What an inspiring afternoon at the Rotary Club of Grahamstown lunch this past Thursday!

We had the privilege of hosting four remarkable young men whose stories reminded us exactly why Rotary continues to invest in the leaders of tomorrow.

Two of our guests, Donovan Pretorius and Luphawulwethu Madolo, recently attended the RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) camp earlier this year, proudly sponsored by our Club. Their feedback was nothing short of inspiring. From leadership development to confidence-building and lifelong friendships, the experience clearly left a lasting impact.

One of the highlights was hearing how the public speaking programme helped one of the young men discover a new level of confidence, something that was beautifully evident as he addressed the room with passion and poise. Seeing young people grow into themselves is exactly what Rotary is about.

The boys also fielded many thoughtful questions from members, sharing laughs, lessons, and stories from their journey.

We were also delighted to hear from Paul, our exchange student from Germany, who spoke warmly about his South African experience so far. One of his biggest culture shocks? School uniforms! Apparently, wearing uniforms is not common practice in Germany, and adjusting to that has been quite the experience. With just one month left at Graeme College, Paul is determined to make the most of every moment.

Adding to the excitement was local Graemian, Hunter van Zyl, who will soon be embarking on his own exchange journey to Germany. His enthusiasm was contagious as he spoke about travelling abroad for the very first time and immersing himself in German culture. Hunter also shared his fundraising initiative with the Club, and our generous Rotarians were quick to rally behind him.

And perhaps the quote of the afternoon came when Hunter was asked:

“What will you miss most about South Africa while you’re away?”

Without hesitation, he smiled and replied: “I will definitely miss biltong… I might just take some on my trip!”

Moments like these remind us that Rotary is more than meetings and projects. It is about people, growth, mentorship, cultural exchange, and building a better future through meaningful opportunities for young people.