Providing Clean Water Infrastructure in South Africa
The main project objectives were to provide productive boreholes (wells) to schools in remote rural villages where there was either no supply of water or the supply was unreliable.
Effective water supply management committees were set up at each village to ensure ownership and ongoing maintenance of systems that were to be set in place.
Initially, a large number of schools in Limpopo which are struggling for a basic water supply were identified.
The geology of each area was investigated to determine the physical possibility of finding groundwater and the feasibility of a successful drilling project at each site. This process, taking place across much of the vast Limpopo Province, took 12 months.
At the end of that process, ten rural schools were identified as those most likely to benefit from the project.
Once the water quality and yield and depth of each school’s borehole had been determined and the appropriate pump had been identified, a service provider in each area was contracted to install and secure the pump, piping, tap and storage tank.
With the sustainability of the project in view, a water committee was set up at each school, a process successfully facilitated by Kabelo Bopape of Blessman Ministries.
Signs were erected at each school, identifying the role of Rotary International and Rotary Clubs in South Africa, Blessman Ministries and Hy Vee, in the water project.
Stephen explained that the original inspiration to tackle canal boating happened 40 years ago on a trip to the UK and Europe when helping a yachtie negotiate a lock in Scotland as the snow fell. The yachtie explained that much of the UK is criss-crossed with canals worthy of sailing. It was put on he and Beverley's bucket list and given further impetus when Bob Mills related his and Maria's experience with canal boating. The Caledonian Canal, some 60 miles in length across Scotland from Fort William to Inverness, was chosen because all the locks have lockmasters spring through to autumn....no need to break a leg scaling the lock face. The road trip from Edinburgh is spectacular as is the scenery on the Caledonian lochs and canals. 
Le Boat is stationed at Laggan; the vessel chosen was comfortable and warm (useful when the temperature dropped below zero at night) but there was an issue with the 4-5 second delay in motor pick-up and the sloppy neutral on the top deck. There were early mishaps including Beverley falling over when getting off to secure the ropes because the pontoons were a tad lower than the boat deck, A near disaster unfolded when backing the boat into a mooring near Inverness, with the stern collecting another boat and Beverley's leg became a fender. 
Vera is the Honorary Consul for the Czech Republic. Vera was born in Czechoslovakia, but left when 16. She believes that close connection with her former homeland, and her qualifications as a JP, an accountant, and with business and government experience prompted the appointment. During the 1990s time was spent in Prague managing bankruptcies and privatisation,
