Areas of Focus: Peacebuilding and conflict prevention, Disease prevention and treatment, Water, sanitation and hygiene
This water and sanitation project uses a successful program template for implementing community-building, education, conflict resolution, money management, and water and sanitation systems construction and maintenance for a rural network of 170 families in southwest Dominican Republic (DR). Currently these families have little to no access to clean water and basic healthcare. The settlement and associated dwellings are situated up very difficult mountain roads from the main coastal town of Paraiso which require capable off-road vehicles or many hours of walking to traverse. Primary water sources include collected river and rain water without methods in place for filtration or purification, perpetuating water-borne diseases as serious threats to the communities' health and well-being.
Initiated by a Baltimore-based nonprofit organization called Sustainable Empowerment Network, Inc (SENI), this project has caught the attention of a locally and nationally integrated nonprofit organization in Santo Domingo, DR, called Instituto Dominicano de Desarollo Integral (IDDI). In agreement with SENI, IDDI has collaborated with the Dominican Republic's government agency for water and sanitation, Instituto Nacional de Aguas Potables y Alcantarillado (INAPA) to conduct a survey of the area and its inhabitants and create plans for an appropriate water system. IDDI creates a social environment for the community members to work together on committees in order to build and maintain the structures and educate all community members on the importance of clean water, sanitation, hygiene, conflict resolution, and team building. This model has been successful in completion and sustainability in eight other locations throughout the DR and Haiti.
It is estimated that this phase of the project, once initiated, will take 8 months to complete. Phase II-Sewerage and Sanitation Units will commence as soon as Phase I-Water is complete.
Amount Requested from The Rotary Foundation (waived)
-
Additional Contribution (not matched by The Rotary Foundation)
$46,248
Total
$161,870
Note: as of July 1, 2015 there is a 5% additional support fee for cash contributions. This fee does not appear in the financials above because it does not apply if the funds are sent directly to the project account (without going through TRF, and therefore without Paul Harris credit). Clubs sending their cash contribution to TRF must be aware they will have to send an additional 5%.