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Sophia Life
Mrs. Barnes
English 112
27 March 2015
Lack of Clean Water in Africa
Imagine being in Africa right now seeing thousands, even millions of men, women, and
children who are dehydrated and fighting off disease. Why is this? Many people in Africa do not
have clean drinking water available to them. Instead, they only have contaminated, unsanitary
water. This dirty water can cause diseases such as parasitic worms, typhoid, diarrhoea and
cholera. A lack of clean drinking water can not only lead to dehydration and disease, but in some
cases, even death.
Many people do not know the statistics of the crisis. Based on the article Facts About
Water: Statistics Of The Water Crisis, these are the staggering facts regarding clean drinking
water, with the focus on Africa. There are 783 million people in the world lacking access to
clean, safe water. Of these, 37%, nearly 290 million, live in Sub-Saharan Africa. This means that
one in nine people worldwide do not have safe water to drink. In fact, in developing countries,
approximately 80% of all illnesses are linked to poor water and sanitation conditions. In the
entire world, people suffering from a water-related disease are occupying half of the worlds
hospital beds. The United Nations estimates that Sub-Saharan Africa loses 40 billion hours per
year collecting water. In almost two-thirds of households, women are the ones bringing in the
familys water if there is no water source in the home. Keep in mind that the average container
for water collection in Africa, which is called the jerry can, weighs over 40 pounds when full.

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The families are doing this because they have no other choice, other than the contaminated water
that, be reminded, increases the possibility of waterborne diseases.
There are many diseases caused by unsafe, dirty drinking water. These waterborne
diseases include parasitic worms, typhoid, diarrhoea and cholera. Some of them are deadly, but
even if they arent, they are capable of weakening the body so much that other diseases will
attack the body. In Africa, it has been estimated that 85% of all illnesses affecting children under
the age of five are waterborne (Williams). Not only are they contracting diseases, but their
education is affected by the lack of clean water.
Many African school do not have proper sanitation systems, and this will greatly affect
the education of many children. The simple things we take for granted, for example, toilets, they
do not have. Unsanitary systems can ultimately lead to death. There are 1.5 million children who
die each year of a disease called diarrhoea. It is a disease caused by polluted water. In fact,
approximately three hundred million school days are missed because the kids are too unhealthy
to attend (Lack). Clean water will be able to improve the learning of millions of children, but
thankfully, they are able to receive support.
There is now a program in Kenyas Western Province called the Family LifeStraw. The
device cleans the water to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards. In fact, this
filtered water is cleaner than bottled mineral water. The best thing about these water filters,
however, is that they are free of charge. The person behind LifeStraw is a Danish man named
Mikkel Vestergaard Frandsen. He now runs the family business called Vestergaard Frandsen
(VF). Earlier this year, VF put up the money to manufacture the Family LifeStraw water filters,
which employed 400,000 local representatives to distribute 900,000 units in a door-to-door

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program called Carbon for Water ("LifeStraw"). This program will benefit at least four
million Kenyans. The good news is that this is not the only company willing to help.
Another business that is determined to provide clean drinking water to Africans is One
Water. This is a non-profit company started by a man named Duncan Goose. Goose worked with
a company based in Wales that was willing to offer a bottle of water for 13 pence (about 19
cents) per bottle, including delivery. Goose was able to work with schools to market his product,
and by June of 2006, he forecasted eight million bottles to be sold! Any money made over the 13
pence per bottle is used to provide clean water to those who do not have any (Bassala).
Thankfully, these companies are helping to provide the Africans with clean drinking water, so
that some relief can be attained.
Dehydration, disease, and death can all be caused by contaminated drinking water. The
statistics regarding the issues caused by unsanitary water in Africa are troubling to say the least.
However, there are many companies coming to the aid of the Africans, so there is hope for the
future. The goal would be that all Africans have clean water to drink, and that diseases and death
can be avoided.

Bassala, Fabien, and Ian Marcouse. "One Water: making business matter: in exams, most

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students assume that business is just about getting rich. Of course, money matters, but
what about bringing clean water to Africa? Isn't that rather more important?"Business
Review [UK] Sept. 2006: 8+. Student Resources in Context. Web. 23 Mar. 2015.
"Facts About Water: Statistics Of The Water Crisis." 25 Mar. 2015. Web.
"Lack of Clean Water Impacts Children's Learning and Health, UNICEF Warns." Infohio. 5 Apr.
2010.
"LifeStraw." LifeStraw Water Filters Make Dirty Water Safe Drinking Water.
VESTERGAARD, 6 Apr. 2015. Web. 6 Apr. 2015.
Williams, Stephen. "Carbon credits provide water for all: waterborne diseases are a severe threat
in many parts of Africa. Now the distribution of free water filters promises four million
Kenyans a solution to this persistent problem, as Stephen Williams discovered." African
Business July 2011: 55. Global Issues in Context. Web. 23 Mar. 2015.