Every March, Rotary highlights Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) — one of the foundations of healthy, thriving communities. Clean water and safe sanitation are not simply infrastructure. They reduce disease, help children stay in school, protect mothers and families, and give people more time and opportunity to work, learn and build better lives.

Rotary’s approach to WASH emphasizes sustainable, community-led solutions. That means looking beyond the installation of a well, toilet, or filtration system and asking how the service will be maintained, how water sources will be protected, and how families will be supported with practical hygiene education.

“Safe water and sanitation - one of the most basic human needs.”

- Francesco Arezzo

Why WASH Matters

Rotary notes that access to clean water and sanitation helps reduce waterborne disease, improves school attendance, and eases the burden on families who may otherwise spend hours collecting water. WASH projects can also strengthen maternal and child health, improve dignity and safety, and support local economic development.

March also includes World Water Day on 22 March, an opportunity for Rotary and Rotaract clubs to draw attention to the global importance of safe water and responsible water management.

Rotary’s WASH Priorities

Effective projects can include safe drinking-water systems, wells and boreholes, household and school sanitation, handwashing facilities, water-resource management, hygiene education, and training that enables communities to operate and maintain local systems.

Rotary encourages clubs to work with communities from the beginning. Local participation helps ensure that projects respond to genuine needs, use appropriate technology, and continue functioning long after the ribbon-cutting.

Sunshine Rotary in Action

Clean water and sanitation are already major parts of Sunshine Rotary’s international service. During the past year, the Club has provided 12 tube wells to remote communities in Bangladesh through its continuing Gift of Water initiative, helping families gain a nearby source of safer drinking water.

Sunshine Rotary has also launched its Toilets for Health project in rural Bangladesh. Five hygienic sanitary toilets are being provided to families with little or no access to safe sanitation, benefiting at least 35 women, men and children. The facilities are designed with raised platforms, sanitary pans connected to covered containment wells, and provisions for bathing. Families also receive basic hygiene materials for use where running water is unavailable.

Together, these projects demonstrate the connection between water, sanitation, health, dignity and opportunity. A nearby water source and a hygienic toilet can change the daily routine of an entire family — especially women and children.

Ideas for Rotary Clubs This March

Clubs can mark WASH Month by supporting a local clean-water or sanitation organization, conducting a community needs assessment, sponsoring school handwashing facilities, promoting water conservation, or partnering on an international WASH project. Even a small club can make a meaningful contribution when the project is community-driven and sustainable.

Rotary Resources

• Rotary — Providing Clean Water

• Rotary Service Project Center

• Sunshine Rotary — Toilets for Health

• Sunshine Rotary Home — Gift of Water