John Walmsley and Vijay Susarla present an update on the Timor Rotary Consortium, and the application to The Rotary Foundation for a Global Grant.
2023 Timor Rotary Consortium - Global Grant GG2456718 - Update 9th May 2024
In our last Update issued on 16th December 2023, we advised that a mandatory Scoping Team visit to eastern Timor Leste had been carried out earlier by Vijay Susarla and Justine Paragreen, and that we had lodged our application to The Rotary Foundation for a Global Grant in respect of our Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) project.
Global Grants are not easily obtained and there are a number of protocols that have to be satisfied before they are granted. Thankfully we were able to meet these requirements and I am pleased to advise that last month we received confirmation that our Application had been approved by Rotary International and that we were authorised to begin drawing on the Project's Funds for the purchase of materials and other necessities.
At this point we wish to thank Steven Sundstrom, The Rotary Foundation's Regional Grants Officer based in Chicago (USA) and back in Ausrtalia, Grant Hocking and Ian Slattery who are District Foundation Chairs for Rotary Districts 9800 and 9560 respectively, for thier generous support with District Designated Funding (DDF) and for their assistance in bringing our application to a successful conclusion.
You will recall that our objective is to instal 20 Galvanised Water Tanks and to construct 4 School Toilets each with 3 cubicles in remote villages in eastern Timor Leste. Our plan is to complete these works together with appropriate WASH Training during the next 2 years.
To this end we have ordered and paid for 5 Galvanised Water Tanks from the previously Rotary owned Timor Roofing & Training company in Baucau. These will be manufactured very shortly and delivered to their respective locations where local villagers will provide their labour free of charge to construct stone Tank Stands using rock and sand & cement purchased by our Consortium.
A list of 5 more new locations for Water Tanks is awaited from our principal in country co-ordinator, Ms Leopoldina Guterres, as well as advice of the agreed location for 2 new School Toilets. When this information is received funds will be provided for these contract works which will complete this year's construction work.
This year's Wet Season is still producing heavy late rains in the mountains of eastern Timor Leste but it is hoped that this will not prevent this year's construction targets being reached.
Working in conjunction with our "2024 Consortium", the RC of Sydney Cove has very generously donated funds for the construction of a 3 cubicle Toilet at Laveteri Primary School near Baguia and in a week's time is sending a 4 person Volunteer Team to work "hands on" in this project which they have sponsored.
This is a magnificent gesture on their part and one which we encourage other Rotary Clubs to consider.
Further Updates will be provided as the Project proceeds. We thank you most sincerely for your support of this really worthwhile Project which does much to create international goodwill and understanding.
John Walmsley is the Global Grant Primary Contact, and Vijay Susarla is Deputy Project Manager