As we marked the 50th anniversary of the Rotary Club of Queenstown (RCQ) in 2025, we launched a special monthly feature celebrating the journeys of our incredible members.

Our members are the lifeblood of the club: their energy, dedication, and camaraderie make RCQ a vibrant, engaging, and welcoming community. They are the cornerstone of our club’s culture, the driving force behind our projects, and the inspiration that attracts new members. RCQ’s five decades of success reflect not only the steadfast commitment of our long-standing members but also the fresh ideas and perspectives brought by those who have joined us over the years. This seamless blend of tradition and innovation has shaped RCQ into the dynamic and diverse club we are proud of today.

Many of our members already know Axel LACHHEIN through his quiet dedication to Rotary and his warm friendship. This anniversary interview offers an opportunity to discover the person behind the friendly smile, quiet humility, and unwavering commitment to service, and to learn more about the experiences, values, and people that have shaped his Rotary journey.

Originally from Germany, Axel has made Singapore his home for many years after living and working in several countries, including the United Kingdom, Indonesia and Hong Kong. These experiences have given him a deep appreciation of different cultures and a passion for building meaningful connections across communities. He studied International Business Administration in Nuremberg and London, speaks both English and Bahasa Indonesia, and has spent much of his professional career working with international consumer brands across the Asia-Pacific region.

Over the years, however, Axel has come to believe that life's greatest achievements are measured not by professional success, but by the lives we touch and the positive impact we have on others. That conviction led him naturally to Rotary, where he found an organisation whose values closely mirror those that have guided him and his family for decades.

A proud husband and father of two adult children, aged 26 and 21, Axel shares his commitment to service with his wife, Laksmi. Together, they have supported the Bhakti Luhur orphanage in Indonesia for more than twenty years, building lasting relationships with the children and helping create opportunities for a better future. Through Rotary, Axel was delighted to introduce this project to RCQ, enabling fellow members to become part of a cause that remains especially close to their hearts.

Guided by Rotary's motto, Service Above Self, Axel believes that even the smallest acts of kindness, when multiplied by the commitment of many, can make a lasting difference.

Axel LACHHEIN

What inspired you to join the Rotary Club of Queenstown?

What inspired me to join the Rotary Club of Queenstown was a conversation with the club's Past President, Sabrina. When I mentioned my wife's and my passion for supporting emerging artists in Central Java and our involvement with an orphanage, she told me she was a Rotarian. Her description of Rotary's values and impact resonated with me, and after speaking with two long-time university friends who are Rotarians in Europe, I felt both encouraged and honoured to accept RCQ's invitation to become an active member.

How has your personal journey with the club shaped your life over the years?

I have met so many inspiring people in the club; actually, almost all of our members have inspired me in one way or another. What I find most beautiful about Rotary is how it brings together individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, all united by a shared commitment to serve, uphold high ethical standards, and give back to society in accordance with Rotary International's principles. That shared purpose has broadened my perspective, strengthened my values, and sustained my desire to contribute.

Can you share one of your most cherished memories from the early days of the club?

No, I only joined in November 2021.

How did your family react when you first joined the Rotary Club? Have they supported your involvement over the years?

My family's support was always there. Joining Rotary felt natural because of the alignment of its values with our own as a family that we've lived by for decades: service, compassion, and practical help for those in need.

For nearly 30 years, my wife and I have worked side by side on social projects: raising funds for victims of the 2006 earthquake in Indonesia, supporting communities around Yogyakarta, and responding directly to individual needs.

When the Covid-19 pandemic struck in Indonesia in 2021 and we were forced to stay in Singapore, Laksmi was devastated by the steady stream of news that friends and relatives back home were dying. Unable to travel, she turned grief into action. She mobilised her boutique villa and restaurant staff to prepare and distribute free meals and masks to the most vulnerable people in Yogyakarta.

She then founded the initiative Peduli Tanah Air Indonesia, with the aim of reaching out to Indonesian communities and friends in Singapore and Germany to raise funds and expand the support programme. Those humble daily meals made a real difference to people who had no social safety net.

Distributing food to vulnerable families duirng the COVID-19 pandemic, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

The project closest to our hearts, however, is the Bhakti Luhur orphanage. We've supported it for over 15 years and have had the privilege of watching children we knew as infants grow into teenagers and young adults.

 The playground at Bhakti Luhur Orphanage, Yogyakarta, was officially opened on 7 July 2012.
 

“The only wealth you will keep forever is the wealth you have given away.”
                             Marcus Aurelius

My whole family has been involved, but Laksmi has been the quiet, relentless presence on the ground - the one who ensures the children's needs are met and that every dollar is used responsibly. When Rotary Club Queenstown decided to undertake major projects at the orphanage under Past Presidents Hannes and Farouk, our club members were tremendously supportive and in fact have remained to this day very committed to this project. 

I often say that Laksmi is the better Rotarian: she does the unseen, essential work that brings our commitments to life. Her compassion and steadiness have made our service to the orphanage profoundly personal and enduring.

Top right: The orphanage’s mushroom farm supporting self-sufficiency
Top left: Welcoming a new arrival at Bhakti Luhur Orphanage 
Bottom: Sharing joyful moments with the children of Bhakti Luhur Orphanage

Did your family ever participate in any Rotary events or projects? How did that experience shape their view of the club?

