WASH Rotary Action Group supports and ensures sustainable long-lasting clean water, sanitation, and hygiene programs to communities in need.
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Message from WASH-RAG Board Chair
WASH Rotary Action Group Board Chair
Our new Board Chair explains why she is a member of the WASH Rotary Action Group.
Read one example from her 30-year career in healthcare on how clean water, and following standards for sanitation and hygiene can dramatically reduce newborn deaths.
Pat is a strong advocate for WASH in general and especially WASH in Healthcare Facilities, as she knows the impact.
Greetings to all of our WASH Rotary Action Group Members and WASH Ambassadors!
I am often asked why I am in the WASH Rotary Action Group, as I am not a water or waste Engineer and not very technical when it comes to installation and testing of water and waste samples.
I have an easy explanation and this reflects many of us involved in WASH, it is because “It All Starts with WASH!” We all know that WASH – Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene - is the foundation of healthy lives --- free from illness; bolstering economic growth; keeping waterways and soil free of contamination; improving health outcomes in hospitals and clinics; increasing plant food and agriculture; and it certainly is refreshing to swim in during these hot days of summer.
I have worked in healthcare for over 30 years and have found that safe water, sanitation, and following hygiene standards are key to positive outcomes of care by reducing maternal and newborn infections from unclean hands; sterilizing surgical equipment and procedure devices; cleaning surgical wounds; and keeping the healthcare facility free of life-threatening bacteria.
Recently, I was referred to an article by Jeanine Thomas, a passionate and knowledgeable patient advocate on eradicating healthcare acquired infections. The article headline says it all “In Nigeria and Ethiopia, Neonatal Sepsis Poses a Major Threat to Newborns. And as Antibiotic Resistance Grows, a Crisis is Mounting.” With growing resistance to antibiotics and antibiotics in short supply around the world, this article concludes with…..this cycle can be broken with clean water. Clean water would allow the babies to be delivered with clean hands; newborns would be placed in clean settings and wrapped in clean warming blankets; equipment would be clean; infections reduced due to following standards of sanitation and hygiene; and the risk of developing sepsis caused by an infection would be dramatically reduced. The article is not technical but really walks one through the crisis of dramatically reducing newborn deaths with WASH!
Reducing Newborn Deaths with WASH
WASH Rotary Action Group is always looking for Rotary members and non-Rotarians that want to make a difference in the lives of many people around the world --- It All Starts with WASH! To join us, sign up at https://www.wash-rag.org/membership/
Nurturing Resilience in WASH
Symposium
Sat. Oct 19
Denver, CO
Nuturing Resilence
Nurturing Resilience
Transforming Challenges into Growth
District 5450 and the Rotary Club of Evergreen are working jointly to provide a hybrid symposium you can attend in person or virtually, on Sat. Oct 19, in Denver, CO.
Building resilience in water, sanitation, and hygiene projects is crucial for ensuring sustainable and effective systems. This is especially true in the face of challenges such as climate change, population growth, conflict, and emergencies.
To register and for more information visit:
Where WASH Professionals Meet
The UNC Water and Health Conference, October 14 - 28, in Chapel Hill, NC, has earned a reputation for being where the top researchers, policymakers, and those with boots on the ground meet.
Excellent presentations and professional posters provide a focus on drinking water supply, sanitation, hygiene, and water resources in both developing and developed countries with a strong public health emphasis.
To register and and for more details go to:
https://waterinstitute.unc.edu/our-work/unc-water-and-health-conference
WASH Ambassador Corner
Creating Awareness
Monthly, the WASH Ambassadors have a Zoom training program called "Conversations." This month, WASH Ambassador Charlotte Roehm provided an excellent presentation on the resources that are available on WASH in general and WASH-RAG specifically.
On the WASH-RAG.ORG website, under Resources Heading select WASH Education to see the previous WASH Ambassador program videos. These are not restricted to the Ambassadors and contain great information for all involved in the WASH sector.
