Did you have water from your kitchen or bathroom sink today? Did you worry about whether it was safe to use? For most of us, we aren’t afraid of the water we drink daily and even with recent droughts, we still have enough water to drink. But in many areas of the world, people suffer from water not fit for drinking or bathing... or not enough clean water. 
 
Welcome to March – Rotary’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene month!   
 
WASH is an acronym that refers to the global development issues of water, sanitation and hygiene. While each issue is a separate field of work, they are also interdependent on the presence of the other and represent a current global crisis.
 
This picture is from a recent club visit where the guest speaker was Deepa Willingham, the Past District Governor of District 5240 and founder/CEO of PACE Universal (Promise of Assurance to Children Everywhere).
 
At least 3,000 children die every day from diarrheal diseases –
an avoidable consequence of poor water, sanitation and hygiene.
 
The lack of access to clean water, sanitation facilities, and hygiene resources is one of the world’s biggest health problems — and one of the hardest to solve.
 
Through WASH programs, Rotary’s People of Action efforts mobilize resources, form partnerships and invest in infrastructure and training that yield long-term change. Over the past several years, Rotary has shifted its focus to also emphasize education, collaboration and sustainability in WASH.
 
Are you interested in learning more about Rotary’s WASH efforts and how you can get involved? Check out Rotary's WASH website or get involved in the WASH Rotary Action Group: https://wash-rag.org. The WASH Rotary Action Group supports and ensures sustainable long-lasting clean water, sanitation and hygiene programs to communities in need.
 
And here’s another piece of good news... your donations to The Rotary Foundation help support the many programs Rotarians create and implement to improve water, sanitation and hygiene to change lives around the world. 
 
Yours in Service,
Desirée Wilson
District 5180 Governor