Club Sanitation Project in El Salvador Awaiting Technical Review

Pictured above is one of seven composting toilets which has been completed in November in the community of Metalillito in El Salvador.

The Rotary Club of Mechanicsburg had been seeking a way to start this project since the fall of 2011 when our water well drilling team let by Frank Ulrich and John Petrie learned of this community's need. The team had observed the need for better sanitation in general and was looking for a way to help when they were led to the community of Metalillito. This community understood the need and had organized to seek solutions and welcomed the club's involvement. Since that time, the club's water/sanitation committee had sought a way to make it happen.

Finally, new club member, Don Seiple, led us to Salvadorian architectural engineer, Ricardo Barrera, who helped us really get going. The identified need is for 180 additional composting toilets to serve a community of about 3,000 people. We were seeking a Rotary Foundation Global Grant, but in the meantime using funds contributed to the club's charitable fund at the Mechanicsburg Area Foundation, Ricardo designed and supervised the construction of seven composting toilets. This enabled us to validate the design, determine the material list, and calculate the estimated construction cost.

A Global Grant requires a partnership with a Rotary Club in the host country, and we have developed a working relationship with the Rotary Club San Salvador Noroeste in El Salvador. We jointly completed the application for a Global Grant in early May 2014. It was accepted by our Rotary District 7390 and the Noroeste Club's District 4240. It is currently at the Rotary Foundation awaiting (as of July 30) the completion of a technical review. The total Global Grant request is $123,888 for 180 units. Our club will need to contribute $35,400 of which we have raised over $31,800 as of the end of April. This will be matched by $35,400 from Rotary District 7390 and the remainder will come from the Rotary Foundation. Everyone is ready to proceed with the project as soon as the funds are made available.