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March is Clean Water and Sanitation Month

March for Rotarians is a time to remember the importance of providing clean water and adequate sanitation services for others less fortunate than us around the world.

To effectively promote the gift of clean water and sanitation Rotary International collaborates with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) that supports lasting, positive changes to water, sanitation and hygiene initiatives. Our partnership combines the vast network of Rotary volunteers with the expertise of USAID to influence communities and policymakers to solve seemingly unsolvable problem and bring about lasting change through education and advocacy.

Partnering since 2009 with USAID has improved access to clean water and sanitation in developing countries and working on continuous improvement while sharing learning with other philanthropic and humanitarian organization around the world.

Examples to improve the basic quality of life for many people include a 2015 International H2O Collaboration committing four million dollars each to Ghana, Uganda and Madagascar, with contributing Rotary organizations providing half of the funds needed. Rotary continues to raise $200,000 for each country by 2018 as part of its $2 million per country commitment.

Closer to home an excellent example of Rotary’s commitment to service involves Rotarians from Redwood Falls working with fellow Rotarians who live where projects are being done or with fully-vetted nongovernmental organizations. This is happening in Barielly, located in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India, where 52 middle schools have been identified that lack hand-washing facilities and workable toilets. Rotary grants will provide hand washing stations to enable students and staff to wash with soap and water before and after meals. We take for granted that toilets work properly in our schools, but in Barielly when toilets are non-functioning many female students choose to leave school to use their home bathroom facilities, oftentimes not returning to school that day. This grant will help keep students in school and will prevent the spread of communicable diseases for all students and faculty at up to 25 of the identified schools.

To maintain these sanitation facilities a well-developed sustainability plan is a necessity. Participating schools are required to enter into a contract to assure that responsibilities for maintaining and repair of the facilities are clearly understood and owned by the recipient organization.

Rotarians do not work through governments; we bring a nonpolitical, nonpartisan environment, where the only agenda is to do the right thing. Clean water and healthy sanitary conditions need to be available to everyone and Rotary is doing its part to bring a healthier life to those people that need our help the most.

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