HORN OF AFRICA: Water, Sanitation & Environment

2011-02-06T11:11:00.001-08:00

2010-06-19T14:13:00.000-07:00

2010-02-21T15:28:00.001-08:00

2009-07-08T20:13:00.000-07:00

2008-07-08T20:23:00.000-07:00

My once productive farm is sterile today, why?
By Noah Arre

It is true that winds blow in response to natural atmospheric imbalances….. That is if the wind pressure of a locality is high and that of a nearly is low, then, there is a natural need to achieve balance or else a catastrophe would happen. It is also true that when it rains it may roar…. That is if and when neighboring cloud masses move violently in the skies, because of the frictions involved, some parts develop high positive charges as they are striped off their negative charges which accumulate at elsewhere in the cloud masses hence other nearby negative charges fly in to fill, again for nature to achieve balance … hence the thunder and fire! And it is true that trees shed their leaves in the dry or cold season. This is because during those times, the existence of the whole tree is at stake and since most activities: perspiration, food manufacturing etc. of the plant, occur at the leaf, the tree must stop work to preserve only what it has… hence it goes to hibernation by shedding its leaves! And it is true that during long days’ hard work, our body cells function too hard to catch up with demand hence we get tired. But when we sleep, all our body parts from the basic cell to the whole systems hibernate and reach what scientists call basal metabolism where all cells do almost nothing. And by this, we regain energy and become active the next morning. Of course all of these and many others are natural phenomena.

However, strange as it may seem, man’s activities can have a negative impact on some or all natural phenomena. For instance, it is true that my once productive farm, like million farms in poor Somaliland is sterile today. And that prompts me to ask why? In fact, today, its low productivity, albeit small, has a positive contribution to present world food crises that cause the exorbitant worldwide food prices. No wonder, economists theorize that “whenever supply diminishes, demand soars!”

So, worried about the infertility of my farm, the other day, I was sitting alone trying to find explanation as to why my farm was productive in the olden days producing 100 sacks of 50kg each of sorghum in one go and why it is sterile today producing less than 5 sacks a year no matter how hard I may work?

But after long thoughts over this nightmare, I concluded one thing: that I must go to the basics of science to understand and find a solution. And so today, I am writing this short article hoping it sheds some light on that.

So, first and foremost, let me go to the basic scientific fact that all living things need water, food etc. But it is also true that plants are said to be autotrophic… that is by photosynthesis, plants can make their own food when animals cannot. …in photosynthesis, plant leaves, utilizing their green pigment, absorb sunlight, blend it with carbon-dioxide from the air; add to it water, absorbed by their roots through osmosis, and then out of them manufacture simple sugars to grow and thrive. That is why plants are independent.

However, like all living things, including of course my farm’s sorghum, need nutrients (a nutrient is that part of food which gives nourishment)…which means plants need elemental carbon, nitrogen compounds, phosphorus and a host of other nutrients albeit in small amounts. And it is from those nutrients and of course with water that they build their food and hence ours (cereals, fruits, nuts etc.).

So, now with this as our background, let me take you to my lately unproductive farm. For over fifty years or so, I grew only sorghum. Unfortunately, little did I know that growing the same product (crop) in one plot every year depletes the soil of certain nutrients/minerals because every plant prefers to utilize certain kinds of nutrients. And if so, more than fifty years which is the case of my farm, those specific nutrients/minerals, a prerequisite for growth of healthy sorghum, may have already dried up. This is one reason why my poor farm is sterile today.

But to avoid catastrophes like those mentioned, farmers in the developed world use fertilizers (man made nutrient rich chemicals) to replenish that lost valuable soil nutrient/minerals. So, my failure to do likewise is another sorrowful saga that makes my farm less productive.

And to those deprivations, add the decrease of rain fall resulting from the now real world climatic changes that wreak havoc across the globe, causing floods, famine, droughts and desertification all directly or indirectly caused by our senseless destruction of the environment….. sorry, little do we realize that doing that exposes the top soil …the nutrient rich part of the earth which when exposed can be easily washed away by floods or blown away by winds…. hence the increase of infertility of farms like mine and another sorrowful saga partly perpetrated by man. In fact our greed motivated wanton destruction of the environment is making our whole earth sterile unable to provide sustenance. Hence our once fertile and marshy lands are today barren lands unable to feed us.

And worst yet, to everything said, add my lack of understanding of the practice of crop rotation … crop rotation is the art of growing one kind of crop in one plot one year but switching it to some thing else next year …a fact never practiced in my farm too. But had that been done, my farm would probably have supplied me with more healthy crops.

And finally, to that add today’s poor rainfall that rarely storms or thunders…..lightening and thunder are good for plants because they avail atmospheric nitrogen for plant uses.

How?
Nitrogen, in its natural form, is an inactive (inert) gas. In chemistry, nitrogen is said to be self-satisfied and hence reacts with nothing in its normal state… that is why it is used as a fire retardant when oxygen helps burning… And it is one of the major components of the air… makes 78% of the air. But while it cannot be directly utilized by plants, its compounds are indispensable basic nutrients for plants. So, rain lightening activates this inert gas by forcing it to react with oxygen and in the process changes it to other forms of nitrogen compounds. It is those other forms of nitrogen that help plants grow because in the presence of water, carbon etc., nitrogen compounds are utilized…hence healthier plants with higher productivity. In other words, when lightening strikes inert nitrogen gas, it converts it to other forms of nitrogen which can be readily utilized as food by plants.

So, when it rains it rarely roars and if so how can atmospheric nitrogen be converted to the useful forms of nitrogen?

In addition, amazingly, at the roots of certain plants, live certain microorganisms that have the capability to utilize inert (chemically inactive) nitrogen gas in the air by changing it to other easily plant absorbable forms. However, in my farm, which never practices crop rotation, which is a prerequisite for actions like that to happen, it is possible that such microorganisms are rare and hence there is no chance for them to do so. Again this increases the infertility of my farm.

However, the constant removal of free nitrogen from the air as mentioned is replenished by the action of certain other microorganisms that decompose dead plant/animal tissues which are of course rich in nitrogen compounds and so free nitrogen always returns to the atmosphere… that is the nitrogen cycle. It is one of the wonders of perpetuation of creation.

So, my dear friends, with all those basic facts as our background, let me ask:
1. How can our farms become productive and hence feed us especially when the soil that is supposed to give sustenance to it is already sterile?
2. How can a land, depleted of all nutrients support any plant growth… including farms?
3. And how can any living thing grow up well without food let alone reproduce/produce?

By profession, I am neither an agronomist nor an agricultural engineer, but I think that it is a high time that our nations’ agricultural scientists, agricultural engineers, soil conservationist, etc. preach Somaliland agricultural community the basic facts mentioned in this article. Had they done so, I am sure Somaliland farming community would have provided enough bread for the whole nation!

So, my dear friends, my infertile farm is typical of all third world farms. But it must be understood that for any nation to achieve success and development, its agriculture sector must thrive and prosper because a nation that cannot feed its people is bound to fail. Consequently, it is the responsibility of the ministries of agriculture, utilizing their professionals to hold seminars, symposiums and conferences so that the farming communities learn all the modern techniques of crop production! And it is necessary that governments support all agricultural development initiatives though that does not mean that they are indifferent to the present world food crises facing the world while that their resources are limited. However, it must be remembered that “where there is a will there is a way!”

