This week, we’ll highlight an important partner that’s been helping us help Kenyans in Lositeti: Rotary District 7630.

People Helping People

Since Water is Life Kenya was founded, Rotary Clubs around Newark and Rotary District 7630 have made a major impact on our borehole projects in Kenya. In 2012, WILK partnered with the Dover Colonial Rotary Club and Rotary International to implement a global grant. This led to the creation of the Olepolos Borehole Project, which is still running strong today. VOA Africa visited the project last year, creating this video which shows how the project and community have evolved over the last 10 years.

WILK’s involvement with Rotary has picked up again this past year.

Last November, the Newark Star Rotary Club held a fundraiser for WILK at Deerfield Wines called Changing Water into Wine. At the event, WILK’s Outreach & Operations Manager, Aaron Lemma, met Rotarian Jerry Bilton, a member of the Newark Rotary Club. A few months later, Jerry came to Aaron with ambitions of putting together a district grant. As the cost of a WILK community borehole is around $80,000, the two decided that furnishing a pump and generator at Lositeti, the site of our next borehole project, would be within reach.

Purchasing and equipping the pump and generator would cost $16,300. With a clear fundraising target in mind, Jerry got to work.

Getting to Work

Over the past several months, Jerry has brought eight Rotary Clubs across Rotary District 7630 onto this project. Strengthened by these generous partners, the grant proposal was submitted and accepted. WILK was awarded the maximum amount—$5,000—which will be used towards the pump and generator at Lositeti.

The partnering clubs who enabled this project to happen have pledged to contribute the remaining $11,300. We are deeply grateful for their participation. Those clubs are Newark, Dover Capital City, Dover Colonial, Camden-Wyoming, Middletown-Odessa-Townsend, St. Michael’s, Newark Star, and Kent Island.

Jerry and Aaron have been traveling to these clubs, sharing about the project, and introducing Rotarians to WILK’s transformative programs. The result has been more connections, friendships, supporters, and partners in support of our communities in Kenya. We’re grateful to Jerry for introducing us to his friends and District 7630’s grant commission for believing in this effort.

Service Above Self

Service projects are part of Rotary International’s mission. Clubs are always looking for involvement—especially local involvement—in impactful projects. Partnering with WILK, which is based in Newark, DE, on a water project in Kenya is a perfect blend of local Rotary involvement with a global focus. In fact, one of the seven areas of focus for Rotary International is to provide clean water, sanitation, and hygiene to communities in need.

The 2012 International Grant, in partnership with Dover Colonial Rotary Club, demonstrates Rotary International’s commitment to supporting sustainable WASH projects in Kenya. With this District Grant project, a new model for collaboration has blossomed between WILK and Rotary. By partnering with more clubs at varying levels of contributions, a robust coalition in support of Lositeti has emerged.

These eight partner clubs and District 7630 stand alongside the hundreds of WILK donors who have supported the Lositeti community borehole through the Lositeti Flash Campaign this summer. Together, we reached the complete fundraising goal of $80,000.

Including the Rotarians at each of these eight clubs, it’s likely that this is the single greatest number of supporters any Water is Life Kenya project has ever had. It’s been an impressive effort on behalf of Jerry and all District 7630 Rotarians who believe in putting Service above Self for the people of Kenya.

How You Can Help

Partnerships like this help us bring clean water and increased incomes to communities in Kenya, and we’re always looking for more people and groups to get involved. If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering, sponsoring an event for us, or hearing us speak about our mission, visit our connect with us page. Just like Jerry, you, too, can find your own unique way to support our communities in Kenya.

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