Rotary Melbourne once again has partnered with our longstanding friends of the Rotary Club of Lubang Island on an important WASH sanitation project in Agkawayan, Philippines.
Pristine, remote and unspoilt, Looc is touted by UNESCO for its biological diversity. Classified as endangered due to its distinct landmass, one of Looc’s coastal villages is Agkawayan, a fifth class municipality and disadvantaged community of farmers and fishermen. The Agkawayan Elementary school is the site of Melbourne Rotary’s Water Sanitation project, where a three cubicle toilet block is being constructed for girls, boys and persons with disability (PWD), complete with wash stations .
This initiative aims to promote health awareness and shield students and locals from life-threatening viruses. The Rotary Club of Lubang Island will implement the project with strong collaboration with the community. Rotary Melbourne has collaborated with the local government, school, Department of Health and Water Board authorities to ensure project sustainability.
Milestones achieved thus far include financial backing from the above partners, community engagement, contractor screening, and comprehensive project design encompassing construction, water pipelines, harvesting systems, sourcing, and connectivity. We have spearheaded formalised agreements with the Department of Education and local authorities
There is strong community involvement under the “sweat equity for food program”, and children are engaged to choose the colour of the materials. The ultimate objective is the enhancement of water access, sanitation, hygiene, and child health, fortifying disease prevention measures. Overall, a true transportation to create hope for the people of Agkawayan.
Read more here on Rotary International's Rotary Showcase web page.
