Archive for category: Water

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The Women Fighting for Water in India

Water in India
According to UNICEF “785 million people today do not have basic access to water.” To relieve this burden in India, Jal Sahelis, or women water warriors, are committed to reviving dried sources of water in Bundelkhand in what is now becoming a nationwide initiative to provide more access to clean water in India.

India’s Water Issues

In India, 91 million people lack access to clean water. Even though India has “18% of the world’s population, but only 4% of its water resources,” making it among the most water-stressed in the world.

Jah Salehi’s formed a volunteer network of more than 1,000 women to restore lost water sources throughout Bundelkhand. They can help with this by collecting rainwater during the June monsoon season and distributing it through dried-up water bodies around their village. As India’s water shortages increase, the women’s efforts provide.

The involvement of Jal Sahelis in many projects also highlights the importance of community-led efforts for sustainable development. The Jal Sahelis program empowers women to take leadership roles in managing and conserving water resources, which not only benefits the environment but also promotes gender equality and women’s empowerment in rural areas.

Improvements

Welthungerlife and Parmarth Samaj Sevi Sansthan helped these women with the organization and training necessary for “water resource planning, management and conservation.” There are currently close to 500 Jal Sahelis who completed the training and are now working. They are always available to help their communities with water issues and are identifiable by their blue saris.

As well as this, they have implemented “shramdan,” which are community donations to help restore ancient ponds and hand pumps, even using government funding to build check dams. The way in which they construct the ponds and dams is by moving boulders and then mixing concrete to form such structures, according to India Times. The Jal Shakti (Water Resources) Ministry of India has commended them for their successful efforts in resolving challenges pertaining to access to water in India.

Addressing Social Issues and Access to Water in India

Not only are Jal Sahelis helping with water issues, but many social changes as well, such as the promotion of human rights and the reduction of inequality. Jal Sahelis are also helping villages of India rediscover knowledge they lost decades earlier when water transformed from a community-managed resource to one administered by India’s government.

By working closely with communities, Jal Sahelis are helping to rediscover and revive traditional practices, which can be more sustainable and effective than modern systems. This can also contribute to the preservation of cultural heritage and identity. Overall, Jal Sahelis are playing a vital role in promoting sustainable water management and empowering communities, while also addressing social issues and reviving traditional knowledge.

– Lauryn Defreitas
Photo: Flickr

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The Swiss Charity Helping the World’s Poorest

Swiss Charity
Medair is a Swiss charity bringing resources and aid to the most vulnerable in the poorest countries. The charity specializes in providing emergency responses to countries experiencing natural disasters and outbreaks of war and disease. The organization focuses its aid on the most vulnerable populations of women and children in emergency outbreaks. Similar to various other aid charities, such as the Red Cross, Medair originated and holds its headquarters in Switzerland. One might wonder how Switzerland, a country that has received renown for having such a high GDP relative to its population size and for taking a neutral stance in world politics, offers such good conditions for philanthropy.

Medair’s Background 

Medair began in the Swiss canton of Vaud in 1989, inspired by the Christian values to serve the most vulnerable people regardless of race, creed or nationality. It cites its values as integrity, hope, compassion, joy, accountability, dignity and faith. Medair goes the extra mile to help those most affected by global emergencies who are also those most difficult to reach. They are ready to act within 24 hours of a disaster, before subsequently focusing on rebuilding and strengthening communities from future disasters. The Swiss charity Medair focuses on three aspects of aid including providing shelter, clean water and sanitation, health and nutrition. They employ experts in each sector to provide hands-on help.

On the Ground: Afghanistan

Since 1996, Medair has been providing humanitarian aid in Afghanistan. Since the withdrawal of U.S. troops and the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, Medair has provided 116,171 people with direct assistance.  Following 2021, Medair built 117 clean water access points and a solar-powered water point. Many Afghan families have struggled to feed themselves because of heavy displacement since the Taliban seized power, which has led to more than 1 million malnourished children in need of acute treatment. In response, Medair has been managing 29 mobile nutrition clinics over nearly 45 locations, and within eight months, almost 40,000 women and children received treatment for malnutrition.

Switzerland: Rated Second Best for Conditions that Enable Philanthropic Engagement

In the Global Philanthropy Environment Index 2022 which the University of Indiana conducted for 2018-2020, Switzerland received a rating for second-best for conditions that encourage the creation of philanthropic and charitable organizations.

