As part of their humanitarian efforts, the Lima Rotarians are stepping up to help remote villages in Honduras. Jeff Gunter tells how they are working to give these communities a healthier way of life.
We in the United States take for granted the basic necessities of water and sanitation, but for many people around the world those necessities are not available. Rotary International tasked Lima Rotary Club and International Project Leader, Bob Ruehl with helping villagers that live in the mountains in the Sula Valley in Honduras and after talking to the people around there, he discovered that they were in need and wanted sanitation facilities. After convincing the local Rotary Club in Honduras that going ahead with this project was the best for everyone, the fundraising began.
The Lima Rotary Club committed to raise nearly 200 thousand dollars for this multi-year project. With the financial help of other clubs and districts around the United States, Canada, and Mexico, they have reached their goal and the project will begin this spring. 130 demonstration latrines will be built in 5 select villages for a pilot program and also sanitation and hygiene education will be provided in their schools and to villagers. but Ruehl, who has worked on projects like this before, knew if it was going to succeed the villages needed to be invested in the project, by building the latrines themselves.
As the project moves forward, Ruehl hopes that this project can be an example of ways that others in that region can do for themselves to improve the health and lifestyle of their people.
