Posted by Elizabeth Edozie on Mar 01, 2020
 
I welcome you to the month of March, the ninth month of the Rotary year.
 
February has been quite an eventful month in the District.  We had the Rotary Foundation Dinner/Dance on the 8th,  the District Team Training Seminar on the 21st and 22nd, and then the World Peace and Understanding Day celebrations on the 25th.  I thank all the committee chairs and members for successfully executing these programmes.
 
March is Water,  Sanitation and Hygiene month. 
 
During March,  we will be celebrating our commitment to create healthier communities by supplying clean water and sanitation facilities to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.  When people have access to clean water and sanitation, waterborne diseases decrease, children stay healthier and attend school more regularly, and mothers can spend less time carrying water and more time helping their families.
 
What is your club planning this month to focus on Water,  Sanitation and Hygiene?  Please get your club to have at least one event to commemorate the theme of this month.  Commissioning a water project if you have one in the pipeline,  or starting a new one. 
 
There is a wide scope of projects that come under the theme for this month.  Some quite inexpensive, like a hand-washing training for school children, to expensive brick and mortar projects, like toilets.  So, think outside the box.
 
I have some good news to share.  As I promised, I am happy to announce that the Archives section of the District website has now been built.  Sponsored by the Reality Presidents (2008-2009),  It was built and delivered to the District by Rotarian Jide Ogunleye of the Rotary club of Omole-Golden. 
 
We are now uploading documents and reports of various committees that have submitted their reports.  The link is on the top right-hand corner of the Home Page of the District website.  Please click on it and have a view of the design of the archives.  It is open now, with
Username: demo@demo.com
and
password: demo
 
But after a short time, access will be controlled with passwords that will be given only to those who need such information.   Like committee chairs,  Assistant Governors,  and Club Presidents.   The goal is to have a place online for Rotarians to have easy access to information, especially information about present and past activities, processes and stories about District 9110. 
 
We will try to retrieve the history of this District, scattered all over the place with PDGs, past chairs of various committees, District officers etc.   Future generations of Rotarians will have a one-stop location for information, data and research. 
 
It is a long-term project that go on for years, with photographs, even video links and all, stored in cyberspace for eternity.  I will value your suggestions as we build up this unique new step in moving District 9110 into the digital age.
 
What is causing worldwide concern now is the spread of the Covid-19 virus, also known as Coronavirus.   Experts have advised that basic sanitary precautions are useful in minimising the chances of contamination and spread:  Regular handwashing,  use of hand sanitisers, keeping a safe distance from suspected cases etc.  are recommended actions now.  
 
Routine use of face masks is not yet advised.   We will continue to monitor developments and will be ready to adjust District operations and programmes should that become necessary.  We will follow the advice of the State and Federal health authorities.  Hand sanitisers are being made available in high traffic areas of the Rotary Centre. Please try to use them.
 
Seemingly appropriately, March being the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene month, the Seminar, billed for Thursday the 5th of the month is concentrating on hand washing.  In addition, the District Water, Sanitation and Hygiene committee has produced a template for clubs who are planning boreholes and others water projects. 
 
This is to help reduce the errors noticed over the years in many well-meaning but poorly designed water projects in many clubs. This will be useful for Presidents-Elect who are still planning projects for their year.
 
Other dates to note in your diary for this month:
17th &18th:  Disaster Relief Summit
20th to 22nd: PETS
26th to 29th: Rotaract Conference
 
Looks like we have exciting days ahead.  Enjoy it all, as we strive to make sure that Rotary Connects the World.
 
With my best regards,