Rotary Australia (RAWCS)

Rotary Australia World Community Service Ltd (RAWCS) is the Australian arm of Rotary International that assists Rotary Clubs with the development and management of international community service projects.

Whether it's projects to help rebuild in the aftermath of disaster, programs to bring education to countries where illiteracy stifles development or bringing health care and medical aid to those who can least access it, RAWCS so often has a hand in helping the world stand on its feet.

RAWCS supports Rotary Clubs in sending teams of volunteers to developing countries to provide assistance upon the development of much needed facilities, especially within the health and education areas.

Advice, assistance and training in building, construction and commercial operations (for example, assistance in obtaining microfinance) are are also provided by RAWCS to support developing communities in establishing themselves.

Tim Davey, from the Rotary Club of Como, and a reasonably new Rotarian is involved with other Como Club members in a project to provide clean water wells to Uganda. The project “Water for the World” was inaugurated by Como RC member Bill MacKay, who spent many years as an electronic engineer in Uganda, and so saw first hand the problem that country faces due to lack of clean water. Since his retirement Bill has continued to support the people of Uganda through microfinance programs, construction works and the provision of clean water. Over the past 7 years the team has established 55 boreholes with hand pumps for villages and schools throughout Uganda,

Using a self help scheme they have developed a more economic way of drilling, using tripods that will increase the number of villages and schools that can gain from access to safe water. Over the next 5 years the team hopes to install up to 500 wells a year, a major step towards meeting the UN?s initiative “Water for Life” program by 2015, a 10 year program.

All engineering works are supervised by Rotarians, whilst they developed a new, low cost rotational hand pump of simple robust construction, which can be manufactured locally. This pump is easy to use, and can be maintained by villagers, thus making it very cost effective. It used to cost $10,000.00 to install a well and pump etc. before the introduction of the new drilling system and pumps, with the new cost a very affordable $1,000.

The RC Como have fully committed themselves to this project, members making many trips to Uganda at their own expense, to get the project up and running, but require considerable assistance from outside sources to expand the project and to meet their goals.

In the developing countries, clean water is seen as the first step in addressing issues of poor health and poverty, and every new well opened contributes towards a better, safer life for Ugandan people. Some observations that Tim made during his presentation was that one toilet flush in Western Countries uses more water than the average African uses in one day. Half of Africa has no clean drinking water. The average African woman walks six kilometer each day for water.

Como Club would appreciate donations, as well as volunteers for their program, and are hopeful that their program will become a blueprint for the world in solving the issue of Clean and safe drinking water for all.