It is clear from the number of Swiss humanitarian aid charities including the Red Cross, Caritas and of course Medair, that Switzerland promotes humanitarianism despite its neutral stance in global affairs. In housing one of the U.N.’s offices, and in hosting ‘good offices,’ mediating spaces where conflicting countries’ representatives can engage in peace-making meetings, Switzerland is a country that promotes peace-making. Moreover, in 2021, Switzerland spent 0.50% of its GNI on ODA, a 0.01% increase from the previous year. In relation to the country’s GDP, Switzerland received the rating of the eighth-most-giving country in 2018.

Concluding Thoughts 

Switzerland has received renown for a high GDP relative to population size, for a strong currency and for a general population with a high amount of wealth. It is refreshing to see such a wealthy country recognize its privilege, pay it forward and play its part in reducing global poverty by encouraging the formation of hands-on humanitarian aid charities, such as the Swiss charity Medair.

– Genevieve Lewis
Photo: Flickr

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USAID Programs in Yemen

Programs in Yemen
The continued civil war in Yemen, ongoing since 2014, has led to a severe humanitarian crisis. The UNFPA says the conflict has displaced 4.2 million Yemenis as of 2022 and 20 million citizens are suffering from malnutrition and hunger, according to the World Food Programme (WFP). By February 2022, about 80% of the population lived in poverty. Extreme climate events have only worsened this while increasing people’s susceptibility to disease outbreaks. Since 1959, apart from a 70-year hiatus ending in 2003, USAID programs in Yemen have helped to better the quality of life in the country.

USAID Programs in Yemen

  1. Health Services. USAID’s Yemen Systems Health and Resilience Project (SHARP) aims to improve maternal and child health care in Yemen. SHARP has provided training to “210 community midwives and 413 reproductive health volunteers to improve access to services for women of reproductive age and children under five,” the USAID website states. SHARP also provided skills training to “97 health facility service providers on evidence-based reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health and nutrition services to ensure the provision of quality services for mothers, pregnant and lactating women and children.” When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, USAID worked with the U.S. government to donate 319,200 COVID-19 vaccines to Yemen, provide oxygen to COVID-19 isolation units, strengthen the country’s cold storage and transport systems for vaccines, trained health workers on infection control methods and carried out awareness-raising activities, among other efforts.
  2. Sanitation and Water Management. About 50% of Yemenis report major water quality issues, making the water situation in Yemen one of the globe’s most severe water crises. In response, in 2021, USAID programs in Yemen provided more than 1.5 million disadvantaged people with access to clean water, improved sanitation and hygiene education. USAID has also brought water access and sanitation to 377,606 students at schools. USAID aligns its water and sanitation projects with the U.S. government goals laid out in the U.S. Global Water Strategy, which defines the framework and steps for the U.S. to advance global water and sanitation.
  3. Food Security. Recently, during a pledging event on June 8, 2022, the U.S. government announced an allocation of $585 million in humanitarian aid for Yemen, which includes more than $561 million from USAID for “emergency food assistance as well as prevention and treatment of severe malnutrition and humanitarian protection for vulnerable populations,” the U.S. Department of State website says. USAID in partnership with the Department of Agriculture will utilize $282 million from the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust to aid Yemen, along with five other countries, in addressing food insecurity and wheat price hikes. In November 2022, the agency partnered with Yemen’s Ministry of Public Health and Population on a $4.8 million malnutrition prevention and recovery program to promote nutrition and open resources to families.
  4. Economy and Trade. USAID’s Economic Recovery and Livelihoods Program supports the Yemeni government in economic reform and stabilization of its trade regime by “facilitating the flow of commercial and humanitarian goods and services through Yemen’s borders and ports.” The program has also brought support to smaller enterprises within the country, such as fishing and farming, linking these smaller businesses to the international market. In 2021, USAID helped 1,200 Yemenis attain stable jobs in specific sectors, provided agricultural support to 4,000 workers and “facilitated 400 trade agreements worth $5.04 million between Yemeni producers and local and international buyers for agriculture products.” USAID also helped Yemen’s Ministry of Finance launch “a pilot e-payment system in February 2022 to pay public sector salaries and eliminate financial waste and abuse,” USAID’s website highlights.

Looking Ahead

In a world where many still require emergency humanitarian assistance, foreign aid is critical. Even though there is room for the U.S. government to do more, so far, the U.S. stands as a champion in bringing support to Yemen amid its crisis.

