The WASH Rotary Action Group is a group of Rotarians with a passionate dedication to providing people everywhere with sustainable access to water, sanitation, and hygiene.
A nine-member Operations Team, reporting to the Board of Directors, is responsible for the day-to-day operations of this group. Recently, two members of the team retired and we are now seeking candidates for the positions of:
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Global Handwashing Day - Oct 15 |
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the importance of handwashing with soap to the attention of the world, but there still is much to do. Many still do not wash with soap and certainly not thoroughly for 20 seconds.
Rotarians can use the many resources available at GlobalHandwashing.org to emphasize this year's theme "Hand Hygiene for All" in your local area.
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Friday, September 11, 2020
5:00 PM PDT/ 6:00 PM MDT/ 7:00 CDT/ 8:00 PM EDT
The E-Club of WASH's first Virtual Trivia Night FUNdraiser will be a lively, and fun event with friendly competition as individuals test their knowledge of geography, WASH and Rotary trivia!
Friends from around the globe are invited to participate and learn more about the club's programs and projects, and amazing membership!
For more details and to purchase a ticket to participate go to Virtual Trivia Night. They will contact you with a Zoom link and instructions.
All proceeds will help fund WASH projects around the World
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Continued Focus on WASH in Health Care |
When we started looking for before and after pictures for a presentation Ron Denham was doing on WASH in Health Care Facilities, Elaine provided some great pictures of the dramatic difference Rotarians are making in this important area of stopping disease and death.
We will be entering these pictures into our People of WASH competition. We are accepting videos and photographs of Rotarians active in making a difference. We are more interested in the content than the quality of the pictures. This year's competition ends on April 30, 2021 and you can contact PeopleofWash@wasrag.org for more details or to find out how to submit your items. |
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Running on Empty
Recently, Mina Guli joined the Rotary Club of Melbourne. Mark Balla, Toilet Warrior, provided the following introduction, "You are unlikely to meet many people with Mina's passion for and drive for doing something about the global water crisis."
Watch her video and you will understand why she joined Rotary in the hope that our organization could take advantage of her drive and help her achieve real change.
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Save the Date - Sat Oct 3, 2020 |
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) are basic necessities for a healthy environment and a productive life. WASH is the common "blue thread" that runs through all of Rotary's Areas of Focus and helps all development programs become stronger and more sustainable.
> John Hewko, Rotary International General Secretary
> Carrie Hessler-Radelet, Past Peace Corps Director and
Project Concern International, CEO
> Stephanie Ogden, CARE International Water Team
This Symposium has a track record of being exceptional.
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What is the WASH Rotary Action Group |
Many us might struggle with how to describe the WASH Rotary Action Group in what is commonly called an "elevator speech." Recently, Anna Shepherd, Executive Secretary, crafted the following:
The need for sustainable WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is motivating Rotarians around the world to tackle one of mankind’s most significant challenges. Fortunately Rotary clubs have a great resource to draw on in bringing clean water, sustainable sanitation, and adequate hygiene to those in need.
The WASH Rotary Action Group can support you in many ways. It can help you find the “right” project, choose appropriate technology, assist in writing Global Grants and much more. To learn more about this significant resource go to the website WASH Rotary Action Group. And while you are there, consider signing up for the Group’s monthly newsletter, currently distributed to almost 50,000 Rotarians.
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WASH Rotary Action Group Projects |
The WASH Rotary Action Group Project Page continues to grow with a variety of projects from around the globe. The project list provides Rotary members with a place to obtain expert advice and obtain financial support from other clubs for major project grants. Future newsletters will include a featured project and a few additional projects from the WASH Rotary Action Group Project page.
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Haiti's HANWASH project
The largest WASH project Rotary has ever tackled is HANWASH with a $2 billion budget over 10 years. The goal is to provide sustainable clean water and sanitation to all citizens of Haiti. The multi-organizational team, coordinated by Rotary District 7020, is in the process of applying for a Global Grant of $300,000 for phase two in the Cavaillon Commune area. If you would like to support this grant visit the website https://www.hanwash.org/ and reach out to the Grants Team.
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Host Club - Dhulikhel, Nepal International Club - Seeking an International Partner Total Budget - $66,750 Raised - $10,000
Total Budget - $90,000 Raised - $65,000
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To get your project listed on the WASRAG Projects page and/or to get highlighted in a future newsletter contact Omar Helferich at okeithhelferich@msn.com who manages the Projects page
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Sept 11, 2020 - Virtual Trivia Night
Oct 3, 2020 - Virtual WASH Symposium
Oct 15, 2020 - GLOBAL HANDWASHING DAY
Oct 26-30, 2020 - Water and Health: Science, Policy and Practice Virtual Conference
Nov 19, 2020 - WORLD TOILET DAY
Mar 22, 2021 - WORLD WATER DAY
May 5, 2021 - HAND HYGIENE DAY
May 28, 2021 - MENSTRUAL HYGIENE DAY
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To submit stories, videos, and pictures for the WASRAG Newsletter send an email to info@wasrag.org.
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The Water and Sanitation Rotarian Action Group (WASRAG) is pleased to consider partnerships with any corporate supporter. Due to the unique attributes of water sources and water provision, acceptance of corporate support does not imply an endorsement of any particular water technology. Rotarians, Rotary clubs, and Rotary partners must evaluate any technology to determine if it is the best solution for the conditions where the program will be implemented. WASRAG can provide guidance about where different technologies work best, but Rotarians and Rotary clubs must make the final decision about how to implement their programs. |
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