On the main stage at the Singapore Convention, John Hewko, General Secretary, recognized the six-year partnership between the Beer Rotarians Enjoy Worldwide (B.R.E.W. Fellowship) and WASH-RAG.

In Singapore, Stephen Sehnert, B.R.E.W. Treasurer, presented WASH-RAG with a $4,000 dollar check, making their commitment to clean water total $35,000.

Join B.R.E.W. https://rotarybrew.org/  and contribute to their annual contribution. 

 

Sanitation Project on Tea Plantation 
By Kumaraswamy Sivakumaran, WASH Ambassador

The sanitation facilities at a tea plantation in Sri Lanka were in pathetic shape. This challenging project constructed toilets with a septic system and handwashing facilities for 275 families. 
 

Sanitation Facilities for Tea Estate Workers in Sri Lanka

The tea estate is in a marginalized community in Sri Lanka. The workers were brought to the country in the 19th century from South India and their daily wage varies between US $4 to US $5. They live in small units known as “lines” and the sanitation facilities are pathetic.

To improve sanitation facilities, the Rotary Clubs in California, Colorado, and Connecticut, with the support of their Districts and The Rotary Foundation, embarked on a project in September 2022 to construct 275 toilets with septic tanks and hand washing stations, costing nearly US $132,000.
 
The project would provide basic sanitation facilities for 275 families, enhance hygiene, and improve attendance in schools. West Sacramento Rotary Club, California is the international sponsor and Kandy Rotary Club, Sri Lanka, is the host sponsor in Sri Lanka 

The project is nearly complete and there is scope for building another 75 toilets.
 
Unique Challenges
The challenges were many!

The challenge was that the tea estate workers did not own the units they were living in or the land adjoining their units. The area was mountainous and the space available was limited to build a toilet and a septic tank. Positioning the septic tank, the toilet, and then laying the sewage pipes from the toilet to the septic tank was challenging. The workers had to navigate narrow spaces.
 
This caused a predicament as to where we could build the toilets. We had to discuss with the estate management which owned the land and obtain permission to build the toilets adjoining the housing units (commonly known as lines). In one case a family sacrificed part of their living area to build the toilet.
 
Lessons Learned
Briefly the cooperation of the stakeholders in the area helped us with the project.

A local NGO that was familiar with the area, knew the key players in the area, such as the mayor, the Administrative Secretary of the District, and the Superintendent of the tea estate, and helped us execute the project.

The beneficiaries provided the labor to construct the septic tank and had to sacrifice one or two days of their wages because they could not go to work. The terrain is mountainous and construction materials had to be transported using three wheelers and carried manually at the site. Skilled labor and contractors who could engage in the project was limited.
 
The Public Health Inspector (PHI) visits the construction site to ensure that statutory requirements are met during the construction of the toilets. In addition, the PHI visits the housing units to ensure that the toilets are clean and maintained in a sanitary condition.
 
Status
In March 2023, seventy-five toilets were handed over to the beneficiaries.
 
In April 2024, an Art competition on “The environment and Hygiene” was conducted among the various schools to raise awareness among the children. Almost 13,800 students from thirty-six schools participated in the competition. An awareness program is being planned for the families.
 
From May to June 2024, about two hundred toilets will be handed over to the community.
We are planning on building another seventy-two toilets. Due to the financial crisis, the bank in Sri Lanka gave a higher interest rate for funds deposited. As the project funds were deposited during the fiscal crisis, they earned some interest, and we found that the interest was sufficient to build another seventy-two toilets in the project area. We have submitted a request to The Rotary Foundation seeking permission to build these additional toilets. We hope it will be approved.
 

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Kyaka Refuge Camp Clean Water Project
This project was implemented in the Kyaka II Refugee Settlement in western Uganda. The settlement's population expanded quickly, and the existing infrastructure was unable to meet the demands. Clean water was necessary to prevent the residents from contracting waterborne diseases. There were many components involved including a rainwater collection system.
 
This project was made possible in part by a $25,000 grant from the WASH Rotary Action Group
 

Kyaka Refuge Camp Clean Water Project
(PowerPoint file of pictures from the project)
 
Where is the project: This project is being implemented in the Kyaka II Refugee Settlement in western Uganda. As of March of 2022, Kyaka II had a population of 136,841 refugees, mainly from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), who have fled ongoing militia activities, inter-ethnic violence, and widespread human rights violations in North Kivu and Ituri provinces in DRC. By comparison, the population in 2015 was 28,000, so the settlement grew rapidly.

