Rotarians Provide Clean Water to Trojes

The filters are simple, durable and effective. The process of bringing clean water to a community actually empowers the community to work together toward common goals and an improved quality of life.

By Carol Robidoux
Ihree members of the Rotary Club of Nashua, New Hampshire –- Karen Goddard, and Richard and Jan Manganello –- joined a group of Rotarians from around the country for a Pure Water for the World mission trip to Trojes, Honduras. They joined Rotarians from Vermont, New York, and Florida in this volunteer expedition to provide clean, safe drinking water to a small community in Honduras. “I decided to join the group going on this trip, in part because I wanted to see how my Rotary Club’s donations to Pure Water are making a difference,” said Goddard. “Our club has made substantial contributions to PWW, in recent years.”

Another reason that Goddard said “yes” when she heard about this trip, was the opportunity to visit a country and culture she had not yet experienced.

“Rotary encourages projects that bring Rotarians from different continents together. During these cooperative projects, Rotarians become friends with and learn about people from other cultures. This brings awareness that most people are good, despite the actions of their government, or the snippets we see on TV,” said Rick Manganello. “This is peace-building, one block at a time.”

Pure Water for the World is not a Rotary International program, but it is supported by individual Rotary Clubs.

The week in Honduras included installation of water filters, building of latrines, and some health education. Pure Water for the World has built a sustainable program that teaches villagers that their contaminated water is making them sick, and then provides a system for clean water and hygiene education, that will create a healthier community for generations to come. The filters are simple, durable and effective. The process of bringing clean water to a community actually empowers the community to work together toward common goals and an improved quality of life.

“It was very inspiring to witness,” Goddard said.

The villages these Rotarians visited were in the mountains where the roads were narrow, not-paved, and often washed away. They often found themselves riding in the bed of the four-wheel-drive pick-up trucks driven by the Pure Water for the World staff. Manganello and Goddard agreed that this was part of the appeal of the trip. “This is not a relax-in-a-resort kind of vacation, at all. A Pure Water for the World trip is an event that is life-changing and unforgettable,” Manganello said. (12/3/11)

Note: This article was reprinted with permission of the author. It was originally published by the Nashua Patch.