March is Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Month in Rotary. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, approximately 2.1 billion people worldwide lack access to safely managed drinking water. When people, especially children, have access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene, they lead healthier and more successful lives. Having clean water can lead to better literacy and education, growing economies, protecting the environment, preventing diseases, and more peace.
Your Local Rotary Club contributes to The Rotary Foundation (TRF) which gave $11.8 Million in Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) global grants last fiscal year. Rather than just providing clean water, Rotary emphasizes a community-led model. Rotary seeks to have sustainable projects where local Rotary Clubs lead and committees are formed to maintain the infrastructure. Projects often include training on handwashing and disease prevention.
Quite a few years ago, the Rotary Club of Lake Forest-Lake Bluff partnered with 15 other clubs to install wells at schools around Aba, Nigeria. The project was led locally, initially by the Rotary Club of Eziukwu-Aba. They were joined in support of the project by 15 clubs in Northeast Illinois, likely coordinated by the Evanston Lighthouse Club. By the Spring of 2012, the project had installed wells at eleven schools and gave students classes in health, hygiene and sanitation. They also put the organization in place to be able to install wells at 10 additional schools and toilets and sanitation facilities at two of the schools.
To give to causes such as Clean Water, consider giving to The Rotary Foundation (TRF) at rotary.org/en/about-rotary/rotary-foundation. Please let them know that Club #3128 (The Rotary Club of Lake Forest-Lake Bluff) inspired you.