Dominican Republic Water Project
The Dominican Republic Water Project is primarily a point-of-use water filtration program that is addressing the needs for such a program as expressed by the community of Sabaneta de Yasica. During this time over 14 clubs within District 6970 as well clubs from Key Largo, Smyrna Georgia, Hampton Roads Virginia, Puerto Rico, and District 7020 have partnered in the program. Significant to the program is its efforts toward reaching sustainability which requires that the users maintain the program. To do that, technicians have been trained to assemble, educate the community on health and hygiene, and distribute the filters; vehicles have been purchased to move product within the country; and a filter manufacturing facility is currently under construction. One of the key components to sustainability is community ownership of the program. To reinforce that sense of ownership, the “filter shop” is primarily a vocational school (that the community requested) dedicated to teaching construction trades to give the villagers the opportunity to participate in the current boom in resort construction. The synergy between the school and the filter shop lies in the fact that with minor modification, the tools used to teach the trades can also be used to manufacture the filters. In addition, both school and filter shop have the potential support each other financially. This program has the support of its Rotary host partners (clubs and districts), Dominican Businesses such as the Brugal Rum Company (assisting in warehousing products), the Bishop of the Catholic Church, Bishop Cesar Corneil (assisting with exonerating custom duties and miscellaneous port fees), and the Center for Disease Control (project consultation), to name a few. (water)
