Water Filter Project ( Aqua Project)
 Andrea Mayorga (front left) distributed Rotary-sponsored water filters among Indigenous communities in the Guajira region
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North Melbourne Rotary has been involved for over 50 years in many significant projects. However, none has been more effective than our current water filter program in Colombia. By recently distributing 10 water filters to Indigenous communities, the club has transformed the lives of thousands of people.
The innovative project grew from a recent visit to Melbourne by Andrea Mayorga. A member of Rotaract, Rotary’s group for 18 to 29-year-olds, in her native Colombia, she developed close ties with North Melbourne Rotary and shared stories of her work at home supporting disadvantaged local Indigenous communities.
Our club saw the potential to help Andrea in her outstanding efforts. When she recently went home to visit family, she took with her ten water filters provided by the club. She distributed them among Indigenous communities in the Guajira region and more than 2000 people have benefitted from them.
The filters are so simple to operate. Each connects into a plastic bucket and once a hole is cut and the filter connected, the bucket is filled with dirty water and, hey presto, clean water (99.9% pure) comes out.
These simple filters have totally transformed the lives of entire local communities. Previously, the people had no access to clean water, other than what was available at an exorbitant cost. Before the filters, locals constantly suffered from water-borne diseases due to contaminated water.
North Melbourne Rotary is thrilled that the project has been such a resounding success. Andrea is planning to not only continue her work but to extend it to other areas in Colombia.
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