Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

DOWAGIAC — The Rotary Club of Dowagiac and the Dowagiac Union High School Rotary Interact Club have teamed up to make a difference in the lives of hundreds of people on the other side of the globe.

The two clubs recently received word that their Kyoga Water Project has been completed.

The two clubs raised funds for the village of Kyoga, Uganda in Africa to complete a well and water filtration project, which will provide clean water for 700 households. It will allow safe and easy access to clean water without having to travel a far distance to get it. Rotarians and Interactors recently received photos and videos showing the completed well and filtration system.

According to Dowagiac Rotarian Barbara Groner, the $9,500 project would not have been possible without the financial involvement of additional sources. Half of the funds came from local sources: Rotary Club of Dowagiac, Interact Club of DUHS, Dowagiac Rotary Charitable Foundation and a neighboring Rotary Club’s private donation. The other half of the funding came from Rotary International District 6360 through a Karl Sandelin Grant and a D6360 Foundation Grant.  

“Rotarians of southwest Michigan are making our world a better place and are building memorable friendships,” she said.

The borehole water well was excavated by shoveling and drilling up to 90 feet into the earth.  Two solar units were installed to power the pump and its operating system.  Two 5,000-liter water storage tanks were installed on cement bases providing storage for a total of 10,000 liters of safe water. Two water taps are easily accessible in the housing area and two are located near the crop growing areas. Signage on each water tank, each solar unit, the pump and the tap locations gives recognition to the financial sources that made the system possible. 

Dowagiac’s water pipe replacement project inspired Dowagiac Rotarians to reach out internationally to make clean, unpolluted water available to a small community the club has befriended in the nation of Uganda. Rotarian Steve Zebell became acquainted with Julius Zzimbe, a young Rotarian who lives in Kyoga, Uganda.  As their friendship grew, Steve shared it with his Rotary clubmates. 

“From that small seed of friendship many good things have come to be,” Groner said.

Rotary International projects accomplished in cooperation with a Rotary club in the project location. Because Zzimbe was a member of the Metropolitan Rotary Club of Mubende, the Dowagiac club became partners with that club for the betterment of Zzimbe’s small, rural community. The partnership led to the founding of the Kyoga Farmers’ Cooperative, a small group founded by Zzimbe that has grown greatly since its beginning three years ago.

 The water project is the third Rotary has done to help the village of Kyoga. Previous projects have provided Kyoga with a transportation vehicle as well as seeds to promote sustainable farming. The Rotary Club of Dowagiac thanked the Interact Club for its time and effort making the project a success.

“This enthusiastic group of high school students was eager to initiate an international project that would improve life for a community across the world,” Groner said.  

Dowagiac Rotary Club has been an integral part of Cass County since its founding in 1920. Over the years, the club has been involved in many goal-oriented projects, both locally and internationally.  Rotary Villa provides 24 low-cost senior apartments.  It is a Rotary project that was initiated in 1988 and has been associated with HUD since then. The “welcome” wall at the west side of town welcomes residents and visitors alike to the city. It was planned and paid for by Dowagiac Rotary Charitable Foundation and then given to the City of Dowagiac. Dowagiac graduates benefit from Rotary scholarships and over the years, many Chamber of Commerce and other area activities have received the club’s support. 

The Rotary Club of Dowagiac meets from noon to 1 p.m. every Thursday in the meeting room at Front Street Crossing for lunch and an enlightening program. 

“We are a service club made up of caring people who want to make our community and world a better place,” Groner said. “Visitors are welcome and membership is encouraged.”