Since  2018, Rotary Hawthorn has been a member of the Timor Rotary WASH Consortium, a collaborative effort led by the Rotary Club of Camberwell and including several local Rotary clubs along with the host Timor-Leste Club, Rotary Club of Lafeak. Through Global Grant GG2456718, the Consortium delivers clean water and sanitation infrastructure to remote mountain communities across eastern Timor-Leste.

The Consortium was formed with a clear mission: to provide clean water and sanitation facilities, including training, to communities in remote areas of eastern Timor-Leste where access to clean water remains a significant challenge. In remote regions, women and children typically carry water to homes and schools, often requiring several hours of walking to reach water sources.

Rotary Hawthorn proudly supported an equipment drive led by Rory Vial, who travelled to Timor-Leste to deliver donations just after completing his final year of high school. This compassionate initiative reached multiple communities, providing resources, including sports equipment to rural primary schools, new bedding for a girls’ orphanage, and football jerseys for an aspiring youth club. In collaboration with Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA), the project demonstrated how local action can foster positive community change – heartfelt thanks to Rory!

Lakes Entrance and Hawthorn Rotary clubs have successfully brought clean drinking water to Calcassa village in Timor-Leste. The project involved installing a Disaster Aid SkyHydrant water filtration system with Rotary Projects Timor-Leste East providing supplementary support to complete the installation. This project aligns with our history of water and sanitation projects in Timor-Leste. The collaboration strengthens ties between Rotary clubs while making a meaningful impact in our region.