– Audrey Gaines
Photo: Flickr

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Inca and Pre-Inca Water Systems Are Peru’s Future

Inca and Pre-Inca Water Systems
Peru has a mountainous landscape paired with a rich indigenous history—though many secrets were lost during the Spanish conquest, a long-forgotten practice is reemerging—and just in time to combat Peru’s water crisis. Water scarcity is common in Central and South America—in fact, Microtrends estimates in 2022, only 51% of Peruvians had access to clean drinking water. Peru is among many countries struggling with extremely dry seasons; in the city of Lima, only about 0.5 inches of rain falls annually, which is devastating to the citizens living there. With such little rainfall, one may question what the solutions are to make this water last. Additionally, one may ask what other water is available year-round aside from rainwater. The Inca and pre-Inca water systems are Peru’s future.

Who are the Inca?

The Inca were indigenous people who lived in Peru, Ecuador, Argentina and Chile prior to the Spanish conquest in 1532. The Incan empire stood as the largest pre-Columbian empire in all the Americas before the death of Atahualpa, also known as the final Incan emperor. Though the Inca civilization fell, Inca’s descendants still practice their customs and traditions. This includes a practice called water planting—a brilliant ration-based method to conserve water throughout the dry season. Here is some in-depth information about Inca and pre-Inca water systems in Peru.

Water Planting

Water Planting, a method that the Inca and pre-Inca used primarily, is a timed natural water filtration system that utilizes amunas—also known as water canals. This type of filtration relies on soil and trees and vegetation to filter rainwater and river water; this process of planting water takes weeks and even months for the water to return to clean water, according to BBC. Because of this timed release, water can continue to flow long into the dry season—and current Peruvians can predict exactly where the water will be released because of an intimate knowledge of the amunas. This method also allows for the addition of more minerals to the drinking water. Once the soil absorbs the water, the water irrigates down the river to the citizens below.

People living in Lima, Peru are reinvigorating water planting—acknowledging the method as a sustainable practice for cleaning water. However, it is not just Lima; other Andean towns have also readopted this method to combat water scarcity. Early tests showed that water planting provided double the amount of water Lima needed for the season, according to BBC.

Bofedales

Bofedales, an Inca-utilized resource, is a natural or man-made wetland or spring found in Peru. These miracle hot spots promote microbe growth, organism growth and vegetation growth—all of which help promote clean water. The Inca recognized the importance of these year-round springs and even created their own artificial wetlands to help meet their water needs.

However, in recent years poachers have raided Bofedales for rare flowers—which poachers then sell in cities at great profit. Without these plants and trees, water does not have proper filtration and therefore it is not clean, according to BBC. This means the systems the Inca created for their own freshwater need protection from poachers. It is not too late to save these wetlands. It is not too late to save Peru.

Stopping Deforestation

Nature has a way of working symbiotically, ecosystems are reliant on all their components to function properly. Without all these components, the ecosystem fails—the Inca knew this. Their methods relied on the symbiotic nature of the environment. Part of this includes an abundance of trees with deep, healthy roots. As a result, removing those trees and vegetation negatively impacts water quality.

This was the case in Moyobamba. When farmers tore down trees and turned the land into agricultural property, the quality of water suffered greatly. A coalition of environmental organizations—both local and international—developed agreements between farmers and Peruvians. Law groups introduced tariffs, resulting in Peruvians paying a small amount for farmers to reforest their land. The environmental organizations formed education groups and conservation initiatives, which saved the people of Moyobamba and became a blueprint for other cities in Peru to follow.

When the Inca and pre-Inca created their networks for clean water, they created the future for their future children. Their work may be the hope for the nation as natural infrastructures reemerge and people utilize them. Truly, Inca and pre-Inca water systems are Peru’s future.

– Thomas LaPorte
Photo: Flickr

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Improving Water Access in Tajikistan

Water Access in Tajikistan
Despite having the greatest natural supply of freshwater sources across the region, water access in Tajikistan is an ongoing challenge. Only 55% of the country’s residents have access to this human right that has turned into a luxury. The country already faces several shortcomings and obstacles across the rural areas. Tajikistan has progressed in the past decade in reconfiguring its water laws and existing supply systems. Although it increased access to improved water sources from 75% to more than 84%, the critical issues of water security and continuous supply still remain. The work that has occurred during the past decade has paved a way for further progress. More work is necessary to address the issue of water access at its core.

