For close to 25 years, Pure Water for the World, Inc. (PWW) has been working to meet the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) needs of families living in underserved communities in Haiti and Honduras. Originally launched as a Rotary Club project by Brattleboro, VT-based Rotarians, PWW has reached more than 700 communities since becoming a 501(c)(3) in 1999 and continues to receive generous support from Rotarians around the world.
On May 14, 2022, PWW’s Executive Director, Matt Korn, had the opportunity to speak at the Rotary District 6290 Convention in Traverse City, MI. District 6290 has been supporting PWW for more than a decade, with generous contributions from the district, individual clubs, and individual members. District 6290 Rotarians are actively involved with PWW, participating in a wide-range of activities from fundraising for WASH projects, to volunteering alongside PWW teams in Haiti and Honduras, to serving as PWW board members.
Attended by Rotarians from around Northern Michigan, the convention gave Matt an opportunity to talk about how much District 6290’s support of PWW and WASH has vastly improved the health and livelihoods of children and their families in Haiti and Honduras.
Guided by the convention theme – It’s All About the Water – Gary Chenoweth, 6290 District Governor, brought together an impressive line-up of speakers, including Charles Elwood, who has been working closely with Billy Mills (a member of the Oglala Lakota tribe and an Olympic champion) to deliver WASH and medical resources to the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, and Ryan Rowe, Executive Director of HANWASH (Haiti National Clean Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Strategy). Presentations and conversations throughout the day focused on sharing ideas, challenges, opportunities, and impactful responses to providing safe water to families and communities in need.
Thanks to Gary’s leadership and the efforts of so many District 6290 Rotarians committed to tackling WASH challenges and disparities, the convention proved to be a catalyst for best practices that will undoubtedly strengthen our collective response.
“On behalf of PWW, I would like to thank the Rotarians of District 6290 for inviting PWW to take part in the convention. And a special thanks to the Elk Rapids Rotary Club and members for your wonderful hospitality. We look forward to continuing working together to transform the global WASH crisis.” – Matt Korn