Etta Projects was created in 2003 to honor the life and legacy of Etta Turner, a teenager who believed in the power of the individual to effect meaningful change. Though Etta Turner's young life ended tragically in November 2002 while she was in Bolivia as a Rotary International Exchange student, her inspiration lives within us.
Etta Projects works in Bolivia, the poorest country in South America. In rural areas of Eastern Bolivia, their current service area, the majority of families live without adequate water, sanitation and access to health care. In 2012, only 24% of rural Bolivians had access to improved sanitation. Studies show that the provision of safe water coupled with proper sanitation facilities can reduce deaths from diarrhea and water-related illnesses by 65%, and improve overall childhood mortality by 55% (2014, Unicef in Bolivia, Unicef).
Through their work, over 71,150 people in Bolivia have benefited with improved health and nutrition, water, sanitation and education. 130 community leaders (90% women) have been trained in health promotion in 25 communities. Also, 19 communities and 435 families now have environmentally sound sanitation systems. 31 villages now have clean water systems and water committees to manage them. All this is done with a budget of under $500,000 annually.
