Saturday, March 12, 2011

Clean water in Africa

Clean water in Africa
We are put out when we get the notice that our water will be shut off for a couple of hours or if the water smells a little “funny”.  We complain that we can only drink “mountain spring water” or bottled water because of the imperfections.  But what would we say if out water was brown instead of clear?  What if you had to carry your water over ten miles to get it back home?  Clean water is something that we take for granite.  We don’t have to carry water in pots on our head.  We are able to go to the sink and get a drink of water.  It may have a taste that we are not fond of but it will not make you violently ill. In Africa people’s health is put into jeopardy by drinking what water they do have access to.  They don’t have an abundance of clean water.  In Kenya young girls spend their days carrying water to their homes from water sources far away.  They are not able to attend school because of this.  Schools are not able to provide education because they don’t have clean water to support students and staff.  Children cannot attend school in some cases because they are at home managing the household due to illnesses of the parents.  The parents are sick from the unclean water they have ingested.  With such basic needs not being met education is not at the top of the list.   Un-developed areas of the world remain in poverty because of unclean water.  If you are sick from drinking unclean water you are unable to work.  Without clean water poverty is a fact of life.
The topic of clean water my not affect my teaching in the big city areas, but if I decide to teach on the reservation near my family it may.  Some families living on the reservations do not have running water or sanitation in their homes.  The topic of clean water does help me understand how devastating an earthquake or other natural disaster can be.  Without clean water public health can be put into jeopardy. 

What clean water would mean-
HIV/AIDS might be manageable with access to clean water.
Infant mortality rates have dropped by 50% where parents are able to have access to clean water.
With clean water people can grow food, build proper housing, stay healthy, and get to school or work.

Resources:

http://thewaterproject.org/poverty.asp#ixzz1GLxCTDP3The water project
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1 comment:

  1. AnonymousMarch 13, 2011 at 10:29 PM

    Thank you for sharing that link, it led me to some impacting information and learning about how we can help. I also chose water as my topic. You are right in saying we easily take clean water for granted because it is so accessible to us. Water is such a precious resource and you made a powerful statement about how things could be different for people when they have access to clean water. Feel free to visit my blog, I have a couple videos you may enjoy about additional ways we can help.

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Personal Childhood Web

Mom-My mother
Influence: showed me a love of learning that has lasted a life time. She would have “Tea Parties” with me but insisted on real food not pretend. She would read to us each night and tuck us in. She showed her love and affection by being there and showing me how to make it on my own. Her impact on my life is ongoing. She is still guiding me to be a better and stronger person.

Dad: My birth father
Influence: taught me that continuing your education may be tough but is always worth the effort. He would take me on camping trips each summer and road trips to historical places. He always called me “sis”. His influence takes me to historical sites. I have an appetite for history.

Don: My step-dad (Dad)
Influence: taught me that hard work was important in life. He taught me how to drive my first stick shift. He moved me back and forth to college many times without question. He considered me his own and became my father when mine abandoned me. He still checks in on me and makes sure my head is on straight.

Grandma D: Paternal Grandmother
Influence: she taught me how to be a “proper” young lady. I remember how I should behave to this day. She showed me how to make ordinary everyday things into magical paths to the imaginary world. A refrigerator box could be a house, doctor’s office, fort, or a cave below hundreds of feet. She showed me how to cook and sew so I could be a good wife. Though she is not with me now I still can look at a plain item and imagine where it could lead me.

Grandma Z: Maternal Grandmother
Influence: taught me that women could be fierce and independent. She loved flowers and taught me a love of them as well.