What was the problem: As the settled population has quickly expanded, significant pressure has been exerted on the existing water supply infrastructure and services, thus limiting the number of people with access to clean and safe water. As a result, this has further exposed inhabitants to related public health risks.

What was the solution: The project's goal is to reduce the vulnerability of refugee women, girls, boys, men, and host community members to public health risks. The objective was to increase the potable water supply for refugees and host communities in Kyaka II. This project involved several components, with the aim of improving water coverage, reducing water trucking, and reducing walking distances and queuing time at water collection points. The components included:
        1. Construct water harvesting systems
        2. Build a 100m3 steel tank at Buliti/Sweswe water supply
        3. Develop a mobile water quality laboratory at Sweswe
        4. Extend the utilities to Bujubuli Water Plant
In total, these components will provide an enhanced supply of clean and safe water to approximately 37,000 people.

Did you do anything Unique or Innovative: My experience working in refugee settlements is always unique in its challenges. In similar projects where the same interventions would be implemented in a village, there needs to be buy-in from the local residents, which is similar in this case. Then, it would be a matter of working with the proper governmental authorities and a chosen vendor. In refugee settlements/camps, there is a bit more oversight from authorities: not only does the local government need to be involved, but UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) and the Office of the Prime Minister must also be involved. Additionally, all efforts must be coordinated with the implementing partner contracted with UNHCR to provide oversight and facilitation of services. In this case, Oxfam is the contracted partner with UNHCR to provide WASH-related services in Kyaka II, so we needed to work directly with them…there is no alternative.

What lessons were learned: As the International Partner, my biggest takeaway deals with the relationship with, and the level of involvement from, the Host Club. The Rotary Club of Kampala South has been a great partner and the “leader” of the project. They built relationships on the ground, conducted the needs assessment, wrote the grant application, and have been very active in implementing the project. Since our club is several thousand miles away, we couldn’t have the same level of involvement and sense of ownership. As a result, this project has gone much more smoothly than others I have been involved with (not saying those have been bad; this has just been a great experience).

Who is the Host Club: Rotary Club of Kampala South

Who are the International Clubs: Rotary Club of Prior Lake, MN- United States

How was the project funded: This project was funded with a combination of club funds, District Designated funds, individual Rotarian contributions, and, most importantly, a grant from the WASH Rotary Action Group.
The clubs that contributed to the project:
        Rotary Club of Kampala South- Uganda
        Rotary Club of Prior Lake, MN- United States
        Rotary Club of East Orange, NJ- United States
        Rotary Club of South Amboy-Sayreville, NJ- United States
        Rotary Club of North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale, MN- United States
        Rotary Club of Savage, MN- United States
Districts that contributed District Designated Funds to the project:
        District 5960- Minnesota & Wisconsin, United States
        District 7170- New York, United States
        District 9213- Uganda
Individual Rotarian Contribution: George Wickstrom, Rotary Club of Faribault, MN- United States
 
What is the status: As of early May, the water harvesting systems have been installed at four schools and one medical center. The foundation for the 100m3 steel tank at Buliti/Sweswe is well underway and will be completed soon. Once that is finished, efforts will commence on developing the mobile water quality laboratory and extending utilities to the Bujubuli Water Plant.
 
Members of the Rotary Club of Kampala South continue to visit the project site, and all project team members are provided regular updates via WhatsApp from a cooperating partner with AQUA Methods in Kyaka II.

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Yaouba Ibrahim, WASH Ambassador, joined the Rotary Club of Kumbo, Cameroon, as he wanted to change the lives of the indigenous nomadic people in his community by providing them with clean water.

After completing the project, he talked with an elderly woman, and it changed how he defines Rotary.
 

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How projects are presented often dictates whether a project gets enough funding. The Rotary Club of Northeast Chicagoland Passport has done an excellent job of creating a jpg image, which could also be a PDF, that promotes their project. 

Reverse Osmosis Project in Peru

How clubs promote their projects often dictates how successful they will be in getting funded. The Rotary Club of Northeast Chicagoland Passport has done an excellent job of promoting its Reverse Osmosis project in Peru. 

The image below provides the following:

• Location of the project
• What is the problem and situation
• Who is the Host and International Club
• When the project will take place
• Clear before pictures and what is proposed
• How much funding is required.
• Contact information
• Date when created

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WASH Ambassador Dilip Mirchandani, Rotary Club of Ronse-Renaix, has done an excellent job creating the document "A guide to designing a WASH (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene) in Schools Project (WinS). 

DOWNLOAD DOCUMENT