The Rotary Foundation global grant effort for the Honduras Clean Water Project that began last year has received approval.

Last fall, the Colonie-Guilderland Rotary Club got the ball rolling with a goal of building a community bio-sand filter that would provide clean water to more than 1,500 people and a school with more than 500 children in Trojes, Honduras. The total project cost is approximately $77,000.

Southern Rensselaer committed $500 to the effort, with the help of students in the East Greenbush schools who held a kickball fundraiser. District 7190 agreed to commit $19,733 of District Directed Funds to the project. By this January, the project was fully funded with more donations coming in, so it was decided to expand the project to include WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) programs at four schools. Those programs would include construction of water filters and latrines at the schools, and provide curriculum and education on sanitation and hygiene. As more funds were raised, the project expanded to include a study of the water boards and best practices in the region.

Kirk Pogge of the Colonie-Guilderland club explains the process thereafter.

“The grant application was first submitted in July 2019, and was returned to draft mode about a month later. In addition to several requests for more information and details, the Rotary Foundation rejected the study portion and suggested that the WASH program be eliminated for the application to simplify it.

“Initially, we had determined that we could fund the filter project using the club and district donations that qualified for Foundation matching funds and fund the WASH programs without the help of the Foundation matching funds. Since that time, the WASH programs for the schools received funding from another source.

“So now, Pure Water for the World will be using the $18,500 in excess funds we raised to provide training in hygiene, install 35 individual home filters, and construct 21 latrines and five rainwater harvesting tanks in Las Mieles.

“The grant was resubmitted at the end of August, based on the filter project alone. On October 25, we were notified that the grant was approved. Funds for the project will be transferred to our local Global Grant Project account in the next few weeks.”

The contributors or pledged funds:

District 7190
Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club
Rotary Club of Springfield, IL
Trinity, FL, Rotary Foundation
Poultney, VT, Rotary Club
Colchester Milton, VT, Club
Rutland South, VT, Rotary
Past District Governor 2012-2013
Rotary District 7870
Capital City, NH, Sunrise Rotary
Albany Rotary Club
Shenendehowa Rotary
Rotary Club of New Port Richey, FL
Rotary Club of Saratoga Springs
Rotary Club of Glens Falls
Scotia Rotary
Twin Bridges Rotary Foundation
Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Rotary
Niskayuna Rotary
Colonie-Guilderland Rotary
Grassland Equipment
Loudonville Presbyterian Church