And now let us ask: do developing nations prefer to live on world community food hand outs… a world community that is sick and tired of pathologic beggars? Or should they support their farming communities so that they can feed their nations by growing enough food?

My preference would be an emphatic yes to the second question because they have virgin lands,; they have the mind; and they have the muscle! So, shouldn’t they quit the begging for bread syndrome? I believe it is by far better to work hard and make it or else perish with honor!

2008-02-05T19:23:00.000-08:00

The Hygiene And Sanitation Corner
By Noah Arre

I compiled following challenging info from publications referenced below thanks to the institutions whose names are listed

In Hygiene And Sanitation, Did You Know That:

Nearly all so-called waterborne diseases, from quick-killing cholera to uncomfortable stomach-ache, are really spread through poor hygiene and sanitation practices. But water is unfairly blamed?

Diarrhea (a waterborne disease) in its various forms is a killer, and causes pain and suffering?

Diseases from poor sanitation are also passed on in other ways?

A lack of water causes many diseases and water scarcity is the villain of diseases like trachoma which blinds millions?

Hygiene is the first line of defense against the spread of many diseases?

The aim of sanitation is to block all unhygienic pathways that facilitate the spread of diseases?

Washing of hands is so important in preventing the spread of infection because many of them are passed from hand to mouth?

Washing with soap or ashes is best, and an essential thing for good health is to have enough water?

Water for washing does not have to be of the same quality as drinking water?

Flies are responsible for the spread of many diseases (the real villains), but cockroaches are sometimes to blame too? …the reason is because flies like feeding on feces.

Flies can travel miles and may have spikes (dirt) on their legs so particles of whatever they feed on are carried away with them?

If flies’ food was feces of someone suffering from a diarrhea-type disease such as cholera or gastroenteritis, these particles may pass on the disease to others?

Same flies’ next meal is quite likely to be your food. So if bits of feces are left behind on food or drink and eaten by people, the disease is passed on?

One route for intestinal worms to spread diseases is through the soil too and this is especially so for children when crawling or playing in an unpaved compound?

Feces are likely to contain worm eggs and even if you clean your compound, some eggs may remain in the ground?

Did you know that eggs from worms may wait months if not years to hatch and take their destructive roles when conditions become favorable?

Did you know that your body provides the best conditions for disease causing microorganisms to multiply and hence prevention is better?

A tiny amount of feces is enough to cause sickness and a healthy person may excrete millions or even billions of microorganisms every time he defecates?

Fortunately, most microorganisms are harmless, but it only it requires a few of the villainous ones to cause infection?

Did you know that different pathogens differ when it comes to their infective dosages (how many of them can make you sick)?

Did you know that people differ when it comes to resistance to diseases and hence a few pathogens can make someone sick but not another?

It is often wrongly assumed that the feces of young children are harmless?

When people do not have latrines and relieve themselves in the open – in fields or the bush, on the roadside and canals or vacant lots, diseases can be propagated?

As villages and towns grow when there are no latrines, it becomes increasingly difficult for one to find places to defecate in private?

Privacy is usually more important for women than for men?

Till today, a common method of dealing with excreta in many places like Somaliland towns is the dry latrine but if run well, the system is reasonably satisfactory for the user?

For most people the best sanitation solution is to have a pit latrine?

The pit latrines are simply a hole in the ground to hold feces and properly handled, there is no pollution to above-ground water?

Disease from pit latrines can be transmitted through other routes such as ground water contamination?

Feces decompose and are converted to gases and liquid, leaving solids behind?

The gases escape to atmosphere or into the soil but solids remain, gradually filling latrines?

Your own health and wellness depend a lot on your community's ability to properly meet the challenges of public health such as hygiene, trash, and sewage disposal?

When you feel sick, it may be because you have something in your body that is causing you to feel sick, and that something can be germs or parasites?

If pit latrines have a rough surface (non smooth surface wood or mud) it may provide a suitable place for hookworms that cause diseases?

Those worms can live in your body and can be passed through in your urine and fecal matter to others making them sick?

You should wear shoes to protect your feet when using the toilet or when walking in mud or soil with wastes?

Toilets and bathing areas are places where you may come in contact with germs and illness?

Diseases that are spread through contact with human waste include: cholera, dysentery, hepatitis, measles, polio, typhoid fever, amoeba, hookworm, roundworm, tapeworm etc?

Toilets should be built away from wells or other water sources?

Fly-breeding in pits is a major public health hazard?

There are different ways of controlling fly nuisance; but the cheapest one is to make a lid that exactly fits in the latrine hole and ensuring always replacing when the latrine is not in use?

Emptying a recently filled pit with buckets exposes the workers to great health risks?

One can make two small pit latrines or to divide one into two sections and used for a few years, then the other; and by the time the second pit is full, the excreta in the first pit will be quite safe to take out by hand?

You can use regular chlorine bleach (Clorox) to sanitize your latrine (kill pathogens)?

It is better you use only boiled or otherwise purified water for brushing your teeth in the morning or cleaning your contact lenses?

You can have hot water (disinfected water) by painting jerry cans black, filling them with water, and putting them in the sun’s heat for enough time?

It is good to paint pit latrine vent pipes black and place on the sunny side of the latrine because this heats the air inside the pipe, causing it to rise and drawing air out of the pit thus reducing odor?

For toilets, you may pour 1 cup of Clorox into the bowl, brush, let it stand for 10 minutes; but you need to change solutions when doing heavy cleaning?

References:
Basic sanitation and human excreta disposal in latrines (GTZ)
On plot sanitation in urban areas (WEDC)
Small scale community sanitation
Emptying pit latrines (WEDC)
Management of onsite wastewater treatment systems (USEPA)
How to construct a brick VIP latrine
Making VIP Latrines succeed (Waterlines, 1995)
SANEX Compendium 2002
Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems -a brief overview of technical issues
The Blair Latrine builders manual
A Guide to the Development to On-site Sanitation

2008-01-24T00:47:00.000-08:00

Failure To Dispose Off Municipal Wastes Safely Can Cause A Huge Public Health Disaster!

By Noah Arre

Introduction:
As urbanization continues management of wastes (both solid and liquid) is becoming a major public health and environmental problem in countries like Somaliland. The concern is serious particularly in major cities.

For instance, a typical solid waste management system in a country like Somaliland displays an array of problems. Such problems include: low collection or irregular collection services, indiscriminate open dumping and burning without air and water pollution control.

Unfortunately, poor waste management enhances or propagates and in fact promotes the breeding of flies and pests, rats and mice; cockroaches and parasites; fleas and lice, bedbugs and other scavengers and other disease transferring agents….hence the need for a waste management and safe disposal.

Waste: What is it?
Waste is a widely used term. It means different things to different people. Meanings of waste range from wilderness to uselessness. To many it means decay, ruin, pollution, dirt, garbage, refuse, trash and, junk etc. But in short, waste is what is worthless or unused for human purposes. The management of it is its collection and disposal. However, the manner by which it is collected and disposed of is a topic of great debate. One only has to look at the volume of waste on our cities curbsides for pick-up to realize the enormity of what has to be dealt with: All waste material has to end up somewhere. One way or another, it ends up in the environment, that being a combination of the air, land and water.

