The Unquenchable Thirst

The Unquenchable Thirst

by Sarika Sethi

Separated from her mother at only ten years old, Hindiya wanders through Hadado, a small town in the western part of Kenya, in search of some form of water. (Portella) Her thin frame projects her story: a young, deprived girl, starved and dehydrated. Looking at Hindiya, one wonders, how long can she possibly keep going without the basis of life, water? (Portella)

Hindiya is not alone. Millions in Africa are left without potable drinking water. What causes such an epidemic? Droughts, forest degradation, floods, poor management of water supply, water contamination, and population growth all contribute to the water crisis in Africa (Marshall), yet water is considered a universal right by the United Nations General Assembly. (Challenge) Kenya’s financial instability hinders citizens from gaining access to water economically as well as through environmental factors.

Ultimately, Kenya does not receive enough money to solve the water crisis immediately. West and Central Africa need about $30 billion a year to get access to universal sanitation and clean water (Goldberg), which is $30 billion a year Africa doesn’t have. Much of the sub-saharan region of Africa is considered to suffer from “economic water scarcity,” which means that “investments in water resources and relevant human capacity are not substantial enough to meet water demands in an area where the population does not have the financial means to make use of an adequate water source on its own.” (What’s) Although humanitarian organizations are working to raise money for places like Kenya, like UNICEF, who says they can guarantee universal water by 2030, the rising population growth in Africa makes that highly unlikely. (Goldberg) Furthermore, The United Nations estimates “that Sub-Saharan Africa alone loses 40 billion hours per year collecting water, which is the same as an entire year's labor in all of France.” (Facts) Africa’s lack of money for water pose a hunt for the substance, therefore creating a drop in productivity and an overall drop in GDP. As Bill Gates puts it, “bringing western sanitation to developing countries is simply unaffordable.” (Goldberg) Kenya is simply too economically unstable to gain a consistent distribution of water.

Because of the “economic water scarcity,” water activists have sought to find a way to tap Kenya’s natural supply of water in basins, however, Kenya’s groundwater cannot provide enough water to stabilize the water crisis. Basins under Kenya are more likely to be exposed to adverse environmental risks resulting from irrigation expansion. (What’s) Tapping into Kenya’s groundwater could deplete its supply, causing a larger drought and therefore a more serious water crisis. Furthermore, “In the case of irrigation pumps (both motor and treadle), which rely heavily on groundwater, the environmental risks include overdraft of existing water resources. (What’s)” Therefore, regulations must be introduced to monitor these irrigation systems, and it is necessary that companies must make sure their top priority is providing water to Kenyans, not just investments for themselves.

Overall, the water crisis in Sub-Saharan Africa affects 319 million people, who are left without access to improved reliable drinking water sources. (Facts) Kenya needs more support economically to from international aid to lift their water crisis and secure potable water for all, as well as new innovations that can produce water without depleting Kenya’s natural supply, such as the Omniprocessor, a machine that turns human waste into drinkable water. (Goldberg) However, the ultimate goal is not to make money for companies introducing new products, but to provide universal human necessities so we can all pursue better opportunities in life, quenching the unquenchable thirst.

Works Cited

"Facts and Statistics about Water and Its Effects." The Water Project. The Water Project, 31 Aug. 2016. Web. 06 Mar. 2017.

Goldberg, Eleanor. "About 500 Children Die Daily In Sub-Saharan Africa Due To Lack Of Clean Water,   Sanitation." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 16 Dec. 2015. Web. 06 Mar. 2017.

Marshall, Samantha. "The Water Crisis in Kenya: Causes, Effects and Solutions."Global Majority E-Journal, Vol. 2, No. 1 (June 2011), Pp. 31-45. American University. Web. 13 Mar. 2017.

Portella, Joy. "Three Stories from Africa's Drought, Famine." CNN. Cable News Network, 21 July 2011. Web. 16 Mar. 2017.

"The Challenge of Clean Water [editorial]." Africa News Service, 22 Mar. 2016. Global Issues in Context, Accessed 7 Mar. 2017.

"What's Really Causing Water Scarcity in Africa South of the Sahara?" IFPRI. IFPRI, 29 Aug. 2013. Web. 07 Mar. 2017.