Booragoon Rotary

ROTARY ACTION GROUP AIMS TO FREE THE WORLD
Slavery is a term that we tend to associate with the distant past, but a special worldwide group of Rotarians is dedicated to fighting the modern form of an age-old evil.
The Global Slavery Index estimates that 40.3 million people are subject to some form of slavery: bonded or forced labour, child slavery, s*x trafficking or forced marriage.
The Rotarian Action Group Against Slavery was established in 2013 and has Rotarian members in over 65 countries. It describes itself as a global, action-driven network dedicated to freedom fighting, justice, seeking, problem-solving and advocating for basic human rights.
It describes modern slavery as a severe exploitation of others for personal or commercial gain, often linked to human and s*x trafficking and to land and labour slavery where the victims are forced to work entrapped and controlled against their free will – either physically, financially or psychologically.
Many fall into this oppressive trap because they are trying to escape poverty or insecurity, improve their lives and support their families.
By the numbers --
+ 49.6 million people are in forced labour, s*xual exploitation, domestic servitude or forced marriages worldwide
+ $US150 billion is made each year from forced labour, translating to over $4,750 per second
+ 71% of women and girls are disproportionately affected by forced labour around the world
In addition, Freedom United, a partner group with RAGAS, highlights the following “five hard facts” on modern child slavery –
+ 1 in 4 victims of slavery are children
+ 10 million children are considered slaves
+ 300,000 child soldiers are forced to fight wars
+ 700 million women alive today were married as children
+ 17.2 million children are working as domestic workers
Through education on awareness and prevention, RAGAS works to activate Rotary clubs and Rotarians to counter vulnerability to human trafficking/modern slavery in their communities. Rotary has proved it can best effect change within communities.
Once identified, RAGAS can share and better help to coordinate successful projects, connect local partners and promote Rotary’s areas of focus. No other organisation matches Rotary’s ability to be focused at the local level while operating at a global level.
RAGAS has developed a Community Awareness and Prevention Education plan that equips and empowers members to execute projects in their communities – and around the world. It will assist members to connect with like-minded Rotarians to take action to end human trafficking/modern slavery.
Through Rotary’s influence and strength, RAGAS will continue to globally network one community at a time for real and lasting impact, change and hope to end human trafficking/modern slavery.

WARM HEARTS HELP EASE WINTER CHILLS FOR OUR HOMELESS AND NEEDY
Thanks to the Kardinya Markets community, several bags of new and good condition used warm clothes have been handed over to St Pat's to help homeless and needy people get through the coming winter.
The clothes - including shirts and trousers, jumpers, jackets, scarves, nightwear and socks - have been donated by sellers and buyers at the weekly markets at Kardinya Markets through the last month.
Brooke Peacock, the team leader at St Pat's Community Centre in Fremantle, expressed her thanks to all who contributed.
The Booragoon Rotary volunteers at Kardinya Markets will continue to accept further donations in coming weeks.
And the Kardinya Markets community will come together again in May, when the annual Give a Damn, Give a Can (GADGAC) appeal for donations of packets and cans of non-perishable food will be run by Booragoon Rotary at the weekly markets and by Fremantle Rotary through shopping centres and schools.
Kardinya Markets operates from 6am to 11am each Sunday in the ground floor carpark (undercover!) at the Kardinya Park Shopping Centre, at the corner of South Street and North Lake Road.

KARDINYA MARKETS BUILD CHARITY FUNDS, COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
Kardinya Markets, the weekly trash and treasure market run by Booragoon Rotary in partnership with Fremantle Rotary each Sunday morning (except this week: we’re closed for Easter), is going from strength to strength since its move undercover three months ago.
The swapmart has been part of the community for nearly 37 years. It was initially established by Booragoon Rotary at the Bull Creek Shopping Centre in July 1989, but after three unprofitable years made the move west along South Street to the Kardinya Park Shopping Centre in January 1993.
There, with the generous and sustained support of the shopping centre’s owners and managers, it has delivered a regular income for the club. The income comes from fixed fees paid by the market sellers plus donations by buyers and casual visitors. (Important note: as with all Booragoon Rotary activities, all funds raised at the market are dedicated to our charity account to support local, national and international projects that are run/backed by Rotary.)
However, being set up outdoors in the shopping centre’s carpark had some drawbacks. In the 2025 calendar year, we lost no fewer than 12 weekly markets due to bad weather – it got so bad for a while, it seemed the weather gods were deliberately saving their worst for Sunday mornings. Even on dry mornings, the intense heat of a typical Perth mid-summer’s day often kept numbers down.
That was why the announcement by the shopping centre management a couple of years ago of a multi-million dollar upgrade, including a three-storey carpark building, was an exciting moment for the club.
Since the switch to the ground floor of the carpark on January 4, the average number of sellers each week has risen significantly and we’re also attracting a wider range of buyers – including, very pleasingly, a greater number of family groups.
In addition to the increased charity income, the change of venue is enabling us to begin expanding our community presence through Kardinya Markets. For instance, we’ve just completed a special Warm Winter appeal for donations of new and good condition used clothing for distribution to the homeless and needy in our community. Four large bags of clothing will be delivered to St Pat’s Community Centre in Fremantle next week.
This will be followed by our annual Give a Damn, Give a Can (GADGAC) appeal for donations of cans and packets of non-perishable food for distribution through St Pat’s and another local homelessness charity, PortCare.
At the same time, we’re working on plans for special events at Kardinya Markets such as a visit from WA Wildlife that will include a few of the entrancing native animals from its Bibra Lake hospital and rehabilitation centre.
We are working through local community radio and social media to build more public awareness of the Kardinya Markets. We’re appealing to all Rotarians and supporters to assist this PR program by clicking on to www.facebook.com/kardinyamarkets and liking or, even better, sharing our positive messages.
Booragoon and Fremantle are among a number of Rotary clubs across Western Australia that draw much/most of their charity funds from similar markets.
An outstanding example of that is the monthly Artisan Market run by Willetton Rotary on the second Sunday of each month at Agincourt Reserve, close to the Willetton Library and Southlands Shopping Centre in Willetton.

Kardinya Markets 6-11am each Sunday, now undercover in Kardinya Park Shopping Centre car park building.