involved. Through their combined efforts, six computers and a printer now grace the library, serving as a gateway to the world of knowledge and opportunities for the students. The impact of this endeavor was “immeasurable” to Billings who noted that the project empowers the youth of Sinincay with the tools they need to shape their futures.
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With the project’s first phase complete, Billings said he looks back on this incredible journey with a sense of gratitude and humility — emphasizing the power of Rotary in fostering personal connections and the transformative potential of reaching out beyond one's comfort zone.
"We will likely at some point visit Ecuador since we have this relationship, but truth be told, Ecuador wasn't really even on my radar screen 10 years ago," he shared. "Now it's a place that I can associate with names and people and families. It's personal to me. That is the spirit of Rotary."
The Rotary Club of Dickinson prides itself on being an inclusive and welcoming community, attracting members from diverse backgrounds and age groups. In an effort to dispel misconceptions, Billings openly invites anyone interested to attend their meetings to do so, noting that they are held from noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Elks underground. Billings says that the club's warm and open atmosphere offers a perfect platform for networking and fostering meaningful connections, reinforcing the idea that Rotary is an organization that thrives on the dedication and compassion of its members.
As the Dickinson and Cuenca clubs celebrate the successful completion of the first phase of their joint project, Billings notes that projects like the one in Sinincay continue to serve as a shining example of the power of collaboration and the positive change that can be achieved when individuals come together for a common purpose. Their partnership has not only transformed a school but also touched the lives of countless young minds, laying the foundation for a brighter future.
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