The Roots of The Issue of Water Access

According to the research that the World Bank conducted, obstructions to water access in Tajikistan are likely due to poor infrastructure. Much of the piping was built throughout the 1970s and 1980s and commissioned by the Soviet Union. Since the fall of the USSR in 1991, these facilities have seen little to no maintenance. According to research conducted by Marufjon Abdujabborov in 2020, a specialist in analysis in Tajikistan’s internal office, only 68% of water infrastructure in cities was in working order, and across rural areas that figure dropped to 40%.

Aside from the effects of consuming unsanitary water on internal organs, the inadequacies of water access in Tajikistan also have a strong bearing on hygiene facilities, instilling harsh inequalities across the country. For example, only 1.7% of households in rural areas have access to a flush toilet, compared to 60% across urban areas. The World Bank reported that “One in four households in Tajikistan does not have access to sufficient quantities of water when needed. Service is interrupted for long periods because of breakdowns in water supply infrastructure.” Poor access to water systems forces many in the affected areas to gather water from neighboring provinces and villages. Doing so has worsened tensions amongst rural communities and increased border disputes. Furthermore, the responsibility of gathering water typically falls on women and children of the household. This impedes children’s education and causes detrimental effects on their health.

A Project to Solve the Water Crisis

Tajikistan Water Supply and Sanitation Investment Project, which was introduced in 2021, outlines strategic initiatives for expanding safe and affordable water supply and sanitation across the country. On July 2022, the International Development Association (IDA) grant of $45 million was approved, thereby securing funding for the project. The proposal focuses on following a series of initiatives targeting strongly affected areas, starting with the region of Khatlon. Projected beneficiaries of this operation amount to 250,000 residents across the region. There are other 24 similar projects that the World Bank has financed across Tajikistan.

Additional investment by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will target vulnerable areas of the Dushanbe region. Reconfiguration of the regional water systems, including sanitation and sewage collection, are the overarching aims of the aforementioned programs. Further development initiatives under the Water Supply and Sanitation Investment Project can draw inspiration and models of sustainable operation that are developed by the current investments.

Women-led Solutions Through Associations

In 2012, the Tajik government introduced local “water users associations” in response to the challenges associated with water access in Tajikistan. It commissions private farms to manage the delivery of water across their respective regions and promotes the management of irrigation systems and water supplies. The struggle has seen resourceful individuals rise to the challenges and take action through the water users’ associations. Uguloy Abdullaeva, a local dairy farmer in Dushanbe, was elected as the acting head of her association. Through her fundraising efforts, she received $420,000 from the American embassy to fund the reformation of the project.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) offered two years of training in water management to Uguloy. As a result, she gained a comprehensive understanding of water management and effectively invested in a piece of land, an excavator, new pipes and water locks for the region. The knowledge she learned from the training programs has spread to farmers within her association. Since then, farmers have become more responsible with their farms and there are fewer issues with water.

Further funding for development assistance is necessary to extend operations and ensure access to clean water for those that need it. The inspiring work of associations and individuals is effectively handling investments and improving water access across their districts. It has changed the lives of thousands in vulnerable areas. Most importantly, it serves as a strong example for the youth and citizens to build a better Tajikistan.

– Bojan Ivancic
Photo: Flickr

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4 NGOs Fighting Water Scarcity in Ethiopia

Water Scarcity in Ethiopia
Only 57% of Ethiopians have access to clean water today. Time spent searching for clean water, a place to use the bathroom and money spent to treat waterborne illnesses contributes to the poverty crisis by impeding education and potential financial growth. These are four NGOs fighting water scarcity in Ethiopia.

Water4Ethiopia

Water4Ethiopia is an independent charity based in London working to improve water insecurity in Ethiopia. The organization has helped about 5,300 Ethiopians access clean water.

In many parts of Ethiopia, safe water is in relatively shallow ground, but the water supply is easily contaminated. Water4Ethiopia works with people local to the area to construct a protected hand-pumped well and treat it with a small amount of chlorine. Water4Ethiopia builds capped springs that transfer water to distribution points.

Water4Ethiopia has installed capped springs that move water to distribution points in Beku Golba, Saglie and Dodo. Hand-dug wells with pumps to distribute water have improved water conditions in Ababari, Kolle, Kidanemihret, Lower Woibla, Maje-Azwara, Mewagna and Kufif. Water4Ethiopia also implements hygiene and sanitation programs to ensure safe, clean water is readily available.

There are in-progress projects that Water4Ethiopia organized to meet its mission to end water scarcity in Ethiopia. Water4Ethiopia hopes to implement hand-dug wells with hand pumps in communities such as Lolo and Marwenz.

