The Ripple Effect Program is doing exactly what its name suggests. A small action in one Guatemalan school, a new classroom, a clean water system, a scholarship, sets off changes that spread outward through a community and forward through a child's life.
Now in its latest reporting cycle, the District 5550 program (operating under the tagline "Building Schools…Changing the World") has just released its update. The numbers are striking.
Watch an overview of the program in action:
At a Glance
- 24 schools with completed water and sanitation projects, benefiting 4,498+ students
- 16 schools equipped with computers and servers, reaching 4,000+ students
- 192 teachers trained and certified
- 43 students on Ripple Effect scholarships in 2026
- $100,000 USD donation matched for $200,000 USD in combined funding impact
Water, Sanitation & Hygiene
Twenty-four schools now have completed WASH installations, benefiting more than 4,498 students directly. A further seven-school project is near completion, and a new initiative has just launched serving 243 students and their families. The focus across all sites is the same: clean water, proper sanitation, and the hygiene education that turns infrastructure into long-term health outcomes.
Technology & Education Access
- 16 schools equipped this period
- 256 computers installed
- 16 servers deployed
- 192 teachers trained and certified
- 4,000+ students gaining access to modern learning tools
The committee continues ongoing maintenance and community engagement at each site, ensuring the technology stays in use long after installation day.
School Construction
Multiple construction projects are either complete or nearing completion, some at 100%, others at roughly 95%. The builds include classrooms, washrooms, kitchens, and water systems. Notably, communities themselves are contributing significant labour and materials, a partnership model that stretches every Rotary dollar further and builds local ownership into every project.
Scholarships
- 43 students supported in 2026: 28 middle school, 15 high school
- 3 additional university scholarships in support
- Approximate program cost: $15,000 CAD
The longer-term outcomes are what give the scholarship program its weight. Past Ripple Effect graduates are now employed or running their own businesses, evidence that an investment in a Guatemalan student's secondary education pays forward into livelihoods, families, and communities.
Funding & Partnerships
The headline funding story this quarter: a $100,000 USD donation has been matched for a total $200,000 USD in combined impact. Strong collaboration continues across Rotary clubs and partners, and fundraising for future initiatives is well underway.
Why It Matters
What makes the Ripple Effect Program distinctive is its breadth. Water and sanitation, technology and teacher training, construction and scholarships are all running in parallel, in the same communities, building on each other. A child learning in a new classroom drinks safe water at school, accesses a computer for the first time, and may one day receive a scholarship that takes them through to university.
That's not four separate programs. That's one continuous ripple.
The Bottom Line
A powerful model of sustainable global impact through collaboration. Thousands of students. Cleaner water. Modern classrooms. Scholarships that lead to careers. And a Canadian Rotary district that keeps showing up, quarter after quarter, to make it possible.
Respectfully submitted by Co-Chairs Gord and Deb LeMaistre on behalf of the Canadian Ripple Effect Committee.