What about water? How many of us question where water for the next shower, glass of water, or "washing clothes" will come from?
Water - so basic and so necessary for life. We all know this of course, but many in the West understandably take their water supply for granted. Water is readily available, cheap in the USA at least, in abundant supply, and always flows when we turn on our taps. Afghanistan in water is not abundant.
Water is not taken for granted in most parts of the world however. It is generally accepted that over 1 billion people do not have access to clean water in the world, and the health, economic and developmental consequences of this reality are dire. Women and children spend hours collecting dirty water each day and lose valuable time, energy and calories (which are in short supply anyway) in the process. A family can not prosper if it spends hours each day fetching water, and the bite is twice as painful because that water is so often contaminated that the family has to spend what little it has looking for a cure. All that effort for something that inevitably undermines your health - it is cruel.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) argues that over 2 million people die each year from diarrheal disease linked to inadequate water supply. Most are children, most under 5 years old.
And they suffer before they die. A child suffering from acute diarrhea is listless, can not produce saliva, can barely speak, can not sit up, and can barely swallow. The body shrivels, as the last remnants of moisture within are sucked dry by a parched body. Cholera is worse of course, as is typhoid. The child's death is gruesome to behold - all for a glass of water.
Few hear their cries, even if the child could muster a tear. These deaths are sadly silent deaths, far from the cameras and the news, because it picks off children one at a time. Perhaps today a child will die down the road from where I sit in Moçambique. Tomorrow the death will occur across town. The following day there may be a respite - no deaths today, but tomorrow... Hardly gripping but no less tragic than the famine camp footage that periodically galvanises the world.
Development workers focused on water supply struggle and are often frustrated. Despite all our efforts, the number of people without water continues to climb - despite claims from some in the sector to the contrary. There are many debates as to why this is happening, and the reasons are complex. But the truth is that many water projects fail throughout the world every day. Projects fail because of inappropriate technologies, poor operation and maintenance systems, or a lack of finances on the part of governments and communities to keep their systems operational. Projects fail to improve health because many countries do not have the finances to purchase chlorine and other chemicals necessary to treat water - to make it safe to drink. Too often, these basics are out of reach.
3 comments:
I know first hand what its like to live in a hot third world country in a drought. Kids have to shower in the same tub of water together or make sure we walked to the river miles away from home, which most time defeated the purpose because most times coming home from the river we were dirtier than when we went. Then we'd be scolded. ( We couldnt win.)lol Its my position that kids are affected more by drought.
What about when the goverment sends water trucks to the communities and people would bring their metal or plastic barrels to the main street to fill them and the water is dirtier than the soil? So we were left to disinfect our own water by boiling or adding chlorine or bleach (Not Good).lol (This is still happening)
My grandparents were very lucky to have built a huge concrete tank at home, which (still) gets its water supplies from rain pouring of the roof top in funnels leading to that tank. But in drought they have to keep it under lock and key because at nights people and steal the water.lol. luckily for us we always have drinking water because our tank never ran dry.
Looking back I wish I never experienced some of the things I experienced (especially from a water perspective) but I'm very happy I'm in a position right now to help people who are affected by drought. Especially the children because its not just about water its about clean water.
WHERE DO I SIGN UP?!
HERE, WE SOMETIMES COMPLAIN ABOUT THE RISING COST OF THE WATER BILL, NOT REALIZING IT'S A BLESSING TO HAVE ACCESS TO AS MUCH WATER AS WE CAN DRINK OR USE. WATER IS PLENTIFUL HERE, WE DO'NT THINK ABOUT SAYING THANK YOU GOD FOR WATER. AFTER READING YOUR STORY, WE MUST COUNT ALL OF OUR BLESSINGS.
Thanks
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