As I walked through the pine and cork trees, I noticed a set of animal prints on the trail ahead. My curiosity got the best of me, and I followed them until they abruptly ended at a puddle of water, left behind from a recent rainfall. I paused, studying the prints and contemplating the creatures that left them behind. But as I stepped closer to the puddle, I was reminded of the stark reality facing millions of women and girls in Sub-Saharan Africa.
I kneeled beside the murky water, watching an insect dance across its surface. In that moment, I couldn't help but think of the women and children who must travel several miles every day to collect similar water for their families. Water that is contaminated with diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and dysentery. Water that can be deadly to those who drink it.
The thought of it was overwhelming. How could so many people lack access to safe drinking water in this day and age? How could the United Nations recognize water and sanitation as a human right in 2010, yet millions still suffer from the lack of access to clean water?
As I stood there, gazing at the puddle, I couldn't help but feel grateful for the clean water that flows from my tap back home. The privilege of safe water was something that I had always taken for granted, but now I saw it as a luxury that millions of people could only dream of.
The statistics were staggering. 315,000 children in Africa die each year from diseases caused by unsafe water. Millions more suffer from illness and disease, all because they lack access to clean water. It was a harsh reminder of the disparities that exist in our world, and the work that still needs to be done to ensure that everyone has access to the basic necessities of life.