Contributed by AG Bryan Short
Rotary clubs from Wagga are sending four RP2 ultrafiltration water treatment units to the Democratic Republic of Congo. They will make a difference to around 800 people who will drink clean water.
The difference will be more mothers who have healthy babies, and less kids who die in their first three years. Perhaps the biggest difference is that a lot of kids will avoid the malnutrition and dehydration from diarrhoea that affects their lifetime physical and mental development. In the D.R.Congo 43% of children are classified as “stunted”.
SOME HISTORY
Pre-Wagga, Dr. Barry Mendel , a long term Perth based Rotarian with hands on experience in obstetrics in East Timor, suggested to engineer brother Howard that a small water treatment system could make a big difference in many third world countries. Engineer Howard said “give me a couple of weeks”.
Five years later the simple unit above is the first of the new series RP2 units to go overseas. In the meantime early prototypes have gone to Cambodia , East Timor, Sudan, and Indonesia.
Over the 5 years, Howard has learnt a lot about small scale water treatment, the people who need them, the people who talk about them, and most of all the people who can form a team to make a difference.
WAGGA HISTORY
This goes back a few years ago when Howard’s son-in-law Nick Leywood introduced the earlier model “Rota Pota” (ROTAry POTAble) to Wollundry Rotary, who came up with funds for a trial batch for tests in East Timor. The intended project did not go ahead, but it motivated development of the above model RP2.
Howard moved from Melbourne to Wagga at the beginning of this year with the new product and renewed enthusiasm.
Howard contacted Wollundry Rotary, and then things started to happen. John Egan provided contacts at Wagga Rotary Club, who have a water treatment need in East Timor. AG Bryan Short, a civil engineer, of Wagga RC, became involved, and arranged tests at Riverina Water which confirmed the significant improvements available in water quality using RP2. Howard was invited and inducted into Wagga RC. This coincided with Dr. Luc from Democratic Republic of Congo visiting clubs in Wagga as a result of a Global Rotary Grant coordinated by Doug Sutton of Wollundry RC. A demonstration of RP2 was organised for Dr. Luc who subsequently asked for four units for his hospital. Four Wagga Rotary Clubs are organising sponsorship of the units at $650 each.
Graham Gorrel from Wagga RC organized ABC Riverina to do an interview and morning report, plus a video on their web site, which has had over 2000 hits. Howard is happy to present and demonstrate RP2 anywhere in District 9700, just contact him (02 8516 4641) or Bryan (0417 717515).