From modest beginnings, but with considerable enthusiasm and pride, the Rotary Club of Glenferrie, working in partnership with the Rotary Club of Bo, Sierra Leone, planned and delivered a comprehensive two-year WASH program that is transforming the lives of children at the Aladura Primary School in Buedu.
The results are already becoming evident. Student enrolments continue to grow. The school buildings are being expanded. Most significantly, the Government of Sierra Leone has now thrown its support behind the school. But there was more to come. Click on 'Read more…'' to find out what!
At the recent commissioning of Rotary's Water Tower and Reticulation System, the local Director of Education remarked that few schools in the District enjoy facilities of the quality now available to the students of Aladura Primary School. He then announced that the government would provide support for the training and funding of teachers at the school.
But there was more to come.
As part of Rotary's most recent projects, solar-powered lighting was installed throughout the school grounds, improving safety and security after dark. Building on that initiative, the Sierra Leone Government has now installed solar power to the school buildings themselves, enabling the charging of mobile phones, tablets and the operation of computers — a major step forward in improving educational opportunities for students.
What began as a project to improve water, sanitation and hygiene has become something much bigger. Better health. Better facilities. Better educational opportunities. A stronger future for the children of Buedu.The long-term impact will be measured not in water towers, toilets or solar panels, but in healthier and better educated adults who will contribute to their communities and create new opportunities for the generations that follow.
That's what makes projects like this so exciting!