As is often the case, what an urban area does not want or cannot contain within its boundaries, the solution is often to move the problem to the countryside. This can cause a huge public health problem. In fact is a disaster to public health that is waiting to happen any time!

Communities in history were filthy and outbreaks of disease were common. Waste sat and accumulated in the streets and streams, ditches and pools that were also used for washing and drinking. These water sources were in general unclean. Urban air was filled with smoke and foul odors. In those poor conditions, diseases such as typhoid were spread by contaminated water. The day to day production of wastes would even be dumped directly into the street to be scavenged by animals, birds and other insects or would accumulate until being washed away by a heavy rain.

However, worldwide, municipalities later improved the health situation by gradually taking over the provision of clean water, the clearing of streets, the removal of trash and sewage and by regulating discharges. And the filthy cities which sat in a clean countryside, have been replaced by the relatively clean cities of today but sadly encircled at a distance by their wastes. Unfortunately, this is specially so today in poor Somaliland.

Today, problems caused by waste dump sites range from the contamination of nearby water sources to gas explosions and uncontrollable fires. Despite these problems, waste dump sites are the method of choice for poor Somaliland, particularly for large cities.

In fact, according to the UN Center for Human Settlements, only between 25 and 55 per cent of all waste generated in big cities is collected by municipal authorities. This percentage is far lower in Somaliland big cities. And the UNDP estimates that worldwide, more than five million people die each year from diseases related to inadequate waste disposal This estimate is certainly proportionately even much higher in Somaliland as the indiscriminate dumping of wastes into environment contaminates national food and water source supplies.

Municipal Solid Waste Management

Municipal solid waste comprises refuse from, households, non-hazardous, solid waste from industrial, commercial and institutional, establishments, market waste, yard waste and street sweepings. And its management is a cyclical, goal-oriented process. It includes all phases of waste collection, recycling, treatment and disposal.

Effective Municipal Solid Waste Management calls for an appropriate distribution of responsibilities, authority and revenues. In cities, inter-municipal cooperation is essential. De-centralization of authority requires a corresponding distribution of powers and capacities. Waste generation is also conditioned by people’s attitudes. People’s attitudes towards waste may be positively affected. Local waste management also depends on reliable collection options and consensus among Neighbors.

The scope of Municipal Solid Waste Management encompasses planning and management systems, waste generation processes, and organizations, procedures and facilities for waste handling. Development strategies comprise specific objectives and measures in these areas.

Factors That Hamper Waste Management
The social status of solid waste management workers is generally low in all countries but much so in developing countries. This owes much to a negative perception of people regarding the work which involves the handling of waste or unwanted material. Such people's perception leads to the disrespect for the work and in turn produces low working ethics of laborers and poor quality of their work.

Because of insufficient resources available in the government sector, collaborative projects often have attempted to mobilize community resources and develop community self-help activities. Results are a mixture of success and failures. Failed projects with inactive communities usually did not provide people in the community with incentives to participate in activities. The lack of public awareness and school education about the importance of proper solid waste management for health and well-being of people severely restricts the use of community-based approaches in developing countries.

At dump sites, transfer stations, and street refuse bins, waste picking or scavenging activities are common scenes in developing countries. People involved have not received school education and vocational training to obtain knowledge and skills required for other jobs. The existence of waste pickers/scavengers creates often an obstacle to the operation of solid waste collection and disposal services. However, if organized properly, their activities can be effectively incorporated into a waste recycling system.

People are certainly one of the primary resources of any nation and failure to insure their wellbeing is certainly a mistake. But our elected official’s apathy or indifference to realities and communities’ indulgence into khat chewing sessions often destroy our health. And while our wasting of their most valuable resource, time and health losses are a sorrowful saga that we all see happening in our communities and hampering the development of Left To Itself Poor Somaliland.

Goals Of Municipal Solid Waste Management

1. The first goal of Municipal Solid Waste Management is to protect the health of the urban population, particularly that of those who live near sites or those of low-income groups who suffer most from poor waste management.
2. Secondly, Municipal Solid Waste Management aims to promote environmental conditions by controlling pollution (including water, air, soil and cross media pollution) and ensuring the sustainability of environment in the urban region.
3. Thirdly, Municipal Solid Waste Management supports urban economic development by providing demanded waste management services and ensuring the efficient use and conservation of valuable materials and resources.
4. Fourthly, Municipal Solid Waste Management generates employment and incomes in the sector itself.

Open Waste Dump Problems:

1. It often attracts rats and flies, birds, animals etc. which can carry that to people.
2. Wind shifts brings an odorous smell to offend residents living in the city
3. Burning the garbage causes black smoke, filled with toxic.
4. By-products from burning rubber, plastic etc fill the air only to be breathed by people
5. Rain water may trickle through the garbage and carry materials into surface and groundwater supplies

BUT
· Did you know that liquid/solid wastes exist in two physical forms (biodegradable and non-biodegradable?)
· Did you know that a biodegradable waste is one which decomposes over time through exposure to air, water, and sunlight etc.?
· Did you know that non-biodegradable chemical is one which does not permit natural decomposition?
· Did you know that DDT is banned from use worldwide because it does not decompose?
· Did you know that DDT, heavily used as an insecticide on the khat you chew daily to destroy pests that often feed on the plant during growth, does not decompose at all?
· And did you know that washing your khat does not remove DDT because it does not dissolve in water and hence you are falsely made to believe your khat is clean after washing in a BIG basin of water?
· And did you know that DDT is a cancer causing agent?
· Did you know that once in your tummy, DDT and many other insecticides used for the same purpose may destroy your immune system and hence your living cells are a sitting duck for sicknesses and diseases?
· Did you know that most organic wastes require oxygen to decompose (split into components) but in the process may eventually become a plant nutrient …a fertilizer? · Did you know that it literally means that areas that have a lot of organic wastes demand high oxygen consumption? and one must recall that normal air is approximately only 21% oxygen!
· Did you know that to decompose, wastes in your cities compete with you for the oxygen you breathe and hence the levels of oxygen in cities, is lower in city environments?
· Did you know that certain trees and plants absorb noise and hence living in the jungle is far healthier than living in crowded areas?
· Did you know that certain plants absorb even toxins (poison) from the environment?
· Did you know that certain microorganisms (living things) do not require oxygen to survive and hence dead bodies decompose even in deep underground?
· Did you know that during decomposition, microorganisms feed on organics hence splitting them into components!

Summary/Concluding Remarks

In Somaliland, wastes both liquid and solid pose serious threat because they ferment creating conditions favorable to the survival and growth of killer microbes.

The unscientific disposal of wastes is risky and residents suffer in areas where there is no proper waste disposal method. This is because waste disposal sites are hazardous to public health as improper waste management attracts all types of insects, birds, animals, etc. which act as vectors or agents for the spread of diseases.

Assuming just a kilogram of city waste harbors billions of pathogenic (disease causing microorganisms) or one gram of a healthy human waste contains 10 million of pathogens, how long it will take your body to fight off diseases cause by those invading enemy armies?

For those of you who still stick to the old taboos and hence think that discussing topics like the safe disposal of wastes are off the limits, it is worth to say like it or not it is a glaring reality that is out there!

