Page 8 - 2024年3月號

TRUSTEE CHAIR’S MESSAGE

More than a basic necessity

Rotary’s focus turns to two themes this Rotary efforts to connect people with clean
month. March is Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene water go beyond providing a basic necessity. We
Month, and we celebrate World Rotaract Week 11- are paving the way for healthier communities and
17 March. Both WASH and Rotaract are near and brighter futures, and doing so in a sustainable
dear to me. manner. With access to water, communities enhance
Clean water, basic sanitation, and proper education levels, improve health, and further
hygiene are fundamental human rights, yet a development.
staggering 2.2 billion people still lack access to safe When we talk about partnerships, we can’t
drinking water. forget our closest ally, right here in the family of
We’re taking action. Over the past decade, Rotary: Rotaract. The engagement, energy, and
your Rotary Foundation has invested more than ideas of Rotaract complement the experience of
$180 million in over 2,500 water and sanitation Rotary clubs and increase our collective impact.
projects worldwide. Rotary is on the ground making Yet many Rotary members still do not know
a difference through global grant-supported projects that, as of 2022, Rotaract club activities can be
funded by your contributions to the Foundation. included in district grants, and they are eligible for
But Rotary can’t do it alone. We have partnered global grants, expanding avenues for collaboration.
with organizations like USAID to deliver large- I encourage all Rotary and Rotaract clubs to
scale solutions. The Rotary-USAID Partnership foster closer collaboration and engagement in our
has helped thousands access water and sanitation Foundation, whether it’s rolling up their sleeves on
services in the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, a project or giving.
Ghana, and Uganda. We all know that in Rotary, great opportunities
Our Foundation is the connector for other are always around the corner. When you combine
water partnerships, too. This was the case when water and sanitation projects, Rotaract, and the
I worked with leaders from Rotary District 7020 Foundation, all will become a big part of your life,
to set up the Haiti National Water, Sanitation, as they have in mine Ñ and not just this month, but
and Hygiene Initiative, known as HANWASH. forever.
Foundation grants continue to play a critical role
in our strategy of working with nongovernmental BARRY RASSIN
organizations, municipalities, and government Foundation trustee chair
agencies in communities throughout Haiti.
Illustration by Viktor Miller Gausa
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