Videos listed include:
- Community Assessments
- Ensuring WASH in Healthcare Facilities
- How WASH Contributes to Improved Health
New videos are added each month, so check back regularly.
Bonjour Hola Salut
Bonjour, Ola, Salut ... the WASH Ambassador program is expanding rapidly around the globe. The program with over 120 members has been divided up into geographic regions to allow programs to be tailored to the languages, cultures, and time zones of the area.
Recently, some resources have been translated into numerous languages.
https://www.wash-rag.org/marketing-resources/
In the August 2024 newsletter, we mentioned the speech "It All Starts With Water." In the same Marketing area as the video, you can click beside "It All Starts with Water" and select English, Spanish, or Portuguese.
Why I am a WASH Ambassador
by Blessing Muderhwa, WASH Ambassador
Growing up in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Blessing, saw firsthand that only two out of twenty-two villages had access to clean water and waterborne diseases were widespread.
Read about how he experienced the power of community-driven initiatives to bring clean water to his village.
Growing up in Momosho village, Kabare Territory, South Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of Congo, I experienced firsthand the struggles of lacking clean drinking water. In my area, only two out of twenty-two villages had access to clean water, and waterborne diseases were widespread.
The Rotary Clubs of Bukavu Mwanganza, District 9150 and Rotary Club of Montecito, USA, District 5240 collaborated to construct a large water reservoir, transforming my village by providing clean water and reducing diseases.
In 2022, I was honored with the WASH22 Student Awards Rotary District 5450. This award funded my field research activities, reflecting my dedication to improving water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) conditions. This deepened my commitment to advocating for global health equity, particularly in ensuring access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene.
My passion for global health equity drives my desire to serve as a WASH Ambassador. Access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene is a fundamental human right and a cornerstone for sustainable development. As a WASH Ambassador, I aim to contribute to sustainable solutions for communities in need.
The mission of the WASH Rotary Action Group is to support and ensure the implementation of long-lasting clean water, sanitation, and hygiene programs. The global water crisis is stark: 2.2 billion people lack safely managed drinking water, and 3.5 billion lack safely managed sanitation, with 419 million continue to practice open defecation. Unsafe water, sanitation, and hygiene are responsible for the deaths of around 1,000 children under five every day. Moreover, at least two billion people globally use a drinking water source contaminated with feces.
Diarrhea diseases, the second leading cause of death among children under five, accounts for 9% of deaths in this age group. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, due to unsafe water, there are about 7,100 deaths from cholera and 19,000 deaths among the 45 million cases of diarrhea recorded each year in children under five. These deaths, mostly concentrated in Sub-Saharan Africa, are closely linked to low socioeconomic status and inadequate WASH practices.
WASH initiatives, such as water treatment, safe water storage, and handwashing with soap, have the potential to reduce the incidence of diarrheal diseases in children under five by 30 to 75%. Addressing these crucial challenges that kill my brothers and sisters every day in my country and region motivates me to promote sustainable and effective solutions as a WASH Ambassador.
My journey from a village in the Democratic Republic of Congo to becoming a WASH Ambassador showcases the power of community-driven initiatives. I am committed to advocating for those without a voice and contributing to the global effort to ensure clean water, sanitation, and hygiene for all.
100 Toilets for Girls in Nepal
The Rotary Club of Dhulikhel is spearheading an ambitious project to construct 100 toilets for girls in Nepal within five years.
Thousands of girls will see improved health, safety, and education through this project.
In Nepal, it is estimated that 19% of schools lack the proper facilities for girls, especially during menstruation. Many schools and public places lack proper toilet facilities for girls, which can have serious implications for their health, safety, and education.
One of the major issues is the lack of separate toilets for girls in schools. This can lead to girls feeling uncomfortable using shared facilities, especially during menstruation. As a result, many girls skip school during their periods, leading to a negative impact on their education.
