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 Invitation for Rotarians, spouses
and
Rotaractors to join WASRAG
By Past District Governor Ron Denham, Chair WASRAG
During the past two years the
Water and
Sanitation Rotary Action Group has
served Rotarians and Rotary clubs in many ways. We have developed a
website where Rotarians can offer or seek help with their projects.
By visiting the website, people can
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Access
"best practices"
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Find
guidelines to ensure a project is sustainable
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Learn
about a wide range of technologies - rainwater harvesting, bore
wells, toilets and latrines, bio-sand filters, etc.
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Download
speeches, presentations and photographs to tell your community
about Rotary's water and sanitation programs.
And WASRAG is proud of its other achievements:
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Outstanding conferences on
water and sanitation (Los Angeles
- 2008;
Birmingham in
2009).
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Brochures and monographs to help Rotarians manage sustainable
projects and to raise the image of Rotary.
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Production of the widely acclaimed documentary "Rotary - The
Water Story".
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Successful negotiation of a
US$1 million grant for matching clubs' contributions to water
projects in West Africa and in South Africa. And, we are on the
fast-track to another major grant. WASRAG leaders were
instrumental in the discussions that led to the US AID/Rotary
agreement for a $6 million program in Ghana,
Dominican Republic and the Philippines.
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WASRAG, despite its funny
name - maybe even because of it - is widely recognized. We have
achieved charitable, tax exempt status in the
USA (501-c-3) and Canada.
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WASRAG
board members have been active around the world, attending WASH
meetings, representing Rotarians, presenting the case for
support and linking host clubs and communities with
international partners - all at their own expense.
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Many
clubs and districts have found partners for their projects via
WASRAG. We have fostered working relationships with leading NGOs
to help clubs strengthen their project teams.
Now, we face a big challenge.
The WASRAG website
www.wasrag.org is creaking and needs upgrading to meet
your needs. This will be a large and costly task - but it is
essential if Rotary clubs are to achieve the impact they seek.
WASRAG, like all Rotarian Action Groups, is approved by RI, but
receives no funding from it. We depend entirely on members'
fees and donations to remain viable. We are unique among
humanitarian organizations: none of the funding donated for water
and sanitation projects is used for administration or fund-raising.
Contrast that with some other organizations where 20%, 30% or even
50% of donations go to internal administration.
Please become a member of WASRAG and encourage your Rotary
colleagues and spouses to join too.
Thank you for your support.
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