MG No. 73406 – Saraburi. Clean drinking water systems in 20 provincial schools.

Project

We installed reverse-osmosis water filtration systems in 20 schools in rural Saraburi province here in Thailand so that poor students, teachers and surrounding communities can have access to clean drinking water daily.  Saraburi province is about 150 kilometers north east of Bangkok.

Need

Contaminated water is a major cause of illnesses for poor rural children, men and women.  By installing these 20 clean drinking water systems we help to improve the lives of up to 10,000 people in many ways. Typically, attendance at school improves dramatically when children have access to clean water, as do grades. Healthier children make for better learning.

Cost

The total cost of this Matching Grant project was US$51,515.15

Contributors

This Matching Grant was entered into by the District 2670 (Japan), who coordinated the project internationally, and the Rotary Club of Bangkok South, who coordinated it locally.

The contributions were as follows:

– Rotary Club of Saraburi  (Thailand)                                               US$  1,000.00
– Rotary Club of Bangkok South  (Thailand)                                   US$  3,000.00
– District Designated Funds from District 3350 (Thailand)        US$  2,000.00
– District 2670  (Japan)                                                                       US$  2,000.00
– District Designated Funds from District 2670 (Japan)             US$10,000.00
– District Designated Funds from District 2500 (Japan)             US$10,000.00

– Matching Grant from The Rotary Foundation                             US$23,515.15 US$ 51,515.15

Comments

This Matching Grant project was done in a very collaborative environment among Rotarians.

Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Bangkok South and Saraburi made physical visits to the recipient schools to advise teachers and address comments and questions from teachers, students and families.  They obtained water samples and sent them to Bangkok South for lab tests, coordinated with the teachers for publicity to students, families and nearby communities with regards to this clean water project, and monitoring the construction of the actual sheds.

RC Bangkok South Rotarians took care of the water lab test, ordered the equipment and coordinated the installation.

Due to the significant distance, most of the coordination with the international partner club was done by Rtn. Natsuko Morimoto who, in turn, took charge of the publicity for the project, both within her own club and at the district level. Rtn. Natsuko also made regular inquiries on the progress of this project and was personally present at the inauguration, which was greatly appreciated by everybody there, not least by the recipient schools.  Rtn. Natsuko kept her district fully in the loop with personal updates at club/district functions as well as pictures and stories from the inauguration ceremony.