Good Works Gazette – June 2026

Chapala Sunrise Rotary Club

“Boots on the ground” isn’t just a vague idiom for Chapala Sunrise Rotary Club (CSRC). It looks like this: volunteers standing in a rural village measuring contamination levels of raw sewage so they can design a workable sanitation system. It looks like a doctor teaching a small group how to manage diabetes with diet and medication. It looks like scholarships placed into the hands of grateful students.

CSRC stands out not only for their many successful projects, but for their masterful coordination of local and global resources. Their reach extends through Rotary’s global network, allowing them to secure funding and expertise that might otherwise be difficult to access. They also mine the local community for skilled partners ranging from doctors to drywall installers.

They take the long view and work hard to create self-sustaining systems. Rather than parachuting in with one-time solutions, they build relationships and develop projects that evolve over time. A sanitation project leads to a first aid station. A clinic restoration expands into dental care and kidney transplant support. Trust is not built quickly, especially in communities that have seen promises come and go – largely unfulfilled.

Two shining examples of CSRC’s work are the water and wastewater infrastructure projects completed at their adopted village Ojo de Agua. Ojo de Agua is a small village east of Chapala near Mezcala that had been plagued with an inconsistent water supply and nonexistent sewage treatment.

The projects started in 2017 when the CSRC constructed two 10,000-liter holding tanks at the village spring. Before the tanks were installed, Ojo de Agua’s water supply didn’t last through the dry season. Not content to stop there, the group coordinated with the Rotary Club of South San Francisco, the government of Poncitlán, other local and nonlocal donors, and funding from a Rotary Global Grant to build a water distribution system that services the entire village. The pipes were laid and both tinacos and water filters were supplied to every home. The system went live in 2021.

Next, they partnered with Dr. Joshua Greene of CIASIS in Guadalajara to design a sewage treatment system to replace the open gray water and sewage ditch that ran through the village and into the lake untreated. The system utilizes a three-stage sewer and wetlands treatment protocol. The wastewater first passes through three septic settling tanks, then gravel filters and finally a constructed wetland with filtering aquatic plants.

The result of this coordinated multi-partner collaboration is simple but profound: reliable water in every home and a sanitation system that no longer threatens the village or the lake. It is a practical solution to a persistent problem. It is also a clear example of what long-term, community-based work can accomplish.

If the work in Ojo de Agua shows what persistence can build, the La Cuesta clinic reveals just how complex that persistence can be. The project began when community members of La Cuesta approached CSRC about a long-abandoned medical clinic in their town. The clinic, likely intended as a for-profit venture, had been built eight years earlier yet had never gone into operation and was falling into disrepair. The CSRC immediately recognized the potential good in opening this clinic. A staggering, multi-layered effort followed. The funding was complex but securing the permission and blessing of government health agencies was even more daunting. The agencies rightfully needed to ensure compliance as they will be providing the healthcare workers and support staff for the clinic.

The clinic, slated for completion in late 2026, will provide fundamental services tied to community need and input. Crucially, it will include a pharmacy. On a recent tour, we were told that children had died from scorpion stings simply because the antidote serum was not available in time. We also met a local midwife who will help shape the services of the maternity ward, ensuring the clinic reflects the realities of the community it serves. The care put into the rehabilitation of this clinic is a reminder that bringing a building to life is not just about infrastructure, but about real access and trust.

Chapala Sunrise Rotary Club is not just completing projects. They are building lasting relationships and systems. If you feel pulled to this kind of work, the door is always open. CSRC meets every Thursday at 10:00 AM at Palapa Don Juan restaurant, Paseo Ramón Corona 32 in Chapala. Visitors are always welcome. To learn more visit: www.chapalarotary.org.