Lifewater

Lifewater is an organization that focuses on regions that are hard to reach and implements custom solutions to improve water scarcity in Ethiopia. Lifewater has built over 500 water sources in more than 395 villages. About 88% of WASH solutions are still running, and more than 198,000 people have improved their water sanitation. A core value of Lifewater is “serving the least, the lost, and the last.”

There are five types of custom water solutions engineers at Lifewater use that include hand-dug wells, drilled wells, protected springs, rainwater harvesting and rehabilitated wells. A team of engineers collaborates with the community to determine the best approach for a specific community. Every village is different in its resources, population, distance from water sources and time spent in line waiting for water.

Testing water quality has allowed 88% of water solutions to remain in place and continue to provide communities with water. The goal is to meet the WHO guidelines for having international water sources within one kilometer of one’s house with waiting times of less than 30 minutes.

Lifewater lists fundraisers on its website and shares periodic updates for funding and the progress of water solutions. Recently completed water projects in Ethiopia include hand-pumped wells in Erbaye Huleti, Kenchota and Shefele.  

The Millennium Water Alliance Ethiopia Program

The Millennium Water Alliance (MWA) has created a sustainable water, hygiene and sanitation (WASH) program outlining a five-year plan to help Ethiopia attain clean, low-cost water by 2030. This plan prioritizes increasing access in schools and hospitals, the functionality of water solutions and budgeting to ensure solutions last.

The MWA has recently taken a broader approach to improve water conditions. The organization considers the big picture rather than only focusing on infrastructure by focusing on sustainability to ensure water solutions operate long-term.

Researchers at the MWA utilize water point data to determine which districts in Ethiopia need WASH assistance. The Water Point Data Exchange (WPdx) works alongside the WASH program to monitor water accessibility and cleanliness in regions. Reporting collected data on the WPdx allows for collaboration between NGOs and the Ethiopian government to allocate resources.

The MWA also continues to learn about water scarcity in Ethiopia and effective methods to share with other NGOs or government organizations to recreate similar infrastructure in other regions. Thus far, the MWA has successfully provided clean water in Ethiopia for more than 2 million people in hard-to-reach areas.

Hope H2O

Hope H2O is a Canadian volunteer organization that develops educational and WASH projects in Ethiopia. Its mission is to enhance water sanitation and quality of life for Ethiopians. Dating back to 2010, Hope H2O has assisted more than 25,000 Gimbichu District residents.

Hope H2O strategies include large concrete reservoirs, water taps, drains and technology to track usage. All materials used for infrastructure came from Ethiopian merchants and community members that professional plumbers and masons assisted.

The organization works to ensure water points are accessible to most of the community and that the community understands proper sanitary procedures to keep water access points clean. Hygienic methods taught include consistent hand washing and designated family latrine pits that will not contaminate nearby water sources.

Work done in the Menjigsso Gora community improved an old government-installed pump and stationed a generator to extract safe water into a reservoir with a wide service zone. Creating water points in the local elementary school improved school conditions and education in the community, as it was previously difficult to retain teachers.

Hope H2O is currently in phase two of its project in Germama Village. The project entails the construction of sanitary water facilities and community sanitation education. COVID-19 and political unrest halted progress for about six months in 2020 until construction resumed.

Looking Ahead

Access to clean water is a human right vital for the health of Ethiopians and the fight against global poverty. Without water, families are unable to handle other factors contributing to their financial state. It is important to ensure every person has access to basic human needs and these NGOs are working towards that goal.

– Mikada Green
Photo: Flickr

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3 Organizations Fighting Cambodia’s Drinking Water Crisis

Cambodia’s Drinking Water CrisisCambodia is a Southeastern Asian country known for drastically decreasing its poverty rates from 47.8% of the population in 2007 to 13.5% in 2014. Despite a reduction in poverty rates, Cambodia suffers from a drinking water crisis due to a lack of sanitation. The consequences of this crisis are life-threatening, however, a number of organizations are fighting Cambodia’s drinking water crisis to maintain its climb to prosperity.

Cambodia’s Drinking Water Crisis

One in three Cambodians drinks water from a non-improved or non-reliable source. While the country has improved in sanitation, this improvement is primarily present in urban areas such as Phnom Penh, which is Cambodia’s capital. Basic sanitation in urban areas increased from 49% to 88% in 2015, but only 39% of the rural population has basic sanitation, and only 24% drink water from a clean, regulated water source. Children in rural areas are also two times more likely to drink from contaminated drinking sources than urban children. Seeing as how 61% of the Cambodian population lives in rural areas, it is clear that the majority of the population is suffering.