In short, if Somaliland has to catch up with the rest of the global community in health and sanitation, its authorities must initiate and implement water and sanitation management programs.And finally, it is probably a high time to let the public directly elect mayors so that they have authorities who are really accountable for city problems.

Ref:

India together,

Integrated waste management systems

whose waste is it any way...

2007-12-23T21:38:00.000-08:00

A Sanitation Education & Advice Article For Somaliland Municipal Officials!

The following article is based on information I had just received from reliable friends who recently came back from Somaliland.

According to them, one major problem they noticed is that Somaliland cities in general and Hargeisa in particular are devastated by a multitude of pollution problems. Observed problems include: poor municipal waste management (both dry and liquid wastes) and lack or scarcity of sanitary clean water supply. Unfortunately, both problems are a recipe for disaster to public health.

So, as a professional in the water and sanitation sector who worked in both areas since 1982 both in the USA and the United Arab Emirates, I find it imperative to post in our website, the following public hygiene educational open letter for municipal as well as for all concerned parties in the country hoping that such information will be of help to them.

In addition, I plan to visit Somaliland in February 2008, I am willingly prepared to make a free public hygiene educational presentation and everyone is invited. So, those of you who are interested are certainly welcome.

Introduction

It is an established fact that providing safe drinking water and sanitation services to the citizens of any nation can improve public health. And certainly improved public health and educational advancement are some of the pillars and primary indicators of national development….a sick community cannot contribute much toward the development of its country. Improved public health for instance reduces or prevents infant and child mortality from diarrheas and dysenteries caused by bacteria or protozoa (both different types of microscopic living organisms)!

According to the World Health Organization, the number of cholera cases …a dirty waterborne disease, during 2006 was 236,896 cases, with 6,311 deaths in just 52 countries, a rise of 79% over the previous year. And an estimated 4 billion cases of diarrheal disease cases occur worldwide every year, killing an estimated 3 million people a year most of whom are children under 5.

However, according to a November 2007 report by a British humanitarian organization, improvements in sanitation can have a dramatic effect on reducing cholera and diarrheal diseases… again both dirty waterborne diseases. And the scientific world therefore today urges communities worldwide to take concrete actions to improve urban sanitation. The same British study also says that one effective way to improve public health in developing countries is by collecting and treating wastes (both solid and dry wastes).

Untreated Garbage In Your Neighborhood Can Harbor Killer Diseases!

Urbanization is one of the most powerful emerging realities of the 21st century and cities are the engines of economic growth. However, urbanization comes with its own problems… production of huge wastes is one of them. And often there is a positive correlation between city population size and the percentage of collected wastes.

Historically, managing wastes and insuring a clean and hygienic living environment has been an enduring challenge facing mankind through the ages. The Greeks were the first to think and map out an arrangement with the city of Athens organizing a municipal dump in 500 BC. Citizens were required to dispose off their wastes a least one mile from the city.

Today, millenniums later, man is still engaged in perfecting the most ideal solution to handle wastes employing newer technologies. But one stark and unwavering lesson learned is that any project that directly touches people’s life needs their active participation. However, in many of them including projects like waste management, it is unfortunate that people’s participation is not forthcoming and people tend to think that it is the sole responsibility of the government.

So, Somaliland cities today face serious solid and liquid waste problems and the authorities responsible for collection and treatment have little resources or have the necessary appropriate infrastructure or educational know-how and expertise. And this usually leads to low collection and disposal. As a result, today it is estimated that up to 80% of the generated wastes remain uncollected. The rest is collected irregularly, dumped in an uncontrolled manner or outside the cities outskirts. Unfortunately, this practice leads to significant health risks for the population and wide degradation of the environment.

However, the unscientific disposal of wastes is risky and residents suffer in areas where there is no proper waste disposal method. Children, waste workers as well as people living close to a waste dump sites or those whose water supply is contaminated either due to waste or leakage from waste landfill sites are affected.

In countries like Somaliland, wastes (both solid and liquid) in general and domestic wastes in particular pose serious threat because they ferment creating conditions favorable to the survival and growth of killer microbes…. a WHO study estimates that 80% of all sicknesses occur due to this!

Waste disposal sites can also create health hazards for the neighborhood. Improperly managed and poorly designed landfills attract all types of insects, birds, animals, etc. which act as vectors or agents that spread diseases.

Moreover, unhygienic use and disposal of plastics and its effects on human health has become a matter of concern. Colored plastics for instance are harmful as their pigment contains heavy metals that are highly toxic.

And hazards associated with wastes include: skin and blood infections resulting from direct contact with waste and from infected wounds, eye and respiratory infections resulting from exposure to infected dust and different diseases that result from bites of animals and insects feeding on the wastes as well as intestinal infections that are transmitted by flies feeding on wastes.

Summary/Remarks
As urbanization continues, management of urban waste (both solid and liquid) is becoming a major public health and environmental concern in many developing countries including Somaliland. That concern is serious, particularly in big cities like Hargeisa.

Although provision of safe drinking water, safe waste disposal and sanitation services to the citizens of any nation can improve public health, it is estimated that up to 80% of the generated wastes in developing countries remain uncollected …safe potable water is scarce or unavailable too. The rest of the waste is collected irregularly, dumped in an uncontrolled manner or outside the cities outskirts. This practice leads to significant health risks to the population and a wide degradation of the environment.

So, if Somaliland has to catch up with the rest of the world community in this field, it is a high time that its authorities as well as its intellectuals sacrifice by initiating and implementing relevant programs… including public education in the health and sanitation sector.

It is also a high time for public officials to find a lasting solution in combating those problems and despite scarce resources, they could accomplish a lot. The era of social irresponsibility is long gone!

One way to achieve success would be to privatize all unproductive public sectors since private institutions rarely fail but have in fact proven to be efficient and effective in all their endeavors!

2007-09-10T23:12:00.000-07:00

Dirty Water Can Be A Deadly Drink!

Introduction:
Water is one of nature’s most important resources. And as far as its importance to life is concerned, water is second only to air. Without it, there would be no life on this whole universe. And if somehow water suddenly ceased to exist in the universe, every living thing including ourselves would automatically perish within days not months.

On the other hand, it is with the help of water for instance, through osmosis, that plants absorb dissolved nutrients and minerals to grow well. And of course in the presence of chlorophyll with the help of sun light, water helps plants build simple sugars. In addition, during metabolism and growth of living cells (both plant and animal), it is water that facilitates all biochemical and biological reactions to take place. In other words, it is water that helps insure that all living things assimilate food nutrients without which life on this earth would be impossible. And it is water that helps keep our systems free from wastes so that we can lead and maintain normal healthy bodies. Water also accelerates the breakdown of complex food molecules (particles) in our digestive systems so that they can be easily absorbed. And it is those nutrients of course that provide nourishment to our bodies to help build new cells to replace dead ones. And did you know that without water, our body systems would never comfortably discharge wastes? In other words, our cleansing systems require water to function right!

