Update on IPA: International Project Alliance

 
Long-Term Partnerships in Honduras
by Peter Martin
International Committee Chair
 
Fidalgo Island Rotary Club is one of the founding members of the International Project Alliance (IPA). This group was formed in the spring of 2014, and comprises six clubs from Skagit and surrounding counties. They work together to fund humanitarian projects in and around the town of Copán Ruinas, Honduras. IPA's goal is to build long-term productive relationships with the Rotary club and NGOs in Copán, so that member clubs can have a positive impact on the lives of people living there. The IPA has partnered with the Copán club, which will be responsible for project implementation and oversight.
Copán Ruinas is in the western highlands of Honduras, near the Guatemalan border. Although a small rural town of only 6,000 people, it is well known for the spectacular Mayan ruins at the edge of town. Like most of Honduras, people are struggling, especially in the Chorti Mayan villages that surround Copán. The need for humanitarian assistance is very high.
 
Projects will be in all six of Rotary's "areas of focus". The IPA plans to fund several small projects each year, so that service opportunities will arise at different times and require a diversity of skills. Larger projects will involve District and Global Grants from The Rotary Foundation. Three District Grant applications were submitted for 2014-15, and one or two Global Grant applications are planned for later in the year.
Examples of projects include:
  • Building, furnishing and equipping schools
  • Building and expanding water systems
  • Replacing open cooking fires in homes with fuel-efficient "ecostoves"
  • Providing rural homes with shower/toilet/laundry modules
  • Support services for orphans, at-risk children and young mothers
  • Childhood nutrition programs
  • Microcredit for small-scale entrepreneurs
Projects are expected to produce large benefits from a fairly modest investment. For example, providing a $50 ecostove to replace the traditional open fire used for cooking in the home has many benefits:
  • By enclosing the fire, the frequent and often disfiguring burns suffered by young children are eliminated. Homes with thatch roofs no longer burn to the ground because of a flying ember.
  • By raising combustion temperatures, noxious emissions are reduced by about 90%. Women’s health is greatly improved, because cooking on an open fire is equivalent to smoking two packs of cigarettes every day. One study predicted that an ecostove will increase a woman’s life expectancy by 10 to 15 years.
  • By reducing firewood consumption by 60%, the time spent collecting fuel is reduced by about one day per week. This makes more time available for productive activities such as education and growing food. If instead the family buys firewood, an ecostove provides considerable relief from poverty.
Each club in the IPA pledges to provide at least $2,000 of project funding each year. Each project has a "lead club", responsible for project management and collaboration with the Copán club. IPA clubs are also expected to encourage their members to visit Copán, to connect with the people and to donate service work for projects. 10 club members will be visiting Copán in early November.
The IPA offers several benefits to its member clubs, including:
  • Easy access to international projects with proven in-country partners
  • Active participation in 5 to 10 international projects per year
  • Experience managing international projects and TRF grants
  • Greatly expanded service opportunities for club members
  • A long-term relationship with a small town in Latin America
  • The multiplier effect of funds from other clubs
  • The ability to participate in a Global Grant without putting up $10,000
  • A rare opportunity to work closely with other clubs in the area.