BVIslander wins Rotary International award

President of the Earlyact Club at St George’s Primary School in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), Chikae Stoutt Igwe, has been declared the 2017 Winner of the Outstanding Young Leader Award for the Rotary International District 7020.

That District comprises Anguilla, BVI, Cayman Islands, French West Indies (St Martin and St Barthelemy only), Haiti, Jamaica, Netherland Antilles (Sint-Maarten only), Turks and Caicos Islands, the US Virgin Islands, and Bahamas (except Grand Bahama).

The young winner, Chikae, is the son of columnist Dickson Igwe and Acting Permanent Secretary in the Deputy Governor’s Office Carolyn Stoutt Igwe.

Shedding more light on the competition, the Club stated that each Rotary Club in District 7020 was invited to nominate members for the award.

The Rotary Club of Tortola used the opportunity to nominate Chikae “based on his demonstrated leadership” of the St George’s Primary School Chapter of the Earlyact Club.

During his tenure as President, the young leader was involved in – among other things – different fund-raising activities to make contributions towards Haiti, the Pediatric Ward at Peebles Hospital, and the fight against polio disease across the world.

Chikae also was involved in various community outreach programmes – some of which enabled him to present on various topics such as leadership, child abuse awareness, and public speaking. Furthermore, the youngster helped to modernise the Club’s communication via the use of an email address as well as Whatsapp Group Chat.

After he received his award at the Rotary Club of Tortola’s weekly luncheon on May 24, Chikae stated that he was deeply humbled and honoured to have received the accolade.

He also expressed gratitude to his advisors, adding that he will complete other planned activities before the end of the school year as he continues to achieve his goal of making the Earlyact Club the “most dynamic club on the school campus”.

The Earlyact Club is a school-based service organization for students from ages five to 13 years. There are five of them in the British Virgin Islands.