It means when living things (animals, plants and humans) take the food they eat, not all of that food is assimilated by the body. There are always some residues composed of masses made up of stuff that we find indigestible, like cellulose, for instance or a mixture of fats such as cholesterol; inorganic salts like phosphates. The indigestible material called "fiber," is useful in getting the turd in our tummies to move along through the intestine, perhaps because it provides traction. And had un-assimilable food remnants stayed in the body longer than is necessary, they would become toxic negatively affecting our health. Thanks to water, it is water that helps the smooth disposal of wastes from our bodies.

Moreover, organic substances which enrich the soil by splitting into their original constituent components would not easily decompose without water (moisture)! And as microorganisms carry on their essential life processes, living organisms incorporate water, carbon, nitrogen and other elements from the environment in to their bodies. These elements must be recycled continuously to make them available to living organisms.

Without the activities of these microorganisms in the various biochemical cycles, the essential elements mentioned would become depleted and all life as we know it today would automatically cease to exist. Thanks again to water. It is water that facilitates all these.

Water also plays many more other significant roles in nature. And interestingly, water in one way or another eventually comes back to the water cycle! That could mean that the water you use today could at one time in history had been used by our forefathers or by the dinosaurs that lived centuries ago!

Water Is Life
Water is the source and origin of all life! All living things (humans, animals, plants etc.) depend on water for survival and existence. The human body is around 72% water; the human brain is roughly 85% and our blood is 82% water. Even our bones are 22% water. Our recommended daily water need just for drinking is around 3.3 liters. Add sanitation and the total increases to about 40 liters per day. Include water for bathing and cooking, and the total skyrockets to an amazing 200 liters per person per day.

So, 5% loss of body fluids results in thirst, nausea and weakness. A 10% loss results in dizziness, headache, in ability to walk and tingling sensation in the limbs. And a 15% loss results in dim vision, painful urination, swollen tongue, deafness and a numb feeling in the skin. And finally, a loss greater than 15% usually results in death!

In addition, in daily life, we use water for drinking and for cooking. We use it for growing food. We use it for bathing. And we use it for washing and cleaning. Water lubricates our respiratory system. Water lubricates the digestive system. Water is part of the fluids that lubricate all our joints and the whole body. And amazingly, this invaluable lubricant does in no way affect us negatively! No wonder therefore that our survival is directly dependent on water.

Water is also a critical component of most global system, such as climate, vegetation and erosion and human disturbances of one part of the water cycle inevitably have impacts in others.

Water Pollution And Health
The introduction of harmful substances or products into the waterways is called water pollution. And today, water pollution is a major threat to availability of clean water. In fact, contrary to common belief, water can easily become contaminated with dirt….organics (once living materials) and inorganics (minerals). Water is also often highly impure, biologically. In other words water bodies usually contain impurities (minerals, gases, viruses, parasites, bacteria, suspensions etc.). And often certain biological contaminants present in water can give rise to water borne diseases.

In deed, there is no such thing as totally clean water. And clean water is said to be clean only because it contains tolerable limits of contaminants. In other words, even sparkling fresh rain-water droplets, coming down from our blue skies are not clean in the real sense. That is even rain-droplets on their way through the atmosphere often pick up microorganisms in the air, algae, viruses, dust suspension, oxygen, chemical pollutants floating in the air like sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, carbon-dioxide or even hydrocarbons, etc. all of which are naturally abundant in the atmosphere.

Fortunately, some of those impurities are of great to value to our lives. For instance certain minerals present in our foods/waters are essential to a healthy living. And water with no dissolved oxygen or minerals often tastes flat. Even some elements, which are toxic in high concentrations, are in their trace amounts of enormous value to a healthy living and their complete absence from our daily foods and drinks could have devastating effects on our health!

Sadly enough however, water pollution in the Horn of Africa today reaches levels that are much higher than that recommended for drinking and for bathing contributing to water scarcity. And water scarcity is now considered to be the single greatest threat to sustainable development. In fact, in the Horn of Africa, available waters for drinking, for the preparation of food or for any other use are highly contaminated with human and animal wastes and wastes from animals and humans are of course known to propagate deadly pathogenic microorganisms.

Moreover, dirty water can have devastating effects on the lives of those who consume it. Some chemical water contaminants that are inherently present in the soil are naturally toxic ….a case in point is the arsenic poisoning outcry in Bangladesh. Other water contaminants are from garbage and rubbish that are unwisely discharged into our environment. And many others are wastes of humans and animals both of which are rich in microorganisms that cause pathogenic diseases… and by the way, to decompose, most wastes deplete oxygen from the air!

In the developing world in general and in the Horn of Africa in particular, water pollution today has already reached unprecedented levels. Chemical contaminants however, apart from the occasional contributions from natural sources, are generally low because there are usually neither large scale industrial chemical manufacturing facilities leaching out dirt into waterways nor there are large scale agricultural farms that use large scale agricultural chemicals like fertilizers or pesticides. But both physical and biological contaminants are enormous.

In the Horn of Africa for instance, physical water contaminants include dirt washing out from the environment where human activities are destroying available water bodies; expanding development of rural lands are also reducing quality of renewable fresh water resources to filthy trickle; deforestation and the degradation of agricultural soil are likewise accelerating or otherwise altering the Region’s water cycle by polluting rivers and groundwater recharges. And often a dominant hazard is flooding, which washes away topsoil and slowly chokes rivers, dams and reservoirs.

In addition, urbanization in the Region is exacerbating water quality problems because it concentrates large numbers of human populations who demand dependable sources of water and adequate sanitation services on unprecedented scales. And changes in land use pattern brought about by the urbanization, are also affecting water supplies by altering and accelerating natural patterns of runoff where floods often erode the top soil with the urban runoff dirt severely degrading water quality.

Unfortunately, drinking and bathing in polluted water supplies are among the most common routes for the spread of infectious diseases. And most of those affected are the poor or those who live in the rural or peri-urban areas where water-borne diseases are the single largest killers of infants.

It has also been proven that access to safe water correlates strongly with survival of children under five. And today, it is estimated that over 5 million children in the Third World are diagnosed with diarrhea each year. 1.8 million of them die due to use of unclean safe water or ingesting contaminated food….diarrhea caused by drinking contaminated water kills more people than HIV/AIDS or malaria. In fact, worldwide, diarrhea kills one child every 3 minutes and the potential for health problems from drinking polluted water can be illustrated by localized outbreaks of water-borne diseases.

Finally, according to the UN, provision of an adequate supply of safe, clean water is regarded as the most important precondition for sustaining human life and WHO estimates 80% of all sicknesses and diseases are caused by polluted water, lack of safe water or lack of sanitation.

In Africa, Water Is Still A Deadly Drink
Historically, dirty water has played a major role in the transmission of human diseases. Typhoid fever, cholera, trachoma etc. have been proven to be liked to dirty water or to water scarcity. And contamination of water by sewage or human/animal wastes has always presented the greatest danger to public health. That means water quality and waterborne diseases are correlated and the need to develop water sanitation practices and improved environmental sanitation including disposal of garbage, refuse and waste are essential.

Despite that, in the Third World in general and in the Horn of Africa in particular about 90-95% of human/animal wastes are discharged into the environment without any treatment. Added to that, in the warm climates of the Horn of Africa, pathogens (disease causing microorganism) can survive for long periods of time on crops, in water or in soil…different pathogens have a wide range of survival characteristics.. And certain pathogenic eggs have been proven to survive months if not years in environment. Other factors such as: moisture, soil organic content; humidity, amount of rainfall, amount of sunlight, protection provided by foliage and competitive fauna and flora also affect the survival of those microorganisms, most of them often favorably.

