Zaheda Davies is the serving president of the North Wellington Rotary Club. She is also the lone woman member of Indian origin in the club. She also runs a travel-related business.
Zaheda Davies spoke to Indian Weekender of her trials and triumphs along the way. Excerpts :
Are you the first woman of Indian origin to be elected President of the North Wellington Rotary club?
Yes. At present, I am the only member who is of Indian origin at our club. I do hope that I will not be the sole member of Indian origin for too long and that others will follow.
Are women breaking new ground within the Rotary fraternity and filling leadership positions more than in the past?
Rotary clubs started inviting lady members more than 10 years ago. Since then, there are a growing number of women joining Rotary clubs to serve their communities. This year, there is the first ever Rotary International President who is a woman from Canada, Jennifer E Jones.
We have a number of women elected as presidents of their clubs around Wellington.
The District Governor of Rotary 9940, which covers the lower part of the North Island, is a woman.
What are the focus areas in terms of community engagement of the Rotary club in the Greater Wellington region?
The motto of Rotary is Service above Self. Being an international organisation, most Rotary clubs will have a local support initiative like schools. Education and leadership programmes for youth, avenues for supporting communities in distress within our geographical area. We provided aid for the Pacific islands during the earthquake/Tsunami in Tonga/Samoa, are some of the activities we have undertaken.
Rotarians are also involved in global endeavours such as eradicating Polio worldwide.
Every year, Rotary runs a RYLA programme (Rotary Youth Leadership Award) for youth and we also sponsor students for the IYM (Innovative Young Minds) open to young women in Year 11 and 12 at schools.
Has racism been an obstacle that you had to overcome on your way up within the Rotary as well as the travel sector?
To me, racism begins with oneself. As a migrant, I must be prepared to face obstacles, whether they are driven by racism or not. I chose not to react in any particular way that would hamper my progress. Basically, I don’t let it get to me.
I do know that perseverance and persistence helped me to continue in the Travel business. Clients come to me for the care and support they get from me.
At our Rotary Club of Wellington North, we welcome people from all walks of life and ethnicities. We invite visitors/guests to learn more about how we support our communities.
What is your message to other aspirants within the minority communities in general and women in particular?
Step out of your comfort zone and join in with your local communities. By engaging with them, we find out there is so much on offer and so many opportunities to avail of. Organisations like Rotary Clubs have so much to offer. For instance, our club offers scholarships for tertiary and secondary students so they can be helped to achieve their study goals. Scholarships are available for essential life skills. But, if they do not know where to apply or how to apply, they would miss out each year.
Growing up in India allowed us to form friendships across communities. In the same way, if we opened up with our Kiwi communities, we will make friends and also educate them about us. Let’s not forget there are no strangers, only friends who we haven’t met yet.
What was your interest in joining the Rotary?
I grew up in the Rotary community. My father, Zain Rangoonwala, was a member of the Rotary Club of Bombay. I was always aware of how Rotarians serve and it is a highly popular and widespread movement in India. Since migrating to New Zealand, I fell back on support from Rotarians and others.
Our Rotary club meets over lunch twice a month and once for an evening meal with Pizza and Salad.
I’d love to invite like-minded members who would like to come meet us and connect with our values.