Access to Clean Water: A Lifeline, Not Luxury, Says Give Africa
With water scarcity becoming a critical global health issue, Clean Energy Specialist, Edima Okodi, highlights the how access to clean water, essential for survival, is a fundamental human right and not a privilege reserved for the affluent.
During a virtual luncheon for Give Africa, Okodi delivered her keynote address, emphasising the significance of the organisation’s work and recommending further advancement towards sustainable practices to ensure long-term water availability.
The event, held on Thursday was themed, ‘The Integral Role of Water in Community Development: Exploring its Social and Economic Impacts”.
“Globally, one in three children under the age of five lacks access to clean water, leading to diseases like cholera and diarrhea. This makes Give Africa’s work crucial, as it provides opportunities for children to grow healthy without having to walk long distances to fetch water.
“As the world changes right before our eyes due to climate change extremes, draining water resources, exacerbating water scarcity, our focus must extend beyond providing water to embracing sustainable practices like conservation, rainwater harvesting, and efficient irrigation. This ensures that today’s conservation efforts make water abundant for in the future. Access to water is a lifeline, not a luxury for a select few,” Okodi said.
The founder of Khalil Suleiman Halilu Foundation (KSK Foundations) and Give Africa during his remark elaborates on the idea behind Give Africa.
“We want to utilise the power of technology and community to build a more inclusive society. Our goal is to simplify the act of giving. To address widespread distrust, we ensure that every contribution reaches those in need. We also celebrate the act of giving, as it transforms lives one act of kindness at a time,” he clarified.
A panel discussing ‘Water Accessibility in Relation to Education, Health, and Entrepreneurship’ during the luncheon emphasised the need to bridge knowledge gaps regarding water management, lifecycle operation costs, and maintenance to facilitate easy access to education and healthcare, and ensure the prosperity of local businesses, particularly those heavily reliant on water.
Give Africa, with its three-pronged initiative focus – Light Up, Plant a Tree, and Water Wells – has through partnering Global Shapers Kano and Water the Needy Foundation on the Water Wells initiative, have successfully dug nine wells and sunk five boreholes to date.
