HEALTH AND SANITATION
53
How would you
promote IWSH
projects?
“Water is the driving force of all nature.” Commonly
attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, this quote tells us about
the importance of water in our lives.
By Raymond Rowell Reyes
All living organisms on Earth depend on water
for growth and survival, and almost all biological
processes within the body are made possible
through the astounding properties of water. Indeed,
clean water and sanitation are vital to a person’s
well-being; the quality of access to clean water
remains a useful metric for determining the quality
of life in a country. an impactful community for promoting proper water
and sanitation practices within the industry. Its
advocacies are aligned with a UN Millennium Goal of
ensuring environmental sustainability. I was particularly
inspired by their plumbing initiatives in impoverished
communities such as those in India and Nepal; projects
that helped secure safe access to water to the people
within these communities.
As I live in a developing country, there is still a need in
our nation to improve the water and sanitation systems
within it. Access to water and its quality strongly depends
on where you live — highly urbanised cities often have
reliable running tap water, and the toilets are usually
kept clean and sanitised by government systems or
private institutions. This led me to think about what actions I could do
to further support the cause that is spearheaded
by this foundation. If I were given the opportunity
to promote this organisation, I would do it in two
parts — first by creating a social media campaign
about the foundation and the issues regarding water
and sanitation, and secondly, by starting a fundraiser
that would hopefully spread awareness about the
foundation. For both of these, the slogan that I would
use is “WATer you waiting for? Join the cause.”
This slogan would hopefully pique the interest of
individuals and encourage them to participate in
these activities.
However, once you reach the provinces and other
rural areas, clean, filtered water becomes more
scarce, with most locals procuring water from a
centralised tap, or from natural bodies of water such
as lakes and rivers. Throughout the whole country,
citizens are usually discouraged from drinking from
the tap, as the plumbing and sanitation systems here
are taken with a grain of salt.
Fortunately, a number of organisations work to address
these water-related issues. The International Water,
Sanitation and Hygiene Foundation (IWSH) represents
www.plumbingafrica.co.za
For my social media campaign, I would primarily target
the youth, such as those belonging in the age bracket
of 8 to 18, as it is important that these individuals,
who are in their formative ages, should be aware
of the problems that are present in the water and
sanitation industry. Thus, in the future, they might be
Russ Chaney
In the spirit of the sharing
of unique experiences
that shape the plumbing
industries in our respective
nations, the following
essay was awarded
second place in IAPMO’s
annual Scholarship
Essay Competition. First
introduced in 2009 and
open to all high school,
university, and trade school
students, the competition
has elicited entries from
across the world. Written by
Raymond Rowell Reyes of
New York University, it is the
next in a regular series of
similar articles that will run in
this magazine.
Continued on page 55 >>
A ugust 2018 Volume 24 I Number 6