Moreover, eight in 10 Cambodians living in rural areas defecate in open bodies of water due to a lack of toilets, according to UNICEF. This open defecation leads to coliform and E. coli, which are both disease-causing bacteria, in drinking water. Sadly, diarrhea contributes to most of the under-five child deaths in Cambodia and can lead to stunted and impaired brain development.

Water.org

Starting its work in Cambodia in 2014, Water.org is a global nonprofit that brings clean water and sanitation to countries around the world. The organization uses microfinance, which is a service provided to those who usually don’t have access to banking or financial services. Water.org, through its WaterCredit Initiative program, partners with financial institutions willing to supply small loans to locals. These locals then use the loans to install toilets in their homes so they no longer have to defecate in open bodies of water.

The organization had a goal of reaching 300,000 Cambodians in three years, but they met the goal in two. Overall, in Cambodia, Water.org has reached 1.9 million people, disbursed 435,000 loans and achieved an average repayment rate of 99%.

Cambodians Community Dream Organization (CCDO)

Working in Cambodia for 15 years, the Cambodian Community Dream Organization (CCDO) aids villages surrounding Siem Reap through its Clean Water program. Through the program, the organization has provided ceramic filters as an alternative to boiling to save fuel, hygiene workshops to educate locals on the importance of hand-washing and over 1,500 water wells.

The most notable part of the CCDO’s work is its water well repair program. The CCDO does not believe in building wells and does not consider the future damages to the wells. Instead, they provide a program that works to regularly examine, replace or fix worn wells.

In addition to the Clean Water program, the organization has also installed 600 latrines since January 2014.

Clear Cambodia

Formed in 2010, Clear Cambodia is a local NGO that recognizes the consequences of E. Coli infections. The organization emphasizes how they are a program run for Cambodians by Cambodians. The organization has impacted 2,527,628 Cambodians through its projects.

Clear Cambodia is famous for fighting against Cambodia’s drinking water Crisis through their household biosand filters. Biosand filters are an adaptation to sand filters found in nature as the sand and gravel remove pathogens and other solids from water. Biosand filters can remove up to 98.5% of bacteria from contaminated drinking water. Clear Cambodia has provided 339,662 biosand filters to households and an additional 1,547 biosand filters to schools. In addition to these filters, the organization has also allocated 236,140 handwashing tools,  installed 11,206 household latrines, implemented 1,539 handwashing stations and provided 212 wells.

A Better Future

As Cambodia’s poverty rates decrease, its drinking water crisis does not seem too far behind. Cambodia’s government is committed to reaching 100% coverage of rural sanitation services by 2025, as evidenced by a bold 14-year plan drawn out in 2011. With organizations like Water.org, the CCDO and Clear Cambodia doing their part to fight the drinking water crisis, there is great optimism that the nation will make it through this challenge in good time.

– Blanly Rodriguez
Photo: Flickr

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A Solution for Bangladesh’s Dry Chittagong Hill Tracts

Dry Chittagong Hill Tracts
Bangladesh’s topography mostly consists of low-lying, flat terrain. However, a notable exception is the Chittagong Hill Tracts. In recent years, this mountainous region has become increasingly water insecure due to deforestation, government neglect and torrid dry seasons. Fortunately, Hydram, a water pumping technology, provides a potential solution for the dry Chittagong Hill Tracts.

Chittagong Hill Tracts

Nestled in southeastern Bangladesh, the Chittagong Hill Tracts‘ forests, lakes and streams provide geographic diversity to the nation. Composed of mostly indigenous peoples, the region also provides ethnic diversity as well.

However, the Chittagong Hill Tracts’ 1.6 million people are incredibly water insecure. According to UNICEF’s 2019 report, the region has lower levels of access to water than the rest of Bangladesh. In 2013, 60.5% of Chittagong residents had access to potable drinking water compared to 97.9% of inhabitants of the entire nation.

Unfortunately, water disparity remains an issue as Bangladeshi authorities allocated the majority of funds of their Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) budget for FY 21-22 to urban areas, especially the capital, Dhaka. Thus, residents of the dry Chittagong Hill Tracts receive scant assistance from their government relative to their city-dwelling neighbors.

In addition to discriminatory government funding, another cause of the Chittagong Hill Tracts’ water crisis is the disappearance of the region’s forests. According to Global Forest Watch, in 2010, the hilly region had 135,000 Kha (521.2 square miles) of forest. By 2021, the region lost 919 ha (3.5 square miles) of woodland.

