Making WASH Grants More Sustainable

One of the cornerstone programs of the WASH Rotary Action Group is our Global Grant Review Process. 

Rotary and Rotaract Clubs, before they submit their Global Grant Proposal to The Rotary Foundation, can upload it to our website ( Global Grant Support ) and we will have the Grant reviewed by a WASH Ambassador who is also a Rotary WASH Cadre. The Reviewers will provide suggestions on making the project more sustainable, ensuring the Community Assessment is sufficient, and that the quality of the Grant will make it more likely to be approved by The Rotary Foundation.

By using this service, not only is your project more likely to be approved, but we will donate $2,000 towards your project. 

 

Global Grants Getting $2,000

The following projects were reviewed this year, by one of our WASH Ambassadors / WASH Cadre, and approved by The Rotary Foundation. They have received $2,000 towards their project. 

GG 2461307 - This large WASH in Schools (WinS) project in Guatemala will provide water filtration systems in 22 schools and five community-scale systems serving 200 families. An educational program will teach hygiene.

GG 2237714 - Sponsored by the eClub of WASH, this project provided water, sanitation, and hygiene to 18,000 rural villagers in Uganda. AN extensive impact study was also conducted.
 

GG2344241 - A previous Global Grant provided water to 18 healthcare facilities in Malawi. This Grant is focused on providing toilets and menstrual hygiene facilities to these centers and providing support through a circuit rider program.
 

Grant for Technical Assessments

Local government authorities may require the completion of certain technical aspects before they approve a project. Currently, the Global Grant process does not cover those activities that happen before the Grant is submitted. Hydrogeologic studies of groundwater, test drilling, and engineering designs are examples of the technical activities that might be required. 

WASH-RAG will pay up to $1,200 for these types of technical assessments. This grant cannot be used for Community Assessments. To get more information and to apply, visit: Technical Assessment Grant
 

At the Rotary Convention in Calgary, June 21 - 25, there will be so much to do related to Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene.

Attend World Water Summit 17, on the morning of Saturday, June 21, where the theme is WASH Away Polio & Other Infectious Diseases. (Summit Registration & Information )
 

Throughout the convention, visit the WASH-RAG Booth and the WASH HUB for a variety of educational opportunities. 

Dr. Ann Marie Kimball is Professor Emerita in the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Washington. Dr. Kimball, who has been a Rotary member for over 25 years, is known for being a pioneer of electronic disease surveillance for infectious diseases. 

Dr. Kimball will be one of the presenters at the World Water Summit 17 - WASH Away Polio & Other Infectious Diseases, on the morning of Saturday, June 21, at the Marriott Downtown. 

Click here to Register for the Summit.
 

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In the last year, the WASH Ambassador program has expanded drastically, with over 100 Ambassadors in 89 Districts. 

During the Calgary Convention, there will be numerous times to meet one of these Rotary and Rotaract members who are passionate and knowledgeable about WASH. They have a Meet & Greet on the afternoon of Saturday, June 21. 

During the Convention, WASH Ambassadors will frequently be available at the WASH-RAG Booth or presenting at the popular WASH HUB.

Click to find out about the WASH Ambassador program.  

1-3 May 2025  - Dist 5960 - Make Peace Visible Conference 
15-17 May       - Uniendo America Project Fair (Panama) 

28 May 2025   - World Menstrual Hygiene Day
21 Jun 2025    - World Water Summit 17, Calgary
21 Jun 2025    - WASH Ambassador Meet & Greet - Calgary
21-25 Jun        - Rotary Convention - Calgary

24 - 28 Aug     - World Water Week (Stockholm)

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Since 1993, the United Nations has recognized March 22 as World Water Day, to bring attention to the importance of clean water. The theme this year is "Save Our Glaciers."

At first, you may not think that relates to the activities of the WASH Rotary Action Group. However, it might.

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WASH Ambassador, Asher Ali, District 3271, Pakistan, provides a story about how 40,000 people have cool, clean water through Community-Driven solutions.  

If you have a story about a successful WASH  project, or even better, a project that failed, as we have to learn from our mistakes, contact info@wash-rag.org. 

