Professor Sebastian Kaempf opened the session by highlighting the Rotary Peace Fellowship as a platform for professional transformation during a time of global "polycrisis"—interconnected challenges like climate change, war, and displacement. He praised the program’s grassroots impact, noting Rotary’s annual funding of 50 fellows and the vital support from local Rotarians in Brisbane and beyond. (Watch the whole segment here)
He then introduced Erica, a fellow from the Philippines.
Erica titled her talk Her Story, reclaiming her narrative shaped by childhood violence, poverty, and resilience. After working through education on scholarships, including Rotary’s Keystone program, she entered humanitarian work in disaster zones. At 17, she was elected to public office but later left due to corruption, refocusing on peacebuilding and emergency response, especially with displaced Indigenous communities.
She later joined the Rotary Peace Fellowship, which deepened her academic and practical engagement with peace and development. Inspired by the Paddington Rotary Club’s mentorship, Erica’s mother started a Rotary Club in the Philippines, extending the program’s ripple effect.
Erica is now completing a PhD in youth, peace, and security in Southeast Asia and works with UNICEF to support young humanitarians. Her work advances UN Security Council resolutions 2250, 2419, and 2535, advocating for youth inclusion in global peacebuilding.
Her story is one of personal resilience and global impact, sparked and sustained by the Rotary Peace Fellowship.