| This past year, Owego Rotary's Youth Exchange Program led us to join in an exciting global effort - clean drinking water in rural Tanzania. Lack of safe drinking water in so many parts of the world was just an abstract concept to many of us until it came into focus, thanks to the cultural exchange provided by our first incoming Rotary exchange student since the pandemic began. |
Neema on her Owego Free Academy Graduation Day with with host mom, Kathleen Adler, and Rotarian Jerry West. |
Student exchange is historically one of our local Rotary’s most active programs. This school year we have had a wonderful cultural exchange with Neema Moses Lauwo, our student from Tanzania. She jumped into her USA experience with both feet and opened our eyes to her life in this northeastern African nation. Particularly, she introduced us to her local Rotary’s very active role in building clean water stations in poor rural regions. Read here for more info on the clean water and sanitation issue in Tanzania.
Neema introduced us to her father, Mr. Moses Lauwo, who is very involved in his Rotary’s ongoing clean drinking water projects. He and his local club have now completed four of these vital projects in areas surrounding their city! Mr. Lauwo was a leader in raising the global funding necessary to carry the projects forward.
Our club joined the global effort and raised funds that were contributed to the project’s budget. Thanks to Neema and her dad, we became personally involved in the project’s progression. What a great learning opportunity for our club! It has opened doors and created excitement as we anticipate future involvement in Rotary’s international global efforts. Thank you Neema!
| Our very own exchange student's father stands with fellow Rotarians and citizens of Nyamuswa, Tanzania, in front of the newly completed Rotary clean water project. |