Page 8 - 2024年3月號
P. 8

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
       6  ᇃᢊ׭ᎈȁ2024.3
   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13