WASH Rotary Action Group Newsletter – May 2021

Visit us at: WASH-RAG.org 
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Virtual World Water Summit 13
The virtual World Water Summit 13 will focus on the crisis of WASH in healthcare facilities.

Learn how your club can help to address the urgent need for improved WASH (water, sanitation, hygiene, cleaning and waste management) at healthcare facilities.

Keynote speakers are:
Joanne McGriff, Emory University
John Oldfield, Global Water 2020 

Register now.
Rotary Peace Fellow Joins HANWASH
Started by Rotary International District 7020, HANWASH (Haiti National Clean Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Strategy) has set the goal of bringing safely managed and sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene to EVERYONE in Haiti.

In March, Ryan Rowe, a Rotary International Peace Fellow, was hired as the first full-time Executive Director of HANWASH.

Barry Rassin, Past Rotary International President and current Chair of the HANWASH Board of Directors said "I'm certain that his leadership and vision will assist us with the scalability needed to make this dream a reality."

"All of us at HANWASH see an opportunity to bring potable water and good sanitation to the entire country of Haiti," said Dr. Robert Leger, a Past Rotary District Governor and Haiti Liaison to the HANWASH team.

To learn more about this project visit HANWASH.org
May 28 - Menstrual Hygiene Day
An estimated 500 million women and girls face limitations when it comes to managing their menstruation. From healthier populations to better educational outcomes, the benefits of menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) are far-reaching, but the available funding does not match the need.

So the theme of this year's Menstrual Health and Hygiene Day - May 28 is to encourage coordination between stakeholders and to provide the why and how to invest in MHH for the economic, educational, and health benefits of women. Download this comprehensive guide - Making the Case for Investing in Menstrual Health and Hygiene to learn how to effectively advocate for more investment of time and money into this important issue.

The Menstrual Health Day Secretariat has also developed a social media toolkit for promoting the day on Facebook and Twitter.
Virtual Annual Membership Meeting
The WASH Rotary Action Group with 1,500 members is widely recognized as making valuable contributions to the WASH Sector. both within and outside of Rotary.

The Annual Meeting of the organization will be held virtually on Saturday, June 12, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. US Central Time, which will include:.  
> Updates on past and future activities
> Announcement of Election Results
> Introduction of new Operations Team Chairs
> Approve Bylaw changes
 
Did you Vote for the New Directors?
If you did not get an email to vote for the new WASH Rotary Action Group Directors you probably are not a member.

Every month, this newsletter is read by about 10,000 people interested in WASH, yet only about 1,500 people are members of the WASH Rotary Action Group. You can support WASH projects around the world and become involved with a knowledgeable network of individuals by joining the WASH Rotary Action Group.

Memberships are only $25 per year or $100 for five years.
40 Bore Wells and 400 Toilets
The Rotary Club of Monifieth, Scotland in partnership with the Rotary Club of Calcutta, India, completed three WASH projects that provided 40 boreholes and 400 toilets in 15 villages in West Bengal, India. This significant project ended the practice of open defecation in the area.

Their excellent report provides a summary of the project and more importantly the lessons learned. Click to read the report or visit their website to see pictures and project details https://monifiethrotary.club/washproject
Keeping it Simple
A simple wooden structure, soap on a string, small Jerrican and a stick and you have a Tippy Tap. Sally and Keith Alexander of the Rotary Club of Kabarole, Uganda demonstrated to school children how to make a Tippy Tap and soon the children were taking the idea back to their families.

No Maintenance, low cost, and huge impact. Keeping it simple can be the most effective projects.
and even more from Kabarole . . .
While the above Tippy Tap project was simple with a large impact, the Rotary Club of Saltash, Cornwall, UK as the International partner and the Rotary Club of Kabarole, Uganda as the Host partner undertook a number of larger projects to improve this community.

They renovated and improved a medical clinic and brought water and improved sanitation to the Teacher's College. Read the story.
Last Words
This will be the last newsletter we will write as the Editors. Since November 2015, we have distributed 57 issues. We will soon be hitting the roads to see North America in our recreational vehicle.

We are in the process of writing a Job Description and will be looking for a volunteer or a team to undertake this task. If you want to be impressed and awed by what Rotarians can accomplish this is a great role. Reach out to me Ian Rumbles if you would like more details or insight on the position.
Calendar of Events
28 May 2021 - MENSTRUAL HYGIENE DAY
 
Virtual World Water Summit 13 – WASH in Healthcare Facilities
Thurs. June 3, 6 pm CDT (18 h UTC +5) or
        Fri. June 4, 10 am CDT (10 h UTC +5)
 
WASH Rotary Action Group Annual Meeting
12 June 2021, 10 am CDT (10 h UTC +5)

4-8 Oct 2021 - UNC Water and Health Conference, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
 
15 Oct 2021 - GLOBAL HANDWASHING DAY
 
24 Oct 2021 - WORLD POLIO DAY
 
19 Nov 2021 - WORLD TOILET DAY

22 Mar 2022 - WORLD WATER DAY
Submit your stories, videos, and pictures for upcoming Newsletters to us at [email protected].
The WASH Rotary Action Group 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. The WASH Rotary Action Group 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.