ACCESS TO FRESH WATER
ETHIOPIA
WHAT IS ACCESS TO FRESH WATER?
Access to fresh water is a major issue in Africa. 44.5 million people in Ethiopia don’t have access to fresh water. They don’t have access to fresh water because they don’t have the resources we do.
PERSPECTIVE 1
A local Ethiopian man has offered his perspective on access the fresh water. Hadis Tekele who is a local priest and a member of his village water and sanitation committee quotes, 'If we have water nearer our houses, we will have more time for different activities such as farming'. In his village a hand pump was installed in his community by the local government. It is placed 4km away, that is an hour long trip of walking. With out easy access to fresh water, people use what they can collect for drinking. There isn't enough water for them to stay clean and healthy.
PERSPECTIVE 2
From the organisation We Are Water Foundation the objective is to provide fresh clean water to as much as Ethiopia as possible. They intend to construct springs and wells to try and revitalise the communities.
GOVERNMENT
It is the governments responsibility to provide fresh water to their population. At the moment the World Health Organisation believes that only 22% have access to fresh water in Ethiopia. Ethiopia's goal is the get at least 70% of the population access to fresh water. The government needs to encourage consumer awareness and hygiene awareness.
RESPONSES TO THE PROBLEM
There are many different countries and organisations that are helping Ethiopia. Donors finance many different operations. Some go through the federal government and some go straight to the towns. The donors have established a working group called the Development Assistance Group. Important donors are Africa Development Bank, the EU France, Germany, UNICEF and the World Bank.
SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EQUALITY
Everyone should have the right to clean fresh water. If people don't they can resort to violence and crime to get it, which impacts on the courts and jails.