On Sunday, October 29, we were witness to a defining moment for HANWASH at the Zones 33/34 Summit in Nassau, with the signing on stage of an agreement to renew the partnership between DINEPA and Rotary D7020 which first created the HANWASH Initiative in 2018.
RI Director Jeremy opened the event, noting the dedication and foresight of Rotary leaders in District 7020 and beyond, pivotal in forging this partnership. He extended a special acknowledgment to former RI President Barry under whom HANWASH was founded, and welcomed him to the stage to share in the occasion. A highlight was the address from DINEPA’s Director General, Mr. Guito Edouard. His heartfelt appreciation for Rotarians’ dedication and support to HANWASH was evident, and his appeal for your continued solidarity and moral support for Haiti’s citizens was deeply moving.
DG Guito underscored the significance of signing the partnership agreement in Nassau, saying that DINEPA is “totally satisfied” with the partnership with Rotary.
With just a few signatures pending before we consider the MOU final, we will hold off on public announcements for the time being. Our newsletter will tactfully address our progress, setting the stage for a formal announcement when appropriate.
Enclosed with this email is DINEPA’s report of their time in Nassau, including an English translation for your convenience. I think you will find it quite insightful it as a report of the partnership process and their observations. Additionally, a 20-minute video capturing the signing ceremony and RI Director Jeremy’s remarks and DG Guito’s speech is available for viewing here: 20231029 DINEPA – D7020 MOU Signing for HANWASH.mov
This is a huge stride forward for us as a team and it reflects the commitment of all of you receiving this email, and so many others, to this cause – a tremendous amount of time, effort, and expertise —countless Zoom discussions, meticulous document reviews, extensive research, and thorough negotiations and diplomacy. Thank you to each one of you for your unwavering tenacity and congratulations on this achievement we share together. 😊
Special thanks to RI Director Jeremy and HANWASH Board Chair Cynde for making this moment possible during the Rotary Zones 33/34 Summit. Heartfelt gratitude also goes to Marlene Gay, Fritz Pierre-Louis, Jean-Baptiste Brown, Robert Leger, Guy Theodore, Dominique Bazin, and Neil van Dine and so many more for being so committed seeing this through. Appreciations to D7020 leadership for their invaluable insights and time, especially DRFC Rupert Ross and IPDG Deborah Howell under whose leadership this initiative sprung forth.
