This is the sixth of a multi-part series.

Source: Rotary Down Under, regional magazine of Australia, March 2020 

Direction – Have goals to look forward to

“A wise person knows which goals are ultimately fulfilling and which offer only the illusion of fulfilment.”  - Robert Emmons

Action Ideas

• Take the first step. Think of a goal you’re aiming for and do one thing to get started. Make a call, fill in that form, tell others.
• Share your dreams. Tell three people about an aspiration that is really important to you this year and listen to theirs too. 

Feeling good about the future is really important for our happiness. We all need goals to motivate us and these have to be challenging enough to excite us, but also achievable. If we try to attempt the impossible this creates unnecessary stress. Choosing meaningful but realistic goals gives our lives direction and brings a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction when we achieve them. 

or Every Child’ initiative

Clean Water for All

by Kylie Hatfield

A collaboration between multiple Rotary clubs and supporting organizations has provided safe drinking water to eight rural boarding schools in the Palghar District of India, four hours from Mumbai, significantly improving the health of over 8000 students and many of their families.

The project to install eight SkyHydrant water purification units was facilitated by a Rotary International global grant, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Endeavour Hills, Victoria, and the Rotary Club of Navi Mumbai, India, and supported by the Diganta Swaraj Foundation, Disaster Aid Australia, and the Rotary Foundation.

David Langworthy, of the Rotary Club of Endeavour Hills and former chairman of Disaster Aid Australia, was a driving force behind this project, having originally visited the area in 2014, and unveiling the installations in June 2019.

“Disaster Aid Australia’s ‘Safe Water for Every Child’ initiative aims to, yep, you guessed it, bring safe water to every child. We have the technology and ability to achieve this goal; all it will take is money and commitment,” said David.

The SkyHydrant systems can deliver 1000 liters of safe water per day for 10 years without the need for electricity or chemicals, and cost about $6000 (Australian) to install. But the results can be a matter of life and death. According to WaterAid, at least 166 children under the age of five die each day in India due to diarrhea caused by dirty water and inadequate toilet facilities. And the high incidence of water-bourne disease forces many students to miss school. Having access to clean water has significantly reduced this risk for the students in the native region of India.

“The schools were all very happy and reported the incidence of diarrhea had dropped dramatically. They children were taking water home when they left school on their holidays and day students were taking water home every night for their families,” said David.

Rotary International global grants are also supporting Disaster Aid Australia’s projects in India, Colombia, and the Philippines. Their current project aims to bring safe water to every child in Bhutan by the end of 2020.

“This project is an incredible achievement for Rotary and Rotarians. If we can do it in one country, what can stop Rotary delivering safe water to every child in every country?” said David. 

and ability to achieve this goal; all it will take

is money and commitment,” said David.