Yes, my family has been deeply involved, especially with Bhakti Luhur. Our children eagerly anticipate each visit to the orphanage and have formed genuine bonds with the children and young people there. My wife enjoys organising the club's trips to Yogyakarta and joins social outings with members in Singapore.

Through these shared hands-on experiences, we have come to see Rotary not as an abstract organisation but as a compassionate, effective community of people committed to meaningful, sustained service.

What lessons from your Rotary experience have you shared with your children or grandchildren?

From a young age, I've taken my children to the orphanage. I wanted them to see life beyond the comfortable expatriate bubble in Singapore, to learn humility, gratitude, and the importance of serving others.

Joyful Christmas celebration with the Bhakti Luhur family, December 2025

Those visits taught them empathy, responsibility for how we use our resources, and the quiet joy of providing steady, practical care for people in need.

How did your professional life influence your work within the Rotary Club, and vice versa?

My professional background in project management, cross-cultural communication, and financial accountability helped me design and run sustainable Rotary initiatives, mobilise resources, and ensure the transparent use of funds. Those practical skills paired naturally with Rotary's ethical standards and a disciplined approach to planning and monitoring.

In return, Rotary broadened my perspective and deepened my sense of social responsibility, teaching me patience, humility, and the importance of long-term relationships. That more human-centred, anthroposophical approach now shapes how I lead at work: prioritising listening, stewardship, and steady, compassionate action alongside measurable outcomes.

Did being a part of the Rotary network open up any unexpected opportunities in your profession?

Not really, since networking wasn't my rationale for joining Rotary.

I value the fellowship deeply and hope to engage even more when I travel less for business.

What personal passions or hobbies have you pursued outside of Rotary?

My greatest passion is my family. Really watching my children grow and spending as much time with them as possible. We travel together whenever we can, exploring new places and sharing adventures.

I'm also really into sports, especially when we enjoy them together as a family. I'll always remember running with my children around Bukit Timah at midnight during the Covid-19 circuit breaker after a rooftop barbecue and card games, a small, joyful moment that turned lockdown into a treasured family memory.

Have you ever had the chance to combine your personal interests with Rotary projects? If so, how?

Yes. A key example, for which I am grateful, is bringing the Bhakti Luhur orphanage into Rotary as a major project under the presidencies of Hannes and Farouk, and continuing our long-term support, whether through providing chicken or duck livestock, building a mushroom hut, or supporting the children's education. A whole club, and its members together, can achieve so much more and change so many more lives than one family or one person could ever do alone.

 Staff and children harvest, pack and stock oyster mushrooms at Bhakti Luhur. The project generates additional income for the orphanage and contributes to its long-term financial self-sufficiency.

How did you balance your family, career, and Rotary commitments over the years?

Because my family, and especially my wife, is deeply involved in our service work, Rotary and family life have blended rather than competed; our commitments reinforce one another.

The real juggling act has been my frequent work travel, which sometimes keeps me from attending meetings as often as I'd like.

Was there ever a time when you considered stepping back from Rotary, and what made you stay?

Not really.

In life there may be moments when you disagree, feel unhappy, or someone might have even stepped on your toes, but in the end it is all about doing good and making a difference in people's lives.

How has the Rotary Club evolved in its mission, membership, and activities over the past 50 years?

During the five years since I joined the club, I have seen our membership increase by more than 10%, which is a great achievement.

However, I wish all new members would show up more regularly and become a little more hands-on when it comes to executing projects.

What values of Rotary do you think have stood the test of time?

Rotary's enduring values are clear: Service Above Self remains timeless.

Equally important is acting for the common good.

"That which is not good for the beehive cannot be good for the bee."
                                                                                          Marcus Aurelius

As Marcus Aurelius' beehive metaphor suggests, our deeds must benefit the whole, not only the individual.

I also hold the Four-Way Test close. Its questions of truth, fairness, goodwill, and mutual benefit are a practical ethical compass that continues to guide our thoughts, words, and actions.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone considering joining the Rotary movement, what would it be?

Before you join, ask yourself why: is it for networking or prestige, or to serve?

Rotary is for those who want to contribute with genuine philanthropic or humanitarian intent. If your motive is to make a real, sustained difference, you'll find the right place here.

Who has been the most influential person you've met through your Rotary journey, and why?

I've met so many influential people through Rotary, especially our senior members, who are true role models I look up to. Their generous giving, wise mentorship, and habit of involving partners and families in service show how one can grow older while staying active in compassion.

They embody Service Above Self and strong family values, and their example continues to inspire me.

What would you like to see as the Rotary Club of Queenstown's future focus or legacy projects?

I would like RCQ to build a few long-term legacy focuses that blend heart, skill, and sustainability:

• Strengthen Bhakti Luhur into a long-term partnership: expand education, vocational training, and transition-to-work programmes so children move from care into independent, dignified livelihoods.

• Community health and mental well-being: preventive health outreach, basic mental health support, and resilience programmes for vulnerable families.

• Sustainable livelihoods and climate resilience: support for small enterprises, regenerative agriculture, and disaster-response preparedness for communities in Indonesia and Vietnam.

• Endowment and impact measurement: establish a legacy fund and simple monitoring systems to ensure projects are financially sustainable and demonstrably effective. 

These priorities combine compassion with practical, measurable action and invite intergenerational involvement so that RCQ's service endures and evolves.
  
“A whole club, and its members together, can achieve so much more and change so many more lives than one family or one person could ever do alone.”■