This Week - PDG David Grant talks on WASH-RAG

 WASH Rotary Action Group supports and ensures sustainable long-lasting clean water, sanitation, and hygiene programmes to communities in need.

The WASH Rotary Action Group was formed in 2007 by a group of Rotarians, recognised by Rotary International, and focused on WASH projects. Since then it has facilitated many hundreds of projects – helping clubs find partners, ensuring sustainability, stressing the importance of a needs-driven approach, and developing best practices. We encourage a holistic, integrated approach in which water is not the end in itself, but is rather the means to a better life and livelihood in the community. Most importantly, WASH Rotary Action Group links water and sanitation to improved hygiene, better health, and empowerment of the community – especially women, irrigation and agriculture, education and literacy and, ultimately, child mortality.

David Grant has been a strong advocate of WASH-RAG from the beginning and has headed it in South Africa practically since its inception.  As he is about to step down from this position it's appropriate that he speaks to us on something he he really believes in and his talk I heard, by chance really, made me realise how vital this Rotary Action Group is.  

Last Week

Debbie Smit, District Chair of Interact spoke to us about Interact Clubs both in schools and in communities.  She skirted over many of the issues we face with the two Interact Clubs we have sponsored recently, that just discussing issues with the schools is not plain sailing.  On the other hand she emphasised the importance of a broader view and realising what can be achieved on both a local and an international level.

Next Week

Kyl Lauf is a Business Studies and Life Orientation Teacher at Assumption Convent.  He will be talking to us on "A South African Educator's Journey in Morocco".

International - Rwanda

The Rotary Club of Kigali Golf is passionate about more than just hitting the links. Within months of its formation, the club began supporting programmes to foster entrepreneurship within the deaf community and other underrepresented groups. In November the club delivered more than a dozen sewing, knitting, and textile heat-press machines to the Rwanda National Union of the Deaf and to Empower the Future, an organisation supporting mothers of former street children. The equipment, valued at about $8,500, was paid for with member donations as well as a golf tournament (naturally). “We look forward to building a long-term partnership with the Rwanda Union of the Deaf, Empower the Future, and other organisations supporting marginalised communities,” says Tabvi “Mellow” Motsi, a member of the club’s public relations committee.