Based on a partnership (MoU) between the Rotary Club Oberer Zürichsee, District 2000 and the Rotary Club Sinkor, Liberia, District 9191, a global grant application was approved by Rotary International in 2018. Co-financed by other Swiss clubs (RC Lintebene) as well as private organizations and donors, the entire toilet infrastructure of a school outside the capital Monrovia was demolished and rebuilt in the years up to 2019. The basis for this was a water tower with access to sufficient groundwater for the future water supply, as well as a new and effective waste water disposal system.
Rotarian Gian Reto Lazzarini (RCL) of Butti Bau AG, provide a construction expert to support the construction work. Rotarian Leo Mittelholzer (RCOZ) ensured through valuable contacts that the cement industry in Liberia (Cemenco Corporation) provided 1200 bags of cement free of charge for the construction work. After extensive measurements by experts from the Technical University of Applied Sciences (OST) in Rapperswil showed that not only the surface water but also the groundwater is bacterially contaminated, it became clear that something had to be done. In spring 2019, engineers from OST Rapperswil traveled to Liberia and installed newly manufactured, robust water filters (GDM - Gravity Driven Membrane) and it became clear that these filters remained fully functional even after one year of operation and that the water was demonstrably free from E. coli bacteria.
The water quality measurements are carried out every two weeks by specially trained staff from the Stella Maris Polytechnic University of Monrovia using equipment from Switzerland. The clean drinking water is available to the surrounding communities and the school every day and is sold whenever possible at a price of 10 Liberian dollars (4 cents CHF) per gallon (3.8 liters). The proceeds are used to pay for maintenance work and small salaries for the operating and cleaning staff. There were several reports about it in the Swiss media and also in the Rotary magazine Schweiz & Lichtenstein. The clean water of this water kiosk contributes significantly to the improvement of the generally poor hygiene and health conditions in Liberia throughout.
After the actual “Global Grant WASH project” has been officially completed, retrofitting work will ensure that the “water kiosk” can continue to be resilient and sustainable. For this purpose, trained specialists from Liberia and Switzerland install solar technology and not only run the water pump almost free of charge with solar power, but also provide electricity for other applications in the school and the Christian church on the premises.
On today's happy day (September 24) - from a Rotarian point of view - the entire system has been visited by the board of directors of the Rotary Club Sinkor, led by its annual president Pauline S. Kwabo, and past president Dr. Angela Benson. The joy was great on both sides and the BTFS Team with Rtn Felix F. Walz felt honored to be introduced to the Rotarian guests. As President Kwabo put it, a successful and sustainable Rotary project can be reported, which is to be recognized internationally. Following the Rotarian principles, the project serves the urgent needs of the local population, especially their most vulnerable and less fortunate children and women.
