WASH Rotary Action Group supports and ensures sustainable long-lasting clean water, sanitation, and hygiene programs to communities in need.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Lights, Cameras, Action ...
Monday, September 30, 2024
Lights . . . Cameras.. ACTION !
Once again, the WASH Rotary Action Group is holding a WASH Photo and Video Competition, with $1,500 in prize money and amazing bragging rights.
You can upload your photographs and videos starting on December 1, 2024. Look for details on sizes, and permissions in the November WASH Newsletter and on the WASH-RAG website (www.wash-rag.org)
You can upload your photographs and videos starting on December 1, 2024. Look for details on sizes, and permissions in the November WASH Newsletter and on the WASH-RAG website (www.wash-rag.org)
NEW !! - WASH Project Portal
Monday, September 30, 2024
NEW !!
The WASH Rotary Action Group is very excited to be releasing a location for Rotary and Rotaract Clubs to upload and promote their Global Grant WASH Projects to obtain partners and financing.
To see the projects submitted or to submit your Club's Global Grant go to WASH Project Center
The WASH Rotary Action Group is very excited to be releasing a location for Rotary and Rotaract Clubs to upload and promote their Global Grant WASH Projects to obtain partners and financing.
To see the projects submitted or to submit your Club's Global Grant go to WASH Project Center
The WASH Project Portal has been designed to assist clubs in promoting their Global Grant WASH project, to obtain International Partners and to get funding from interested clubs.
At the current time, we are restricting the WASH Project Portal to Global Grant projects. We will be reviewing the possibility of adding District and Club-to-Club projects in the future.
Projects get supported when the information supplied is complete and easy to understand. When submitting your Global Grant to the Portal we will be requiring Clubs to include their Global Grant proposal and Community Assessment. WASH-RAG will be following up on a regular basis to determine the funding and current status of the project. Keeping projects updated is key to getting support.
At the current time, we are restricting the WASH Project Portal to Global Grant projects. We will be reviewing the possibility of adding District and Club-to-Club projects in the future.
Projects get supported when the information supplied is complete and easy to understand. When submitting your Global Grant to the Portal we will be requiring Clubs to include their Global Grant proposal and Community Assessment. WASH-RAG will be following up on a regular basis to determine the funding and current status of the project. Keeping projects updated is key to getting support.
Get $$ for your Global Grant
Monday, September 30, 2024
Get $$ for Your Global Grant
Our Professional Services Team will review your Global Grant, before it is submitted to The Rotary Foundation, and provide you suggestions on improvements that will increase its chances of being approved by the Foundation.
If you make the changes we suggest and the Grant is approved the WASH Rotary Action Group will provide your Club $2,000 for allowing us the opportunity to review it.
Our Professional Services Team will review your Global Grant, before it is submitted to The Rotary Foundation, and provide you suggestions on improvements that will increase its chances of being approved by the Foundation.
If you make the changes we suggest and the Grant is approved the WASH Rotary Action Group will provide your Club $2,000 for allowing us the opportunity to review it.
To submit your Global Grant for review, go to Global Grant Support Projects must be submitted to WASH-RAG for review BEFORE submitting it to The Rotary Foundation.
At least one member of the Host Club, and at least one member of the International Partner, must be members of the WASH Rotary Action Group and one of them must submit the Grant. To join WASH-RAG go to Join Today
You must provide your completed Global Grant and any supporting documentation (i.e. Community Assessment.) A member of our Professional Services Team members (who are also qualified cadre members) with expertise in water, sanitation, and hygiene programs will conduct a review of the project application and provide suggestions about how to improve the quality of the project.
Once the suggestions are considered for the final application, WASH Rotary Action Group will contribute $2000 towards the project. These funds will be donated directly to the Rotary Foundation and earmarked to the specific Global Grant once the project has been approved by The Rotary Foundation.
At least one member of the Host Club, and at least one member of the International Partner, must be members of the WASH Rotary Action Group and one of them must submit the Grant. To join WASH-RAG go to Join Today
You must provide your completed Global Grant and any supporting documentation (i.e. Community Assessment.) A member of our Professional Services Team members (who are also qualified cadre members) with expertise in water, sanitation, and hygiene programs will conduct a review of the project application and provide suggestions about how to improve the quality of the project.
Once the suggestions are considered for the final application, WASH Rotary Action Group will contribute $2000 towards the project. These funds will be donated directly to the Rotary Foundation and earmarked to the specific Global Grant once the project has been approved by The Rotary Foundation.
2024-10 World Toilet Day
Monday, September 30, 2024
Toilets: A Place for Peace
November 19 is World Toilet Day.
"Safe Toilets for all by 2030" is one of the targets of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SD6)- But the world is seriously off track.
The theme this year is "Toilets: A Place for Peace." This essential space, at the centre of our lives, should be safe and secure. But for billions of people, sanitation is under threat from conflict, climate change, disasters and neglect.
Go to World Toilet Day get resources from the UN.
November 19 is World Toilet Day.
"Safe Toilets for all by 2030" is one of the targets of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SD6)- But the world is seriously off track.
The theme this year is "Toilets: A Place for Peace." This essential space, at the centre of our lives, should be safe and secure. But for billions of people, sanitation is under threat from conflict, climate change, disasters and neglect.
Go to World Toilet Day get resources from the UN.
When you visit the website, where the UN tracks the progress towards water and sanitation, you can see that the status of drinking water and hygiene are about 75%, but sanitation logs far behind at 57%.
3.5 billion people still live without safely managed sanitation, including 419 million who practise open defecation. Conflict, extreme weather events and disasters can destroy, damage or disrupt sanitation services. When toilet systems don’t work – or don’t exist – untreated human waste spreads in the environment, unleashing deadly diseases such as cholera and polio.
The UN advocates that governments must ensure that sanitation and water services are resilient, effective, accessible to everyone and shielded from harm.
Rotary clubs do a lot of projects that bring clean water to communities, but The Rotary Foundation wants to put more emphasis on sanitation projects, especially in healthcare facilities and schools
Rotary clubs do a lot of projects that bring clean water to communities, but The Rotary Foundation wants to put more emphasis on sanitation projects, especially in healthcare facilities and schools
Rotary International Promotes WASH-RAG
By Ian RumblesWednesday, September 11, 2024
Nurturing Resilience in WASH
WASH
Symposium
Sat. Oct 19
Denver, CO
Nuturing Resilence
Symposium
Sat. Oct 19
Denver, CO
Nuturing Resilence
15th Annual WASH Symposium
Nurturing Resilience
Transforming Challenges into Growth
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
13 Years and 3,700+ Registrants
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
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
WASH Ambassador Corner
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/
The "Join WASH-RAG video" has been translated from English into Spanish, French, Dutch, Portuguese, German, and Hindi. Go to the WASH-RAG.ORG website, select Resources, and Marketing Resources. On the right sidebar, click the down arrow beside "Join WASH-RAG Videos" and select the language you wish to play.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
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.
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.
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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