By: Larry Loque & Stu Vander Hoek

This is a Global Grant (GG) which provides safe water to waste pickers in Brasilia, Brazil, by providing clay water filters.

These waste pickers are the people who live near and work in the garbage and waste dumps near Brasilia, picking through the garbage for recoverable items. They are some of the poorest Brazilians and have almost no access to safe water.

The story starts in mid 2019 when Lake Union RC learned about this project from a volunteer who worked at the Center for Wooden Boats (CWB), where our club meets. The GG sponsor, Rogerio Cruvinel, and his wife, both members of the RC of Taguatinga, Brazil, were visiting the CWB and told a  volunteer about this new project they were developing, who in turn let our club know about the project. Since our club focuses on WASH causes, we contacted Rogerio and soon decided to help fund the GG.

Kathleen Davis was contacted to confirm that non-D5030 originated GG would qualify for District Matching Funds (DDF). At about the same time Stu Vander Hoek contacted Larry Logue as D5030 ISC Chair, asking if he knew of any projects needing additional funds, since Stu’s own Bellevue RC had some unused funds available. Stu was connected with Rogerio, and the Bellevue RC agreed to add its support as well.

This project was delayed in implementation like so many others due to Covid 19, but they kept working and were finally able to deliver the first water filters to the waste pickers in April of this year. The Youtube video was produced by the RC Taguatinga in celebration of this event.

What strikes us is the wonderful ways in which some of our Rotary projects come about.

• A chance conversation by a visiting Rotarian tourist to someone who knows another interested Rotarian.
• A RC with funds available reaching out to other clubs to see where they can help.
• A dedicated Rotary team who managed to deliver those life enhancing water filters despite the delays and hazards of Covid 19.

Video – 13 minutes: https://youtu.be/G9yY-kYGA9c

More Photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/P4PFczaVHFq9ojNX8