The purpose is to eliminate the problematic lack of access to clean water, which would indirectly offer solutions to many other problems that challenge the people of the developing world today. Access to safe water is an essential tool for addressing most poverty and health problems, so by installing an avenue for clean water, this "ripples out," and indirectly affects: the overall health of the area, improving the sanitation methods and hygiene of the people, providing a sustainable solution to the hunger problem, bettering the economy, and playing our part in putting a stop to the spreading of the HIV/AIDS virus.
Health:
More people die each year from unsafe water than from all forms of violence, including war. To put an end to such avoidable deaths, it is imperative to supply clean, potable water to those who have no access to it. This, in turn, will slow and eventually stop the spread of water born diseases and make a serious dent in the 5 million deaths per year caused by water related diseases.
Sanitation:
According to the World Health Organization, "no single type of intervention has a greater overall impact upon the national development and public health than does the provision of safe drinking water and proper disposal of human excreta." By providing a village with access to clean water, you are now providing them with a means to properly dispose of human waste. This separation of water for everyday use and water used for sanitation purposes will put an end to water born pathogens that contribute to life altering, and often fatal diseases such as diarrhea, trachoma and schistosomiasis.
6 to 9 million people are estimated to be blind from Trachoma. The population at risk for this disease is 500 million. This disease can be reduced 25% by provision of adequate quantities of water.
About a third of the population of the developing world is infected with intestinal worms that can be controlled through better water, hygiene and sanitation. These parasites can lead to malnutrition, anemia, and retarded growth.
200 million people in the world are infected with schistosomiasis. 20 million of these go on to suffer severe consequences. This disease can be reduced 77% by providing well-designed water and sanitation systems.
Hunger:
Water is essential for proper nutrition. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, "a person can live for about a month without food, but only a week without water." By providing a water solution to villages often adversely affected by lack of rain during dry seasons, we will be giving them a solution to help maintain their agriculture in order to provide a sustainable food supply.
Economy:
The World Health Organization states that women and female children spend over 200 million hours every day collecting water from distant, often polluted sources. Some can walk up to 10 miles to collect a 5-gallon jug of water to bring home for family use. If this time was drastically cut down, then it could be better spent on helping to generate income for the family by joining the work force. Also, the fact that the water will greatly contribute to the overall health of the community means that it can supply a stronger, healthier and more capable work force.
AIDS:
A rumor has been spreading in Africa, speculating that one infected with the AIDS virus can cure himself by having sexual intercourse with a virgin. And, as stated in the Economy section, countless hours are spent by women and young girls in efforts to collect clean water for their families, often far into the night, and in deserted areas. This is a large problem affecting the young girls of Africa, because they are steadily getting raped, causing them to become infected with the virus, as well as often being impregnated, which continues to add to the cycle of disease. Therefore, by offering nearby access to clean water we are helping to reduce the amount of people affected by the deadly AIDS virus each day.
