Richard Mewhinney, Chair of the District 7070 Areas of Focus Action Committee introduced to our Rotary family  Past District Governor Ron Denham, Chair Emeritus of WASH-RAG. In the first of three Tuesday Talks, you will learn what we, Rotarians, can do to solve water, sanitation & hygiene problems and how Rotarians can change this dynamic to ensure sustainable , effective water or sanitation systems that serve  communities forever. Here is the link: https://youtu.be/le_kmSIVbKU

In Ron's words:

Despite billions of dollars spent on water and sanitation, and hundreds of millions of hours building toilets, drilling boreholes and digging wells, the world is little better off than in the year 2000 when the nations of the world committed to reducing by half the proportion of people without access to safe water and sanitation.

The numbers are striking:

Almost a billion people lack access to safe water. Polluted streams, bacteria laden ponds, unclean containers, broken pipes are the reality in too many countries

And over two billion lack access to safe sanitation. Open defecation, broken toilets, no privacy for the girls;-this is the lot for one third of the world’s population.

The consequences are critical. 8000 people, mostly children, die every day from unsafe water. Billions of hours lost to sickness and disease. Women and children spend up to 6 hours a day hauling water. Girls miss classes, drop out of school. Even worse they suffer from assault, violence and even abduction.

Fortunately Rotarians are doing something about it-digging wells, drilling boreholes, supplying filters, building latrines, installing hand-washing faciities.

But, much of our effort is in vain. Our projects are not sustainable. Water systems no longer function. Toilets are vandalized.

In the first of the Tuesday Talks,  learn what we can do to solve this problem. Learn how we, Rotarians, can change this dynamic, how we can ensure a sustainable, effective water or sanitation system that serves the community forever.

And, understand how WASH Rotary Action Group, WASH-RAG can support that transformation.

PDG Ron Denham 

Water & Sanitation Rotarian Action Group

 

About Ron Denham:

F. Ronald (Ron) Denham B.Sc. (Hons), Ph.D., M.B.A., F.M.C.,

General Coordinator, Water Resources Group, 2004-08

Chair-emeritus, Water & Sanitation Rotarian Action Group (Wasrag)

Dr Denham received a B.Sc. and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering in England. After obtaining an MBA he entered the management consulting profession where, as senior partner in KPMG Management Consulting he played a major role in development projects in Peru, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt, Greece, Algeria, Senegal and Cuba,

Throughout his career he has been a leader in the community and his profession. He was Professor of Management Sciences at York University, Toronto. He was elected Trustee of the Toronto Board of Education and President of the Institute of Management Consultants of Ontario. He was Chairman of the Stewardship campaign at his church and on the Board of Advisors of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts.

Dr Denham has been active in Rotary since 1958.  He was District Governor in 1993-94. He was chair of the Canadian Polio Eradication Private Sector Campaign and coordinator of many RI task forces-Community Concerns, New Generations and Membership. He is a Benefactor and Major Donor to The Rotary Foundation and a member of the Arch Klumph Society. In recognition of his contribution to Rotary, his vocation and to the world community, was presented the “Service above Self” award.

He was General Coordinator of the Water Resources Task Force from  2004-2008.. He was founding chair of the Water & Sanitation Rotarian Action Group (Wasrag)-a group of over 1800 Rotarians in 375  clubs in 95 countries dedicated to improving life and livelihood of communities through the provision of safe water and sanitation. In this capacity he has supported water and sanitation projects in Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Ghana, and in many states in India. His current mission is to encourage every Rotary club (32,000) to become involved in a water/sanitation project.

He is currently a member of the committee coordinating the US AID/Rotary alliance to bring safe water to developing countries.