Under the motto ‘A Lasting Legacy’ SI President Lynn Dunning and Immediate Past President Joan Cromer awarded Best Practice Projects 2007 on the theme of Clean Water and Sanitation to the following four projects at the International Convention in Glasgow:
SI of the Americas: Si Niigata Nishi, Japan
In the Matale region of Sri Lanka there was no water resource and children had to get up early each morning and walk long distances to obtain clean water. The Japanese members partnered with NGO Niigata Api Group and donated the cash for the construction materials and labour costs, whilst the villagers dug two wells. The provision of clean water has curbed the occurrence of water borne diseases amongst the community and the children’s attendance at school has much improved.
The club has also built a multi-purpose centre for women and girls in the Manaar Prefecture. It has lodgings for mothers, a day care facility, library, food storage area, kitchen and an office that can be used for vocational training.
Niigata Nishi members are aware that chronic gum disease is common in these poor villagers and one third of patients have oral cancer. The Soroptimists wish to continue to build wells and enable people to have access to clean drinking water.
SI of Europe: The SI Clubs of Togo
With help from clubs in Switzerland and Italy and the Village Chief, the Clubs of Togo embarked on fund raising to finance a health centre. Inaugurated in 2006, it is composed of a maternity unit with rooms for primary health care for more than ten villages together with staff accommodation.
As soon as the project started the problem of water occurred. But, happily, drilling was financed and the water has provided great opportunities for: ‘Water for the widows’ biological garden, clean water for the surrounding population, replacement of the manual pump by solar or electrical equipment and medical and surgical workshops at the health centre.
SI of Great Britain and Ireland: SI Pune, India
Initially SI Pune members took up the task of supporting a water-harvesting project on a small scale set up in a local school. The result was clean filtered water for 12 months in the year and it became a model that has been replicated in other parts of the village.
The next stage for the club was to look at sanitation particularly for the women who had to leave the village early each morning to go into the fields to relieve themselves.
With financial help from their Friendship Link Club in Perth, Scotland and some Rotarian friends the villagers were counselled, homes were surveyed and septic tanks and a biogas system installed to bring sanitation to the village for the first time. This is an on-going project.
SI of the South West Pacific: SI Dusit and Federation
Originally initiated by the Dusit Club this project became a Federation project in 2005 in the remote village of Sampovloun in Cambodia. In Cambodia 80% of all deaths were as a direct result of the lack of clean water with much of the well water being contaminated with arsenic.
‘Hands across Borders’ aimed to work with the local school and hospital in a four-phased project: to deliver a water filtration system, toilet blocks, medical and hospital supplies; to establish clinics and educational programmes at the village school and hospital; to deliver equipment to support existing programmes and to enable women to establish income-generating projects.
In partnership with the Thai Border Army and Resource Development International, Soroptimists have provided the school with six toilets with water closets and four urinals, an employee to clean them twice each day, water collection and purifying devices, an upgraded incinerator and they have cleaned up the school playground. The hygiene education programmes for teachers and children are beginning and the hospitals mismatch of water systems is being addressed with some upgrade work already completed.
Soroptimists have met with the Head of the Village who is most supportive and he has given land for additional wells to be installed