Despite this, today, according to a recent WHO report; the Horn of Africa countries have one of the lowest clean water and sanitation coverage. And according to WHO/UNICEF (August 2005), some 83% Djiboutians live in urban areas of which 82% receive some sort of clean water. But only 55% receive improved sanitation. And of the 17% who live in rural areas 67% receive improved water; but only 27% receive sanitation. And according to the same report some 20% Eritreans live in urban areas of which 72% receive some sort of improved water. But only 34% receive improved sanitation. And of the 80% who live in rural areas 54% receive improved water; but only 3% receive sanitation. And according to the same report some 15% of Ethiopians live in urban areas of which 81% receive some sort of improved water. But only 19% receive improved sanitation. And of the 85% who live in rural areas only 11% receive improved water; but only 4% receive sanitation. And finally according to the same reports of the 34% of Somalis who live in urban areas, 29% receive improved water; but only 47% receive sanitation. While of the 66% who live in rural areas only 27% receive improved water but only 14% receive some sort of sanitation.

And according to some recent reports, the Horn of Africa countries have an estimated total population of 92 million persons. However, only 22.75 million receive improved water and only 8.02 million receive sanitation. This leaves a wobbling 69.25 million persons without clean water and an even larger number namely; 84 million people are without sanitation.

Unfortunately, lack of basic health services, food supplies, water and sanitation services are leading to the spread of infectious diseases in those countries. And waterborne diseases like: polio, cholera, diarrhea, infectious hepatitis, dysenteries and many varieties of gastrointestinal diseases or HIV are rampant.

And finally, it is a proven fact that water scarcity, water quality and waterborne diseases are correlated. So, according to a 2005 UNDP report, child morbidity and child mortality in the Horn of Africa are high because availability of safe drinking water and sanitation are low or lacking. In Ethiopia, for instance an estimated 169/1000 of the country’s children die before 5th birthday. And in Eritrea, Somalia and Djibouti, the figures are 85/1000; 225/1000 and 138/1000 respectively.

For more information on water, sanitation and water scarcity related problems or diseases please go to: websites of institutions sited in the Credits Section.

2007-05-28T17:44:00.001-07:00

I made the above presentation at "A Horn of Africa Conference" at University of Texas at Arlington on October 12th, 2006.

To navigate through the slides allow screens to run as the set slideshow. Click on the slide to pause and review its contents. Then click once more to proceed with the rest.
-Noah

2007-05-26T12:27:00.000-07:00

Water Scarcity In The Horn Of Africa And Its Deadly Consequences
Storage Of Rainstorm Runoff Alone Could Significantly Increase Availability

ABSTRACT:

In general, the Horn of Africa countries (Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia & Somalia) are arid or semi-arid with limited precipitation. Rainfall is extremely erratic and occurs in a few months of the year and within those months, it usually occurs in days causing devastating floods that are usually followed by drought (abundance versus scarcity).

For the rest of the year, the Region is dry and there are few perennial rivers when evapotranspiration is 2000 mm/year…annual rainfall ranges from 220mm in Djibouti to 848mm in Ethiopian highlands.

Additionally, available surveys show that the Region's water quality is poor due to human misuse and animal wastes. Conductivity, fluorides, salinity, dissolved solids etc. are high (conductivity upto 11,000 mS/cm) and the few bacteriological total coliform screens available are >200/100ml mostly due to animal pollution (world standard zero) making present drinking water from lakes, wells, man-made catchments and springs unfit for direct human consumption.

Today, access to clean water in the Region is one of the lowest in the world, below 30% for urban areas and for rural communities which make over 60%, access spirals to fractions when access to sanitation is extremely low.

Consequently, many waterborne diseases are rife, endemic and epidemic in the Region raising the morbidity/mortality of the people and hundreds of thousands mostly children die yearly.

Water scarcity therefore, is a major deterrent to sustainable socio-economic development; and meeting the Millennium Development Goals, (MDGs, whether on poverty, health, environment or hunger require action on water! WorldWater Magazine Feb. 2005), expressed in the International campaign, will certainly remain elusive unless "a benevolent world community" comes to the rescue!

INTRODUCTION

The Horn of Africa countries of Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia are arid or semi-arid with limited rainfall, yet large amounts of water annually flood out to the sea. While some of this floodwater is necessary to flush salt and other harmful products out of the system, in many cases, floodwater is not fully utilized. This phenomenon is characterized in the Region where annual precipitation occurs only in few months of the year and within those months, it occurs in no more than an aggregate of few weeks. For the rest of the year, the Region is dry and there are few perennial rivers while evapotranspiration is estimated at 2000 mm per year.

Despite the sporadic and temporal distribution of precipitation of the Region, one way water supply can be controlled to match demand is through storage. This is true whether the demand is for natural processes or human need. In natural systems, precipitation may be intercepted by vegetation and temporarily stored on plant surfaces and on the soil surface….aridity of the Region does not favor this…when water infiltrates the ground, it is stored in the soil and may percolate to groundwater storage. On land, surface water is stored in watercourses and other water bodies.

However, with present technology, today man can create and enhance water storage by such activities as water conservation, tillage, constructing of dams and dikes to impound water and artificially recharge groundwater. And regardless of method or type of storage, the purpose is to capture excess rainwater and avail it at times of need.

And considering the large amounts of rainstorm runoff that flood out to the sea yearly, utilizing simple water storage technologies alone could significantly reduce water scarcity in the Region. And doing that could at least partially help the Region meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the target set by the UN, that call among other things, halving the number of people without safe water and halving those without sanitation by 2015.

WATER RESOURCES AVAILABILITY IN THE REGION

In general, the Horn is considered freshwater scarce (<1000m3>

According to Earth Trends, Environmental Information/World Resources Institute, Djibouti's per capita (IRWR, 2001) is 460M3; Eritrea's per capita (IRWR, 2001) is 701M3; Ethiopia's per capita (IRWR), 2001) is 1,666M3 and Somalia's per capita is (IRWR, 2001) is 628 M3.

Moreover, the Region is prone to devastating droughts. That is usually followed by floods which often flush out junks of productive lands to the sea. Recurrent droughts often severely affect human and animal life that any sign of them are generally received with fear and worry. In fact, the Region experiences different types of water scarcities: (A) Natural due to its unfavorable climate (B) Democraphic scarcity due to its huge livestock populations which often pollute available resources... dirty water similar to one not available. exacerbating scarcity (C) Technical scarcity due to its low level of development. These problems are often compounded by lack of finacial resources, political turmoil and lack of trained manpower resources (the brain-drain problem). Consequently, water scarcity is a major deterrent to sustainable economic development in the whole Region

Because of lack of development, in the Horn where the majority of the people are agro-pastoralists or live in rural areas, access to water is limited to rainfall for both human and animal use and in most cases people have no access to safe water especially in dry seasons. When available, access is limited to only a small percent of the population mostly in urban areas. And for rural community, it is extremely low and non-existent. Access to sanitation is even worse.

