Through the inspired commitment of our members, we provide college scholarships, funding for medical screenings, food pantries, homeless shelters, clean water and health initiatives worldwide and much more, and the most important signature project of our generation, eliminating Polio. Polio is a serious disease that cripples, paralyzes, or kills many children under the age of 5. Rotarians worldwide have volunteered their time and personal resources to reach more than two billion children in 122 countries with oral polio vaccine. More than $900 million has been contributed by Rotarians worldwide since 1985 and incidence of polio has decreased from 125 countries to just 3 endemic countries: Pakistan, Afganistan, and Nigeria and cases have plummeted by more than 99 percent. When Rotary began it's polio eradication work more than 350,000 children were infected annually. In 2009, fewer than 1,700 cases were reported worldwide.