Some closing thoughts about water and Ghana:
- Some 6,000,000 Ghanaians still rely on surface water for drinking, taking care of their children and other hygiene related necessities. It is unknown how many of these surface water sources are streams, rivers, lakes, ponds, etc. Through the years that we have been in Ghana - I think it's accurate to say that all of these surface water sources are at the very minimum vulnerable: to pollution, to parasites to disease. Many of the surface sources are not "running" water but pooled water or not moving enough to dilute pollution, parasites and disease. Diseases that can be harbored in this water range from Typhoid Fever to Guinea Worm:
- https://www.cdc.gov/typhoid-fever/index.html
- https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/guineaworm/gen_info/faqs.html
- https://www.hrw.org/news/2014/10/10/mercury-ghanas-poisonous-problem
- Only 27% of Ghana's population (29MM as of 2017) have daily access to potable water. This leaves over 20MM Ghanaians to figure out daily how/where to find access to potable water OR more likely make compromises, i.e. lowering volume of personal water intake or accessing contaminated water or just going without.
There is a mission to give back for everyone. No one group or type of mission that give back are superior to the balance of missions that this earth and humanity require. It takes resources - money, time, energy, thought, hope, prayer and much more for those in need to receive life changing impact that might take decades to materialize in some cases.
If you had seen then people that lined up after the celebration on Saturday to get a cup of water or to fill a bottle or just to see the water treatment system - it would inspire anyone to go do something!
Thanks again.
Chalmers & Steve
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