These dual crises have made water a scarce commodity in the dry Chittagong Hill Tracts. Thus, they have put on a burdensome human toll on the daily lives of the members of the region’s communities.

Voices from the Hill Tracts

Because of insufficient government funding and rising deforestation rates, the region’s main sources of water are running dry. Therefore, many members of the remote communities have to travel interminable distances to gather water.

Aungshaching Murma, a 52-year-old resident of the Rangamati district of the Hill Tracts, has “to walk two kilometres to collect water from the neighbouring village.” According to The New Humanitarian, the water collected from these long and precarious journeys are often impure. The water often causes illnesses because sewage has contaminated it.

Additionally, water security in the dry Chittagong Hill Tracts is seasonally dependent. Babli Tripura, a 19-year-old resident, said to Next Blue, “At this time of the year (the dry season), there is a severe shortage. The village women collect water day and night. It is very difficult to climb the high hills with the water (in pitchers and pots), but there is no alternative.”

During the dry season, water insecurity is especially acute. Women and children often have to gather water and thus are subject to onerous and dangerous conditions. Joshim Uddin, the male head of a family in the Hill Tracts, explained to The New Humanitarian that “Women and children are forced to fetch water from far and wide…Water is available from a nearby spring at other times, but it is not available during the dry season.” Fortunately, there is a potential solution for the dry Chittagong Hill Tracts: Hydram.

Hydram: A Potential Solution for the Water-Scarce Region

According to Dhaka Tribune, Hydram is the result of a collaboration between UNDP Bangladesh Accelerator Lab and Creative Conservation Alliance. It is a “hydraulic ramp pump system” Hydram designed for high-elevation areas like the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

In contrast to many traditional pumps, Hydram can lift water up to 600 feet, according to Dhaka Tribune. The technology also does not require any additional energy sources because it utilizes the energy produced from water traveling downhill. Thus, it is easy to use and environmentally friendly.

Hydram conducted its pilot program in the village of Matamuhuri. In addition to gaining a plethora of technical knowledge, the research team learned that community ownership of the technology was key to its success. As a result of this auspicious pilot project, the Hydram team is currently working on implementing the water pump system in additional villages, Dhaka Tribune reported.

A Promising Future for the Region

Hydram offers propitious signs for the future of the dry Chittagong Hill Tracts. In the case of successful implementation of hydraulic technology in the communities across the region, then the region has the potential to achieve high levels of water security.

With the combined efforts of Hydram and the Bangladeshi government, the residents of the Chittagong Hill Tracts should gain access to sufficient water for drinking, sanitation, irrigation and daily chores. Therefore, a hopeful future for the region is on the horizon.

– Alexander Portner
Photo: Flickr

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Global Engineering Brigade Provides Clean Water in Honduras

Global Engineering BrigadeEngineering students from around the world work with the Global Engineering Brigade and local communities to create clean water systems in areas that do not have access to them. College chapters travel to Ghana, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama to cater the water system to the community’s needs.

In Honduras, these efforts are needed more than ever as 5.7% of the population lacked access to clean water in 2021. The following year, Honduras’s capital Tegucigalpa also experienced a clean water shortage for its 1.5 million residents. Coupled with unsafe drinking sources, malnutrition and poor health care, there are increased fears of pneumonia, which is one of the leading causes of child deaths in the country.

Global Engineering Brigades

Global Brigades began in 2003 when Shital Vora, a physical therapist student at Marquette University recruited about 20 students to volunteer in Honduras. While students initially only delivered medical supplies, the scope of the program has since evolved. Global Brigades now also provides clean water, legal help and guidance on improving public health. During the pandemic, engineering students collaborated with communities over Zoom to help with clean water systems specifically.

Water Systems

Ongoing projects in five areas of Honduras continued post pandemic lockdowns. In cities such as Loz Izotes, residents’ primary water sources are local streams with untreated water. For this community, the only way to get sufficient water flow for everyone in the area is to build a well and install an efficient pump system. The location was assessed in 2016 and a water system is designed. However, a project partner is needed to bring the plan to completion.

Volunteering Process

The global engineering brigade has a five-step process for each water system project. Although it is typically a week-long trip, chapters strive to follow these steps to ensure clean water is presented to the community. Students and other volunteers first meet with community residents and leaders to assess current water sources and the community’s needs.

Once the assessment is done, Global Engineering Brigade engineers work with volunteers to design the project. They map the area, design the water system and create a budget that works with the community. With the project developed and the budget created, the volunteers present their findings to the community before they begin construction.

