Team

In Cameroon, Cathy Molloy and Visi Edwin work cooperatively with the Water Councils in each of the villages. In Ottawa, a volunteer Board of Directors designs events and other fundraising activities, such as the annual "Brunch with the Bunch" and the Spring Cabaret, "Making Waves".

Our Members in Cameroon

Cathy Molloy

Sister Cathy Molloy, a native of New York City,  has been living and working in the Kumbo area of Cameroon for the past 10 years. Cathy is a sister of the Congregation of Notre Dame (CND). She has worked in the United States as a teacher, adminstrator and librarian prior to going to Africa.

When she discovered that many people in her area in Cameroon had no access to clean water because they could not afford the water fee, she determined to do something about it. In cooperation with willing and generous villagers in the area, a plan was created to pipe fresh spring water from neighbouring hillsides into the areas closer to where people were living. The realization of this plan in many villages has meant that people no longer have to rely on polluted streams for their water.

Visi Edwin

Edwin Visi, a native of the Kumbo area of Cameroon, is a qualified civil engineer and project manager. Edwin has worked with the OK Clean Water Project, since 2008, in partnership with Cathy Molloy. He has helped the villagers at every stage of their projects, in the planning, overseeing the construction and in the follow-up training and maintenance sessions. His skill as an organizer and his expertise in all aspects of the construction work has been invaluable in the realization of the various village projects.

Our Members in Ottawa

Officers and Board of Directors

Carmel Horan, President
 
 Carmel is a retired teacher and has been a member of the OK Clean Water Project since its inception in 2003.  She has worked closely with schools who have supported the project through their many creative fundraising endeavours and also with other committee members in various activities to promote awareness of the project.  Carmel became involved in this project to assist in improving the health and well-being of our brothers and sisters in this global community.

Kathy Monkman, Vice-President 

 Kathy is a “mini-entrepreneur” involved in the design, teaching and sale of creative arts.  She currently welcomes visiting students into her home as well.  Having visited the Project site in Africa, she has seen the enormous impact OK has had on the quality of life of its recipients and considers it an honour to be involved with such an efficient charity.

Norma McCoy, Past President

Norma is a native of Ottawa and is an educator, facilitator and mentor.  She has been the guiding force of the OK Clean Water Project since it began in 2003.

On July 22, 2010 Norma died in hospital after a brief illness.  Her belief in life-long learning and quiet advocacy continued to her last days.  At age 73, when many people are beginning to wind down, Norma was winding up to meet another challenge – the need for clean water in Kumbo, Cameroon, Africa.  To meet this need she gathered and led a group to work on raising funds to make the dream of clean water a reality.  This group, now the OK Clean Water Project, will endeavour to continue in her spirit.  Norma was truly a Renaissance woman.  She will be sorely missed.

Louise Garby, Secretary

 Louise, a native of Montreal, has been living in Ottawa for 26 years.  She is a retired elementary school principal.  Several years ago she became interested in the OK Clean Water Project through her school’s fundraising efforts.  She chose to volunteer with the Project because it is an Ottawa-based, grassroots organization with many success stories and little overhead costs.  Louise enjoys working alongside such a dedicated and knowledgeable group of people from different walks of life.

James (Jim) Yan – Treasurer

 Jim has been actively involved with the OK Project for the past three years.  Water as a development issue has always been of interest to him.  What attracted him to this project was its low overhead and direct partnership between the Ottawa volunteers and the people in Kumbo.  Jim retired from Nortel after 28 years of service and is currently an adjunct research professor in the Department of Systems and Computer Engineering, Carleton University.  He received his Ph.D.in Electrical Engineering from the University of British Columbia and is a Professional Engineer in Ontario.

Jenny Akwenseh Mbamulu

 Jenny was born in the North West Province of Cameroon.  She moved to Canada in 2003 and studied as a Developmental Services Worker at Algonquin College in Ottawa. In her work as an Educational Assistant with the Ottawa Catholic School Board, she learned about the Project’s fund-raising presentation at her school.  Learning more about the Project, she became excited that this would give her a chance to give back to her community, even though she was far away.  She was impressed by the realistic and positive presentation by the Project members, and the fact that the funds actually go directly to the people in Cameroon.  She then decided to join the group and do whatever she can to support this great project.

Bernadette (Bernie) O’Neill

Having lived by large bodies of fresh water a lifetime, Bernie finds it somewhat unfathomable to believe that so many live without access to fresh clean water.  She feels that the OK Clean Water Project provides an opportunity to work directly with the people of Cameroon in a true partnership.  Bernie is a retired teacher and pastoral minister who now volunteers with hospice outreach.

Bill Lawlor

 Bill is a former Associate Dean of Education at McGill University in Montreal where he taught in the Faculty of Education and in the Faculty of Religious Studies.  He is delighted to be part of the OK Clean Water Project.

Jeannine Lawlor

 Originally from Saskatchewan – where water is a precious resource – Jeannine is a mother and grandmother with a keen interest in health and education.  In her pre-retirement life she was medical librarian in a Montreal hospital.

Maureen Ramsay

 Maureen grew up in Edmonton and moved to Montreal where she and her husband lived for 40 years and raised their family of five children.  She worked as a social worker for a number of years with people having mental illness.  Maureen and her husband moved to Ottawa three years ago.  They heard about the Project through friends in Montreal who were also active in social justice groups.  Maureen found the Project very impressive in how simply it was run by a handful of people and how much they have accomplished in bringing clean water to many villages in Cameroon.  For these reasons she wanted to be part of this valuable work.

Sitting (left to right):  Norma McCoy, Carmel Horan
Standing (left to right): Louise Garby, Jim Yan, Kathy Monkman

Ottawa Schools Support the OK Clean Water Project

The OK Clean Water Project committee extends a huge “thank you” to the many schools who supported the Water Project.  We are always amazed at the creative and spirit-filled activities that the students, staff and parents are involved in as they raise such generous amounts.

Various fundraising efforts from twenty-six schools visited in 2009-2010 totalled $26,674.81 for the purchase of water pipes and other materials.  Schools were involved in spirit days, bake sales, book sales, hunger lunches, walk-a-thons, coin lines, read-a-thons and many other fun-filled activities.  One principal pledged to kiss a pig if the students met their goal – and they not only met it but surpassed it!

Congratulations to all for this support.  Your generosity will enhance the lives of many more villagers with the gift of clean water.  Water gives life!

Schools supporting the Project in 2009 – 2010

School Principal Meets Piglet