Supporting local Charities – the early years 

From 1929 to 1974, Rotary Club of Rangoon ran an impressive number of charitable projects, per the recollection of BilalRaschid and his wife Tin Tin Nu Raschid as follows:

“During the post World War II years (1948 - 1974) the Club raised large sums of money, and distributed it to the NGOs of that period which were involved with improving the lives of the economically disadvantaged residents of Rangoon,  running the charitable hospitals and orphanages in Rangoon. Additionally, the Club assisted some schools by providing books for their libraries, and helped with the needs of the Psychiatric Hospital (then called the Mental Institution). My mother, Fatima Raschid, wife of then Club President, U Raschid (1953-54), was instrumental in setting up the first ever Blood Bank at the Rangoon General Hospital. My father, the Honorable U Raschid, Minister of Industry, Mines and Labour, during his year as District Governor of then Rotary International District 325, not only formed and had chartered the newest Rotary Club of Insein; but also was instrumental in having a braille equipment designed and manufactured for the production of books in the Burmese language. This was of great help for the blind Burmese people who were not literate in the English language. Among the notable events were the annual fund-raising banquets, attended by the elite of the commercial and business community, which raised the large sums of money that were then distributed as described above. Another annual notable event was the annual Children's Christmas Party, which was held to bring some joy into the lives of the orphans from the three or four main orphanages then functioning in the city. The children of the Rotarians participated in these parties, so that the orphans would not feel it was just a charity for them. It was always a most enjoyable and heart-warming an evening; and was Tin Tin and my first opportunity to assist Rotary long before we became Rotarians. Finally, it should be noted that the second President of Burma, His Excellency Dr. Ba U, was an Honorary Member of the Rotary Club of Rangoon in 1952-1957. All the three presidents of the early years after independence attended and addressed the Club or District Conference.”