Tibi Nayal is a small village near the Jaranwala district, Faisalabad, Pakistan, with a population of about 55,000. The village land is highly suitable for agriculture due to canal irrigation. However, extensive farming and canal seepage has caused the water table to rise, leading to soil salinization and making the subsoil water unsuitable for drinking. With no alternative sources of drinking water available, the community had to rely on lifting saline groundwater.

Recognizing the urgent need for safe drinking water, Rotary selected the village to install a solar-powered water filtration plant with assistance from Coca-Cola Pakistan, UNDP, and Global Water Challenge, and New World. The village community provided a location for the installation of the plant and took responsibility for its maintenance and security.

In April 2018, the Solar Water Filtration Plant was installed in Tibi Nayal, immediately benefiting more than 20,000 people in the catchment area. The plant significantly reduced the burden on women who previously had to fetch water from distant locations and greatly improved children's health. The community actively maintained the plant and ensured monthly filter replacements.

Mai Bhagan, a local resident, expressed her gratitude, stating that the water filtration plant had brought a positive change to their lives. She mentioned that they now use the clean water not only for drinking but also for cooking. Additionally, the clean water meets the needs of elderly and sick family members.

Mr. Naveed, a young and dedicated individual in the village, has played a pivotal role in the project. As a former councilor and community focal person, he has devoted his time and energy to the plant's upkeep. Observing the positive impact of the plant and the community's needs during the hot weather, he initiated a campaign to raise funds for purchasing an electric water cooler. He engaged local stakeholders and conducted door-to-door visits to collect contributions, fostering a sense of ownership among the residents.

Thanks to Naveed's efforts, a water cooler was eventually purchased and installed at the filtration plant, providing the community with safe, cold drinking water. The initiative has brought joy, especially to women and children. Today, the Water Filtration Plant building serves as a central gathering point for the community, where stakeholders periodically meet to discuss and plan development activities and ensure the plant's proper maintenance. This project stands as a model of participatory community development.

After six years, Mr. Naveed made a borehole in his house, discovering a source of fresh water. Laboratory tests confirmed that the water was chemically suitable for drinking. With community support, the existing plant was relocated to another part of the village, thereby extending its benefits to an additional 20,000 residents.

This project exemplifies sustainability achieved through active community participation and ownership.

This project story was provided by WASH Ambassador, Asher Ali, ali.asher801@gmail.com

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https://www.colorado.edu/washsymposium/

This student-coordinated event features both a virtual and in-person option. The theme of the 2025 Symposium is Resilience, Sustainability and Equity in WASH.

A jammed-pack program covers the following topics:

• Policy
• Neo-colonialism/anti-racism
• Development-Humanitarian Nexus
• Targeting vulnerable groups and hard to reach areas
• Innovative and/or alternative treatment solutions
• Systems strengthening
• Service delivery and financing mechanisms
• Operations, maintenance and evaluation
• Remote sensing and data science
• Environmental justice
• Influence of and adaptation to climate change
• Global conflict and emergencies
• Contaminants of concern 

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Drilling a borehole and putting in a pump is not what makes a successful WASH project. A lot of education has to happen to teach about handwashing, water conservation, and so much more.
 
That is where an organization like Project WET ( https://www.projectwet.org/ )  can offer so much assistance.  They have excellent resources on a variety of WASH topics available for students, teachers, and adults.

Project WET's has materials you can download and print, and they have a basic online course on WASH. Many of the materials are in multiple languages. (https://www.projectwet.org/programs/wash)

A lot of materials are free, but with a reasonable membership fee, you can get access to even more resources, including WELL (Water Education Learning Library.)

 

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Photo and Video Competition

With $1,500 in prize money, the 2025 People of WASH Photograph and Video Competition is now open for submissions. Follow this link to get more details: https://www.wash-rag.org/photo-contest/

Prize Money
Photograph - First - $300, Second - $150 and Third $75
Video          - First - $600, Second - $300, and Third $150

We will be using submissions on WASH-RAG promotional and educational materials, so there are great bragging rights in addition to the prize money. 

The WASH-RAG Professional Services Committee, through a generous grant from the Wallace Genetics Foundation, can provide a grant (up to $1,200 per club) to cover the cost of required "front-end" technical assessments that a Global Grant cannot fund.

Technical Assessments that might be required include hydrogeologic studies of groundwater, test drilling, and engineering designs. This grant can not be used for Community Assessments.

To learn more and apply, visit Technical Assessment Grant on our webpage. 

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