Access to Healthy Water
Several years ago while residing in Charleston, SC, I attended a symposium at The Citadel Military College. The speaker was the founder of Water Missions International, which is a non-profit Christian engineering organization that provides sustainable safe water and sanitation solutions for people in developing countries as well as disaster areas. During the symposium, the speaker passed around a plastic water bottle filled with, what we in the audience viewed as dirty, unclean and unsafe water but in fact it was drinking water from one of the developing countries. Since then I made a point of not wasting water, I've also tried to instill in my children the importance of not wasting water, by having them doing little things like not letting the water run while they are brushing their teeth and limiting the amount of time they take in the shower. Today, nearly 1 billion people in the developing world don't have access to clean, safe drinking water. Yet we take it for granted, we waste it, and we even pay too much to drink it from plastic bottles. Safe water is the source of life; it is the foundation for health, education and viable economies.
According the United Nations and UNICEF, one of five girls of primary-school age are not in school, compared to one in six boys. One reason for this is the lack of sanitation facilities for girls reaching puberty. Girls are also more likely to be responsible for collecting the water for the family, making it difficult for them to attend school during school hours. The installation of toilets and latrines may enable school children, especially menstruating girls to further their education by remaining in the school system. Globally, diarrhea is the leading cause of illness and death, and 88% of diarrhea deaths are due to lack of access to sanitation facilities, together with inadequate availability of water for hygiene and unsafe drinking water.
Today nearly 2.5 billion people, including almost 1 billion children live without basic sanitation. Every 20 seconds, a child dies as a result of poor sanitation. This equates to 1.5 million preventable deaths each year.
Sandra your research was very important about clean drinking water. We take many things for granted living in america. Everyone should have access to clean water.
ReplyDeleteOne of my dear girlfriends travels to Africa every summer. Her mission is to raise money for wells. She spends the year raising money and each year she is able to fund what she calls, "Ellie Wells." Her niece is named Ellie and is suffering with a brain disorder and wants to go to Africa so badly, but do to her health, she can't go. So to honor her she names the wells "Ellie Wells." It's actually beautiful. My friend shares pictures and the joy the children have is delightful. The children are the ones who have to walk great distances to get yucky water from streams, so they are thrilled to have a well in their very own neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteIt's crazy all we have to be thankful for!