In addition, due to the arid climatic condition, the Region is often hit by droughts and famine that are usually followed by torrential rain floods that devastate the Region. These problems are exacerbated by overgrazing, salinization and waterlogging all of which cause extensive soil damage. In addition, human activities have a damaging effect on the environment often worsening the situation exacerbating droughts and natural disasters.

In Somalia for instance, uncontrolled cutting of Acacia forest for the export of charcoal and firewood are badly damaging the rangelands….From 1997 to 2003, it is estimated that charcoal production has increased by 70%. Like in many parts of the Region, in the fertile lands of the south, soil erosion is extensive and has devastating impact on agricultural land. Erosion has also been accelerated due to land that has been left fallow. Persistent crop pests are common, affecting quantity and quality of the harvest. High incidence of malaria and tuberculosis, which are the two main human diseases…. occur during the wet season.

In rural Horn of Africa, domestic water supply is derived from surface dams, shallow wells and springs. However, to meet the demands, the Region needs to utilize water-harvesting technologies. This can be done by capturing more water above the ground during the wet season and allowing it to percolate down into aquifers or store in dams and reservoirs and then pump it out to provide water in the dry season. Seasonal torrential rainfall, in catchments, which are often filled by one run off, could further water availability.

In urban areas water availability is occasionally enhanced by rainwater collection from house roofs made of tiles, slates, corrugated/galvanized iron and aluminum sheeting. So, it may be helpful to arrange down-pipes that would flush foul which can be diverted from the clear water container and collected to run waste.

In addition, fortunately, UN studies on groundwater show that there is sufficient quantity of water to cover the domestic needs of the whole population…. but governments must establish strong water management and conservation practices to further water availability while avoiding misuse of water sources that are heavily devastated by human and animal pollution. So, rural Horn of Africa's community mostly depends on four sources of water. The shallow wells, the open water holes, pools that hold rainwater, …man-made water catchments and boreholes that serve most towns people. Most villages depend on rainwater storage tanks, sub-surface dams.

Today, livestock and agriculture, are the two major traditional socio-economic activities of the Region. In this Region where water is of vital importance, communities fight over access to land and water resources. However, development of water wells, dams and catchments is becoming increasingly common though provision of water sources must be carefully controlled because doing that may cause immense environmental degradation due to the potential influx of huge livestock that may expose topsoil making it susceptible to erosion after heavy rainfalls.

DROUGHT, WATER QUALITY AND THE HEALTH DIMENSION:
· Cloudless skies over the Horn of Africa are always a threat to the health and well-being of millions of people in the Region.
· Severe drought conditions plague the Horn:

Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia and Djibouti … where the difference between life and death can be decided by the weather.
· Widespread crop failures and political instability disrupt life, making a difficult situation worse. With no place to graze or water their livestock, farming families are forced to migrate in search of better land.
· As livestock perish, families are robbed of their primary source of food and income.
· Many are reduced to eating once a day and malnutrition reaches dangerous proportions, especially among children, the elderly, pregnant and nursing women….
· In rural Horn areas, women and children walk hours just to collect water.
· When available, people collect water from shallow, unprotected ponds which they share with animals or collect water from shallow wells. Both of these sources are subject to contamination as rain water washes waste from surrounding areas into the source.
· Women and girls carry large clay jugs of water back to their villages. These jugs can weigh up to 40 pounds!
· Often young children are left home by themselves while their mothers and older siblings collect water when their fathers tend to animals or try to earn money in jobs outside (19).
The causes of this gloomy scenario of the Horn of Africa are multiple: (A) Natural water scarcity due to its unfavorable climate of the Region; (B) Demographic scarcity because of its huge livestock populations which often pollute available resources, (dirty water is similar to one that is not available), and hence this exacerbates natural scarcity (C) Technical scarcity because of the Region’s low level of development. These problems are further compounded by the lack of financial resources, political turmoil and lack of trained manpower.

In fact, available water sources are often polluted mostly due to misuse and discharge of wastes into waterways. Where proper sanitation facilities are lacking, water borne diseases are rampant, endemic and epidemic and often spread rapidly. This is because untreated excreta carries disease organisms wash or leach into freshwater resources contaminating drinking water and food….according to well-documented reports, one gram of feces of a healthy person is estimated to contain no less than 10,000,000 viruses, 1,000,000 bacteria, 1,000 parasitic cysts and 100 parasitic eggs.

For instance, it is unfortunate but common that, in the Region, sewage generated by houses and runoffs from pit latrines or septic tanks often wash into water sources reducing available water quality. This is because water, like blood, is subject to degradation and when we drink polluted water, we are building, over a period of time, the basis for sickness or diminished health. In fact, use of contaminated water gives rise to a myriad of waterborne diseases, creating epidemics. So, in the Region, diarrhea alone claims hundreds of thousands of deaths per year, mostly children as water quality and health go hand in hand. In fact, scientific studies show that water has a profound effect on our health because there is a relationship between the quantity and quality of water supplied and sanitation and human health. And according to a recent BBC report, “for many third people, water is still a deadly drink…” this Region’s being first while according to Karin Strohecker of Reuters, worldwide, an estimated 4,000 children will die from unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation a day!

Today, according to UNDP Human Resources Development Report 2005, Horn of Africa water quality versus child mortality is as follows:

ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER VERSUS CHILD MORTALITY IN THE HORN OF AFRICA
Country Latest Year On Record Child Mortality before 5th birth day
Ethiopia 2003 169 per 1,000
Eritrea 2003 85 per 1,000
Somalia 2003 225 per 1,000
Djibouti 2003 138 per 1,000
Source: UNDP Human Resources Development Report 2005

Moreover, according to EarthTrends International, the need for water and sanitation in is severe in the Horn of Africa. Only a tinny fraction of the population has access to an improved water supply and an even tinnier fraction of the population has access to adequate sanitation services. This fact is especially more pronounced in rural areas and there have been recurring droughts for the last 20 years which are often followed by food shortages.

Along with limited food supply, during times of drought water-related diseases are rampant. Surface water sources such as springs and ponds dry up. What limited water sources remain become are heavily contaminated by environmental waste, such as human and animal excreta which is washed in when the limited rains do come….stagnant water serves as a breeding place for mosquitoes.

In this Region, addition in to being at risk for people contracting diseases through drinking dirty water, there is another risk at times of drought. It is common that people do not get enough water to bathe regularly. As a result, people especially children, suffer from scabies and eye infections (trachoma) as hygienic practices dwindle simply because there is no water to combat.

MDG's CAMPAIGN TO IMPROVED WATER AND SANITATION COVERAGE OF THE HORN

Despite the 1980s International Decade of "providing safe drinking water and sanitation services for all mankind", the Horn of Africa, today has one of the lowest coverage in safe water and sanitation services and though it has made impressive achievements, provision of enough safe water for most of the people of the Horn of Africa remains elusive.

