Annie Steijn makes Rotary history

As of July 1, Steijn will take the title as the first female District Governor of Rotary International’s District 9400.

This district stretches over Swaziland, Botswana, the south of Mozambique and four provinces in South Africa.

Rotary International is a service organisation which aims to provide humanitarian services, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations and help to build goodwill and peace in the world.

Steijn is the third governor of this district to be produced by the Rotary Club of Benoni.

She recently finished her training, which included sessions in Jerusalem in November, San Diego in January, a local training session for Assistant Governors and five other training sessions for club leaders.

From mid-June, Steijn will visit each of 85 Rotary clubs that fall in her district.

She will give motivational talks and provide advice and assistance to Rotarians during her visits.

Steijn joined Rotary in 2004.

Along with Margeret Pappas, she was one of the first two female members of the Benoni Rotary Club, which was an all-male club for 77 years.

Steijn was also the first female president of the club and, fitting the circumstance, it snowed on the night she was inducted.

She has a passion for Rotary and feels the organisation serves a vital role in communities.

“It consists of volunteers, who work together to achieve a lot and render service above self to underprivileged people and communities, to improve the quality of life of all people,” said Steijn, adding that it gives her great satisfaction to do good.

Every year Rotary International has a theme and this year’s theme is “Light up Rotary”.

Steijn’s personal theme for the year is: “Make a difference together.”

In this year, Elaine Stathacopoulos will be her District Governor Ann, while Elaine’s husband, Greg, serves as the District Governor’s Aid.

Steijn said she is looking forward to her new position.

“It felt so far away when I was nominated and chosen two years ago, and it seemed like such a big, scary thing, but when we were in San Diego for training, in January, I started getting excited,” she added.

Steijn is an attorney, with her own law firm, Steijn AS Attorney.

She has been married to Hennie Steijn for 45 years and has two daughters and five grandchildren.

When asked how she will balance her career with her new position, she replied that she will create a balance.

“I hope my staff will show competence to man the office while I travel,” she said.

Hennie will support her in her new duties and will travel with her.

One of her goals as District Governor includes increasing Rotary membership.

She would also like to contribute to the Rotary Foundation, which is the third largest fund of its kind in the world.

Another goal is to get the youth more involved, as they are the future of Rotary.

“It is going to be a challenge, but I am looking forward to it,” she concluded.