R Steve introduced Rotarian Kyle Campbell from the Rotary Club of Barrie in District 7010.
Kyle is a member of the Rotary Club of Barrie since 2012. He works for Deluxe Payroll for 9 years as a Business Program Manager. Happily married with two great step kids. Just trying to make this world a little better every day.
R Steve was excited to learn of this program by D7010 on CBC radio. When we reached out Kyle responded and was willing to share with us.
Kyle explained that he was looking for something to fire him up with Rotary once again and this project has done that.
He said in addition to the CBC interview on radio, they also had a spot on CTV television about this program. See attachments and the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onzPIBuu2wc
When Kyle got involved in the program, he realized growing up and going to school in Orillia that he had a lot of classmates who were First Nations.
He is finding this opportunity very rewarding.
There are 13.5% of First Nations communities in Canada with inadequate water supplies. There are 40% in Ontario with boil water orders due to poor water quality. A major problem is the lack of trained staff to operate and maintain the water treatment facilities in remote communities.
D7010 has partnered with a non-profit organization in Creemore Ontario to teach local indigenous people to operate and maintain their water systems. Governments help pay for the capital to build treatment facilities, but operation is different. They need operators. Operators from outside don't always fit in.
Water First is a program to teach and train local young adults to become licensed water treatment operators.
Rotary D7010 are looking to raise funds to help train young people to operate the water and sewage facilities in their own communities. Better than trying to import people from outside. To date, they have had two successful internships.
They are in the process of applying for a Global Grant with a partner club in Mexico.
With this program, they seek local community buy in and cooperation. The First Nations pays 40% of the cost to train. Training is 15 months as paid interns. They recruit candidates from the local community. It offers the young people a rewarding career.
They plan to expands to 75 First Nations communities.
To donate go to www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/63546
or e-transfer to rotarydistrict7010@hotmail.com