Water and Sanitation project is complete!!

The Need

More than 1 billion people lack access to a safe reliable source of drinking water, and more than two billion lack access to any sanitary means of excreta disposal. Combined with unsafe hygiene practices, the result is nearly 1.8 million deaths per year, the vast majority children from diarrhea related illness. The poor suffer disproportionately from inadequate water supply, sanitation, and hygiene, which helps perpetuate a cycle of disease and poverty. Further, many women and girls spend hours each day fetching water for their families, time that could be spent learning or other productive activities.
It is this situation that made our Club determined to undertake a water and sanitation project where there is need and a way for us to make a difference in a sustainable way. Our search has resulted in such a project being born this past year.

The Project

The Campbell River Daybreak Rotary Club in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Campbell River and a Campbell River Citizens group has sponsored clean water and sanitary systems for six schools in Naivasha, Kenya as a Rotary International World Community Service Project. The initial agreement and project completion is the result of months of planning and hard work by the Rotary Club of Naivasha, Kenya. Funding raised by all three community organizations and a Rotary International matching grant (DDF) resulted in a commitment of twenty one thousand ninety dollars ($21,090.00 US) for the project. Each school received a twenty cubic meter water tank, a septic tank, six toilets for the girls and three toilets and a urinal for the boys. One thousand trees were planted at each of the schools. Children will be able to bring a water container to school and take home a litre of water daily. In a recent conversation, Richard, McGonnell President of the Naivasha Rotary Club, says the ability to take home a litre of water each day encourages the students to attend school. He went on to say that these children have so little that even the gift of a pencil changes their lives. This new relationship with the Naivasha Rotary Club will allow more projects to be undertaken in this part of Kenya.

The Naivasha Rotary Club is about 20 people strong in a wide spread community of about 30,000 located northwest of Nairobi. The area is arid for at least half the year, and much of the water that does exist is high in salinity and not fit for regular use. It is not uncommon for people to have to manually carry clean water for many kilometers to reach schools or homes.
We are very excited to be able to help people in a community much less fortunate than ours to receive what we consider basic and taken for granted. For communities such as Naivasha such improvements are received gratefully as marvelous gifts.

The project was completed this past October on budget. Given the total of 6 schools more than 2700 students will reap the benefits of this project in addition to the work provided for local citizens and educational benefits for all concerned.

In August, the Campbell River Baptist Church undertook a humanitarian mission to Kenya. While there, they travelled to Naivasha and were able to visit one of the schools where the water and sanitation project has been completed. They met with members of the Rotary Club including Richard McConnell, an active leader in the project. The Campbell River contingent recently did a nice program for our club, including video and pictures, some of which are attached. The people may be poor but they are beautiful and happy as the pictures attest to.

The Naivasha club is a busy and active one for its size involved in a variety of projects including a centre for abused children, a new hospital and projects similar to our own previously completed in conjunction with other Vancouver Island Clubs.
Selecting the right partner club for a project such as this is critical for a variety of reasons including financial efficiency and completion of work as planned.
We are excited to be connected with the Naivasha Club which has a stellar reputation for getting things done right!!

This is the first International World Community Service project that the Campbell River Daybreak Club has led since 1993. It is particularly unique because of the collaboration between our two Campbell River Clubs and a Campbell River district Citizens group.
We hope to build on this successful project and if possible maintain our collaborative focus on Kenya, and Naivasha in particular.

Our congratulations go out to the Naivasha Club, District 9200 in Kenya for the hard work and dedication in completing this worthwhile water and sanitation project.