|
ISTANBUL, TURKEY - March 18, 2009. - The U.S.
Agency for International Development (USAID) and
Rotary International (RI) are teaming-up to save
lives by bringing clean drinking water and basic
sanitation to communities in the developing world.
The partnership was announced today at the World
Water Forum in Istanbul, Turkey, in celebration of
the March 22nd observance of World Water Day.
The public-private alliance will leverage the
resources of both organizations to implement
sustainable, long-term water supply, sanitation and
hygiene projects in three countries: Dominican
Republic, Ghana and the Philippines.
Other countries will follow based on the success of
these pilot experiences. Alliance activities in
each country will be funded jointly by USAID and
Rotary International with an expected minimum of $2
million per country in the initial phase.
USAID Acting Administrator Alonzo Fulgham noted,
"The service ethic and commitment of Rotary clubs in
these countries will be complemented by USAID's
development expertise and technical leadership.
This partnership will yield a significant,
sustainable increase in water supply and sanitation
coverage for the planet's poorest and most
vulnerable populations."
Past RI President Bill Boyd, chair of the
collaboration's steering committee, added: "We
intend this joint effort to be a model for future
alliances with other strategic partners and in this
way to enhance our contribution to world
understanding, goodwill and peace."
Worldwide more than one billion people lack access
to reliable sources of safe water, and twice that
many lack access to sanitary human waste disposal
systems, creating an environment that allows the
disease-poverty cycle to thrive. Each year more
than 1.8 million people - most of them children -
die of diarrhoea alone. Economic development also
suffers as women and girls forego education and
occuptions to spend hours every day fetching water
for their families.
Rotary, a global humanitarian service organization,
and USAID see the collaboration as an effective,
resource-efficient way to contribute to the UN's
Millenium Development Goals, which call for a 50 per
cent reduction in the proportion of the world's
population without access to safe water and basic
sanitation by 2015.
For more information about USAID and other water
projects, please visit:
www.usaid.gov |