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What’s at Stake: The World Water Crisis at the Local Level. A Spring of Hope’s Perspective. Water. 1 billion people in the world without access to clean drinking water. Health: Cost of disease/illness in # and in $.
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What’s at Stake: The World Water Crisis at the Local Level A Spring of Hope’s Perspective
Water 1 billion people in the world without access to clean drinking water. Health: Cost of disease/illness in # and in $. Education: 443 million school days/ year missed due to water-related illness. Again, costs. Agriculture: 72% of surface water; wastes; transport, environmental costs.
Health • Disease and productivity loss= 2% of GDP, 5% in Sub-Saharan Africa. (more than region gets in aid, according to Human Development Report) • Diarrhoea, second biggest killer of children. (5 billion cases a year in Sub-Saharan Africa); also roundworm, whipworm, hookworm (infected children 2x as likely not to attend school.) • Malnutrition, vitamin deficiency. • Who can survive to take on leadership? • Inexorably connected to education. (School days missed, poor facilities at school).
Education 443 million school days/year missed due to water-related illness. GIRLS! tasked with collecting watermiss school. 50% of primary school drop outs in Sub-Africa are due to poor water facil. Less likely to attend school without proper sanitation. 40 BIL hours/year spent collecting water in Sub-Saharan Africa. Disempowers women, lowers income. Parasitic infection retards learning for 150 mil children. Who would want to go to school without running water? Incentives! No room for self-improvement. ASOH’s mission.
Agriculture Many schools are living beyond ecological sustainability. Government trucks come to deliver water. How is that sustainable? Developing countries: 80% to agriculture. Unemployed/small farmers cannot compete with water-thirsty big corporations. At local level, small business can make a difference. ASOH & schools.
Who is Affected? • “When I was in school, the thought of going home made me sad, knowing I would have go to the tap, on an empty stomach, where I would be pushed by the elders, who never wanted to queue. I hated my life.” -Woman in South Africa. • And over 2 billion more people. • A Spring of Hope’s children.