Furthermore, the lack of proper sanitation facilities can also put girls at risk of infections and diseases. Without access to clean toilets, girls are forced to use unsafe and unhygienic facilities, which can have serious health consequences.
In addition, the lack of privacy and security in public toilets can make girls vulnerable to harassment and abuse. This can further deter girls from using public facilities, leading to increased health risks and social isolation.
Overall, the lack of proper toilet facilities for girls in Nepal, is a serious issue that needs to be addressed. It is essential to prioritize the construction of separate and safe toilets for girls in schools and public places to ensure their health, safety, and well-being.
Critical Success Factors
In the last four years, the Rotary Club of Sentosa, Singapore has completed Eleven Global Grants, nine of them related to WASH in Schools projects in the Siem Reap area, of Cambodia. Learn their Club's Guiding Principles and what they consider are the Critical Success Factors.
The Rotary Club of Sentosa established some Guiding Principles before embarking on obtaining a Global Grant.
- Focus on projects to benefit those most in need (poorest of the poor)
- Ensure the projects are sustainable
- Utilize the Global Grants in a responsible manner
- Engage external individuals and corporate sponsors to find projects
- Every club member is associated with at least one project
- Obtain the mindset that the projects are club projects, not the Club President's project
- Develop a relationship with a reliable and trusted partner, in this case the Cambodia Community Dream Organization (CCDO)
- Consistency of Grant Application
- Importance of a Community Needs Assessment
- Maintenance and upkeep of the toilets and washing stations is the responsibility of the students
- Sourcing of donations and sponsors completed upfront
- Keep projects small so they are more manageable
- Ensure detailed reports on progress to keep things on track
- Use small pilot projects to assess and learn
- Develop an ownership and maintenance agreement with the school
- To ensure sustainability
- Obtain a long-term water source
- Provide training on the maintenance of infrastructure
- Provide accountability to The Rotary Foundation and Sponsors by
- Setting up bank accounts for each project
- Utilize the obtained funds (not more, not less)
- Keep all receipts
- Keep financial statements
- Have evidence of sustainability
- Submit required reports on time
Rotaract Clubs tackle Menstrual Hygiene Project
The Rotaract Club of London and the Rotaract Club of Accra Ring Road Central, Ghana, are leading a Menstrual Hygiene project in Ghana. There focus is on school-aged girls in rural communities of Ghana.
Working with multiple partners, read how these Rotaract Clubs have a well thought out plan.
With limited access to sanitary products, lack of information on menstrual health, and dealing with the stigma surrounding periods, many girls use unsafe period management methods. These practices put the girls at risk of infections and keep them from attending school during their periods for fear of leaks.
When girls skip school, for up to a week, while on their periods, they start to fall behind and eventually drop out. With menstrual hygiene kits, clean washrooms, girls stay in school longer, become better educated, get married later, have fewer children, and earn more over their lifetime.
A community needs assessment identified the areas most in need, being rural areas in the north of Ghana and in the urban areas of Accra, Volta, and Ashanti. Their initial target is 200 girls in four communities.
A significant side benefit of this project is the employment of local women to sew the sanitary pads, using locally sourced fabrics. Local women are also hired to create menstrual hygiene kits. Already, over 1,000 pads have been created. Sessions on entrepreneurial skills are provided to assist them in establishing their businesses.
With the implementation of the program, training will be provided to the girls in the schools on how to use the menstrual kits. The project is also identifying students that have been affected by not having menstrual products, providing them with educational materials and assist them back into school.
If you would like to donate to this project or want more information, contact the Rotaract Club of London at rotaract.londonclub@gmail.com
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WASH Rotary Action Group and World Water Summit
gratefully acknowledges the support of our sponsors:
World Water Day
March 22
Menstrual Hygiene Day
May 28
Global Hand Washing Day
October 15
World Polio Day
October 24
World Toilet Day
November 19