An article from Katrina Flinn, Rotary Hawthorn
Unsafe drinking water remains a major cause of illness for children in remote Karen communities in Myanmar. Rotary Hawthorn, together with local and international partners, is delivering a sustainable clean water solution to a remote mountain village school and health clinic, serving 789 people. The project includes advanced filtration, infrastructure upgrades and hygiene education in the Karen language. 
Clean, drinkable water for villages in Myanmar with SkyHydrant and storage tanks
This initiative reflects the power of Rotary connections – from Nhill in western Victoria to Myanmar – to create lasting change. Rotary Hawthorn’s support will provide the local villagers in remote Karen state who rely on untreated stream water that is unsafe to drink with clear, potable water. The project will also include the local primary school and a small health clinic.
Water testing by Safe Water for Every Child found contamination well above World Health Organisation standards, with clinic staff reporting frequent waterborne illness, particularly among children during the rainy season. Tragically, preventable disease remains a leading cause of death for children under five in Karen communities.
This project will install a SkyHydrant MAX water filtration system, along with tanks, roofing and piping, to provide safe drinking water for the village and school. WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) education will be delivered in the Karen language, and local caretakers trained to maintain the system. Clean water will mean fewer illnesses, more school days, and healthier, more resilient communities.
This initiative builds on a relationship that began in 2019, when Hawthorn Rotarians visited the township of Nhill in regional Victoria and met members of the Karen refugee community who had settled there. The weekend was organised by Rotary Club of Nhill and together we raised funds to install 2 SkyHydrants in Karen, Myanmar.
In 2023, a return visit and another dinner with food prepared by local Karen residents raised enough money to fund this water project, together with matching funds from a Rotary Foundation District Grant. What began as a local connection has grown into an international partnership grounded in trust, collaboration and Rotary’s commitment to service above self.
We appreciate the support of our project partners Safe Water for Every Child - Myanmar, Rotary Club of Nhill, Disaster Aid Australia and DisasterAidThailand and the Karen community in Nhill. The project is being delivered with the support of a Rotary Foundation District Grant and will commence in earnest in early 2026 with completion expected by June 2026.