Ron Denham, March 2012

Imagine ….

A world where women and girls dont have to trudge miles to fetch water :

Imagine ….

A world where this young girl will be in school – not spending countless hours in the drudgery of collecting water:

Imagine ….

A world where everyone has access to clean, safe water ….

Imagine ….

A world where basic sanitation is available to everyone:

As President Banerjee has challenged us, Reach within to embrace humanity. Be part of Wasrags dream to make clean water and adequate sanitation a reality for every man, woman and child. BE PART OF ROTARYS FUTURE VISION

The Background: 900 million people (one in six) lack access to safe water. 2.5 billion have no sanitation.

Safe Water & Sanitation Lack of access to safe water and sanitation has profound implications for human development:

Economic consequences are equally serious: 40 billion hours spent, per year, in Africa alone collecting and hauling water. Women and children (usually girls) spend up to six hour per day fetching water. Families often spend up to 25% of their income to purchase water.

Water access was the only Millennium Development Goal (MDG) agreed on by all countries Goal #7: By 2015 reduce by 50% the proportion of people without access to sustainable safe water and sanitation

Water & Sanitation is an RI strategic Area of Focus. This implies: Rotarians should be aware of world water issues. Rotary clubs should implement a water and/or sanitation project or program.

Rotarians are striving to meet the challenge:

They are responding to every imaginable need: Dug wells Bore holes

Rainwater harvesting Household filters and purification

SODIS (Solar Water Disinfection)

Building earth and concrete dams Installing pipelines/ distribution systems

Toilet blocks Latrines

But, too often service is not sustainable. It fails within a few years: No funds for operation/maintenance. Supply-driven technology is inappropriate. No spare-parts supply chain. Local people dont know how to maintain. No change in behaviour. No local ownership.

And were not having the impact expected of Rotary: Little leverage with other organizations. Few opportunities to scale up. Little use of Rotary Community Corps. Too small to attract outside funding. Isolated projects – little learning. Minimal linkage with governments.

We can be much more effective: Focus on sustainability. Empower the local/host community. Match technology to need. Base decisions on life-cycle costing. Set tariffs so users pay for service. Implement monitoring and evaluation.

We can have a real impact on community development: Create programs not projects. Include software - training, team building etc. Focus on humanitarian and economic outcomes. Leverage other organizations: local authorities, NGOs, government agencies, corporations. Appoint and pay a professional team. Ask for big money$$$ millions.

Wasrag can help you realize that vision: Expertise in all aspects of WaSH. Find a project and get started. Share information on best practices. Attract outside funding. Select appropriate technologies. Match with clubs and NGOs. Facilitate partnerships, attract sponsors, to match club, district and TRF grants.

Wasrag is Rotarys resource for WaSH, You can help Rotary clubs everywhere: Volunteer your expertise. Become a link in the Rotary-wide network. Report your successes, share your experience. Become a member of Wasrag. Persuade your friends to support Wasrag. Go to: Click on Join Wasrag.

Just imagine ….