Volunteers also have the opportunity to visit previously completed projects to follow up and ensure it is operating correctly. The construction phase can take time due to funding. While volunteers are not expected to stay during the construction they can extend their trip if they want to.

Ongoing Projects and Future

While the pandemic temporarily changed the way the Global Engineering Brigade operated, engineering students are now back to work in person in 2022. At the beginning of the year, the University of Birmingham in England began to fundraise for their trip to Honduras planned for July 2022.

Similarly, Dalhousie University in Canada raised $30,093.34 for their trip to Honduras in May 2022. In 2021, the engineering students participated in a TeleBridage, helping communities virtually during the pandemic.

The University of Central Florida (UCF) in the United States is scheduled to travel to Honduras in May 2023. Students at UCF also joined the TeleBrigade in 2021 to help with the water access crisis.

Global Engineering Brigades worldwide continue to raise money and provide water systems to countries lacking clean water. As of 2019, 45 water systems have been constructed with the Global Engineering Brigade’s assistance.

– -Sara Sweitzer
Photo: Flickr

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Effects of Water Pollution in Egypt

Effects of Water Pollution in Egypt
Since the days of the pharaoh, the Nile River has long served as the heart of the Egyptian community and provided 97% of the country’s water. However, currently, the Nile River is in a dire state due to massive strain from pollution and changing weather patterns. Being the lifeline of the nation, the state of the Nile River is not only symbolic of the current state of Egypt but all the water supply that runs through the city. The effects of water pollution in Egypt are now impacting the entire country and making it harder to access clean water.

Water Pollution in Egypt

To call the effects of water pollution in Egypt pernicious is an understatement, as the country has continued its struggle to access clean water. Being that most of Egypt depends on the Nile as its source of water, the fact that the river is being continuously contaminated with overwhelming amounts of items such as discharge, toxic chemicals, fertilizer residue, radioactive waste and oil pollution is truly horrific and dangerously deadly.

Another large cause of pollution in the water of Egypt can relate to certain Egyptian traditions. These customs include ridding their waste by casting it into the river while bathing and cleaning their animals in this same river water. These effects lead to mass breakouts of diseases, such as schistosomes, according to Save The Water.

In northern parts of Egypt, many citizens gain their water access from the Mediterranean Sea. However, according to Dr. Abu Alaa Abdel Moneim in his studies on the Mediterranean Sea, “720,000,000 tons of sewage, 142,000 tons of mineral oil, 66,000 tons of mercury, 4,200 tons of lead and 40,000 tons of phosphates” all end up in the sea, Save The Water reported. People then use this water for drinking and other daily activities, which can lead to illness, diseases and even death.

Facing Water Deficit

Another issue that plagues Egypt is its lack of rainfall. On average, Egypt receives less than 80 mm of rainfall a year and only 6% of the country is arable and agricultural land, with the rest being desert. The effect of this is large water wastage such as an outdated method of irrigation where farmers pump gallons of water over the crops.

The largest effect of water pollution in Egypt is the scarcity of water that it leads to. According to the 2021 UNICEF report, “Egypt is facing an annual water deficit of around 7 billion cubic meters to the mass pollution of Egypt’s water sources.” Later in the analysis, UNICEF stated that according to its projections, it is highly possible that the country could run out of clean water entirely by 2025. This would affect 1.8 billion people worldwide, who will be living in complete water scarcity.

Reaching a Stage of Water Poverty

In January 2022, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi declared that his beloved nation “has reached a stage of water poverty.” According to Mohamed Nasr al-Din Allam, who is a former Egyptian irrigation minister, “Water poverty, as defined by the World Bank, is when a country’s renewable internal freshwater resources per capita are less than 1,000 cubic meters annually.” This is the bare minimum to successfully meet the people’s needs for water and food. It has not been since 1991 that Egypt reported living with less than the minimum water share.

Although the current effects of water pollution in Egypt are dier, there are possible solutions that the government is implementing and are in place to assist the citizens. In August 2021, the Egyptian Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation revealed a four-step plan, which could assist in reducing the water crisis. The four-pronged strategy extends until 2050, with promises made to solve all water-related problems and effects of water pollution in Egypt, Al-Monitor reported.

With this plan in place, the water which flows through the Nile River appears a little clearer and the citizens of Egypt could soon be able to breathe a sigh of relief as well as drink a clean glass of water.

– Austin Hughes
Photo: Flickr