Nearly 20 Rotarians are on their way to the impoverished nation of Ghana this week after a record setting fundraising drive this year.
Rotary Club of Windsor-Essex President Kim Spirou tells CTV Windsor they've raised more than $216,000, and with volunteers paying their own way, every dime goes to helping others.
The group plans to build two schools, sanitation facilities, showers and sinks, but Spirou says nine new water wells are going to be the biggest boost.
"Most people in Ghana do not have access to clean water and so many people fall ill and many die of waterborne illnesses," she says. "We're so blessed here in Canada, we never have to worry about the cleanliness of our water, but over there it's a very serious issue."
Spirou has made the trip six times, because she feels it's owed to those who were born into poverty.
"We're very fortunate, it's an accident of birth that we're here in Canada and they're sadly born in a very impoverished country and suffer many hardships daily just to survive," says Spirou.
She says a little bit of Canada will make the trip as the group is using hockey bags to transport goods.
"We can pack a lot of stuff. So we've been collecting things like clothing, kids shoes, soccer uniforms, medicines, medical supplies, orthopaedic braces because they don't have access to those kinds of things," she says. "We've been jamming these bags as full as we can so we can take that and give it away while we're in Ghana."
Spirou says a shipping container filled to the brim will also be awaiting them when they arrive.
The group leaves Tuesday.
— with files from CTV Windsor's Ricardo Veneza