Rotarians Andy Bargerstock, Doug Flournoy, and Naya Raj Baral
Fairfield Rotary has taken the lead in organizing 16 regional clubs to raise $122,000 for a new well that will supply fresh water for 10,000 residents of Jaluke Community in Gaidakot, Nepal. The community, which lies at the base of the Himalayas in Chitwan province, will now enjoy the benefits of this well.
This effort was made possible through a winning grant proposal submitted to the Rotary International Foundation by Andy Bargerstock, MBA program director at Maharishi University of Management along with MBA alumnus Naya Raj Baral.
The grant of $45,700 will cover the costs of a borehole well, pumps, 400,000-liter reservoir tank, and training on the use and maintenance of the water system.
Bargerstock and Baral, CFO at Maharishi Ayurveda Products International, are members of the Fairfield Rotary Club.
Naya learned about this project which was presented by a local engineer to the Nepal Rotary Club in 2011.
“When he returned to Fairfield, he contacted me. With approval from our local board of directors, we formed a team to develop the application and raise financial support from regional Rotary Clubs. Sixteen regional clubs or members contributed to raising $16,000 as Fairfield’s requirement for co-sponsorship of the grant application,” Bargerstock explained.
Projects that seek funding in excess of $25,000 from the Rotary Foundation are judged on a competitive basis.
Bargerstock says that the Rotary is about relationship building. “This project is a good example of the Rotary Club’s focus on relationships since the successful grant application emerged from the collaboration of the clubs in Fairfield and Nepal.”
He emphasized that Rotarian Doug Flournoy from Indian Hills Community College was the key in guiding the grant application process, and that Baral’s relationships with people in Nepal were critical for building credibility.
