Friday, June 29, 2012

If we needed more evidence for the need of clean water in Africa‏

Hi friends,

When I first read this I thought it was a joke, but then I realized that it wasn't. This was posted at a restaurant called the Blue Room in Mombasa Kenya. Here is the decision some people have to make:

1. Do I pay 20 shillings for a small bottle of water (about 10% of a daily wage worker, the equivalent of about $8 for someone in the US making $10 an hour, for just one drink)?
2. Do I drink pond or puddle water? or
3. Do I pay 5 shillings to enter the bathroom and fill up a water bottle I found in the street?

Seems kind of crazy, but if I was faced with these decisions I'd have to choose the relative clean toilet water as well. I wish I could post two pictures together, but my iPad wont let me. I have another picture showing two boys getting their water from a stream, and you can put them side-by-side. I'm curious if anyone would pick the stream water over the toilet water.



I have now made numerous trips to Africa, but I have never thought about a discussion like this before; it just kind of hit home.

Anyway, I thought with all the creative minds out there someone could come up with a great Facebook, Twitter or YouTube video campaign that could bring some exposure to WHOlives.org and the Village Drill to have people mull over just how crazy it is when you do not have clean or adequate water; where drinking toilet water is by far the best choice one could make. And I too hope you "enjoy the experience". :)  

Does anyone know Ellen or Jay Leno ... don't they have segments with crazy signs? May be this can be a competition, where people come up with a campaign then we have people donate a dollar to vote with a percentage going to the winner of the best campaign. 

Let's see what we can all come up with. 

Thanks,

John


If you did not have clean water available, what would you do?