Today, few international projects in the Horn of Africa address water shortage problems or control of waterborne diseases. Improved, inexpensive and simple drinking water technologies must therefore, be made available if safe water and sanitation coverage for the Region is to improve and if the MDGs promises are to be at least partially met. Present safe water and sanitation coverage of the Region is as follows:

Improved Water & Sanitation Coverage for Horn of Africa Countries (WHO/UNICEF 2002)
Country Improved Coverage Sanitation Coverage
Live Urban Live Country Urban Covered Rural Covered UrbanCovered Rural Covered
Djibouti 83% 17% 82% 67% 55% 27%
Eritrea 20% 80% 72% 54% 34% 3%
Ethiopia 15% 85% 81% 11% 19% 4%
Somalia 34% 66% 29% 27% 47% 14%
Source: WHO/UNICEF August 2004

According to UNICEF, access to safe drinking water is estimated by the percentage of the population using improved drinking water sources. Similarly, access to sanitary means of excreta disposal is estimated by the percentage of the population using improved sanitation facilities both of which have direct effect on human health.

So, in the Region, today, there is a high need: to build sustainable water supply systems in the urban and as well as in rural areas; to ensure access to both services for most vulnerable and poor members of communities; to carry out specific social mobilization campaigns such as hygiene education; to introduce hand-washing practices in schools and to train people learn how to safely store household water.

Additionally, there is need to support governments and local administrations in formulating policy on all domestic and related water supply sources; help improve the quality of planning, implementation and supervision of water and sanitation projects. There is need to help in all activities that should focus on rehabilitation and/or construction of water supply services, hygiene and sanitation services promotion.

Private sector investment and management of the water and sanitation sector must be encouraged; advocacy efforts and extensive community and local government levels must be further enhanced. On-site training on pump and generator maintenance must take place in all zones in conjunction with construction of new water sources and rehabilitation of old facilities. Likewise, there is a high need to provide latrine facilities for the communities in the Region and create technical teams who devise cost-effective ways of promoting behavior change. People must be trained on ways to improve personal hygiene, and environmental sanitation at the household and community level.

Training in the operation and maintenance of existing water sources and sanitation facilities can best be achieved by training school teachers in hygiene education by including sanitation and hygiene programs in the school curriculums. In other words, the Region’s overall environmental sanitation and hygiene program must be given a priority.

In urban and peri-urban centers, sanitation tools (shovels, wheelbarrows, rakes and brooms) must be distributed to assist communities in cleaning up their environments. During the cholera ‘season’ (cholera outbreaks normally occur from December to June annually), there is need to provide disinfectants like chlorine to susceptible areas and train communities on how to prevent outbreaks….training school children would help spread the know-how of combating waterborne diseases.

In short, there is an absolute need to realize that international organizations provide resources and training programs and delegate indigenous community professionals to carry out projects themselves. This is because one major problem in most internationally financed projects is that a major part of project costs are consultation fees, expertise salaries and when, applicable financing services charges by the financing organizations. The international community should realize that Africa in general and the Horn of Africa in particular, are in no need of more loans simply because financial debts are already a major burden to the continent and Region causing devastatingly untold financial pains and suffering!

In conclusion, today, despite some encouraging signs, the Region is far from meeting the international humanitarian organizations’ goal of delivering the promises of the Millennium Development Goals. Therefore, a far more Benevolent World Community… a world community who should fund local projects by closely working with the private sector; community-based organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), needs to come to the rescue. And only doing that could lift the Region from its current debilitating poverty; rampant water sanitation and water-related diseases and help achieve the provisions promulgated in the MDGs program.

SUMMARY

Water is plenty in nature as the hydrosphere covers over 71% of the earth, less than 1% of freshwater is accessible for direct use.
Unfortunately, the natural uneven distribution of water worldwide places the Horn of Africa at a disadvantage as its average annual rainfall is low with few perennial rivers.
Horn of Africa is water scarce as the Region experiences different types of scarcities: (a) Natural water scarcity due to its unfavorable climate (b) Demographic scarcity because of its huge livestock populations (c) Technical scarcity because of its low level of development.
Fortunately, according to UN studies, there is sufficient quantity of groundwater in most of the Region. With simple technologies, this can be exploited.
In addition, the Region can establish rainwater harvesting techniques by catching more rainwater to replenish the ground…capture more water above the ground during the wet season and allowing it to percolate down into aquifers or store in dams and reservoirs and pump it out to provide water during the dry season.

But safe water and sanitation services are lacking in the Region due to inadequate assessment and underdevelopment of water resources, lack of technical and institutional infrastructure as well as lack of investment in water resource development …(UNEP).

In any country or Region, though provision of safe water and sanitation services are among the most important determinants of public health, records show that few percentage in the Horn of Africa Region have access to clean water and almost none have access to sanitation.
Today, use of contaminated water gives rise to waterborne diseases, creating epidemics. And diarrhea alone claims about 100,000…210,000 people mostly children….in 1998, 308,000 people died from wars in Africa; but more than 2 million died of diarrhea disease alone (a water-related disease).

Lack of basic health services education, food supplies, shelter, water and sanitation services are leading to prevalence of preventable infectious diseases in the Region.
Therefore, there is dire need to improve water quality, sanitation and personal hygiene which significantly can reduce the spread of many diseases.

And finally, even though provision of good human health, safe water, sanitation, hygiene and education must be considered as basic human right…. achieving such rights remain elusive for those at the Horn of Africa!

SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO OVERCOME WATER SCARCITY IN THE HORN

Water Scarcity In The Horn Of Africa Can Be Overcome By:
1. Developing comprehensive Regional master plans for sustainable water strategies for all basic human and livestock requirements
2. Exploring ways to acquire simple, inexpensive and effective technologies for the exploitation of groundwater
3. Establishing rainstorm runoff storage facilities such as dams, water catchments, reservoirs, while at the same time carefully preserving, national watersheds and the environment.
4. Promoting self-help reliance schemes in water development and water conservation programs at local and national levels
5. Protecting available water resources from animal and human pollution that wreak havoc to public health by polluting available supplies…20% of the children in the Region die before their 5th birthday and people suffer from parasitic infections from human and animal excreta wastes.
6. Fully utilizing urban water-harvesting techniques
7. Acquiring modern techniques to control livestock overpopulation
8. Prioritizing formulation policies and measures to insure adequate and clean water sanitation practices including the safe disposal of wastes and garbage are achieve in the Region.
9. Supplying good quality water to public and ward off waterborne diseases
10. Establishing massive, national training programs for both rural and urban communities and educate people on water conservation techniques
11. Raising community awareness of the role human, animal wastes and water scarcity play in the propagation of poor health. …. according to WHO, 80% of death and disease in Africa can be linked to water-related diseases.
12. Encouraging gender participation in community leadership especially in the communal water and sanitation sectors
13. Educating the public about the advantage of sound hygienic and sanitation practices so that they break away from their traditional habits.
14.

References:
1. N. B. Ayibotele 1992; The World’s Water: Assessing The Resource.
2. Peter Geleick, “Dirty Water: Estimated Deaths from Water-Related Disease 2000-2020”, August 2002, unpublished.
3. Abdi, A. J. “Cement Lined Tanks For Rainwater Harvesting In Somaliland”, paper presented at the 21st WEDC Conference, Kampala: July 1995 unpublished.
4. Mohamed, Abdillahi, E. “Water As Cultural Issue & Source Of Conflict”, paper presented at seminar in Lund University, Sweden: Nov. 2000 unpublished.
5. Noah Arre, “Safe Water is Safe Life, How Safe are Somalis in Water?” Paper presented at 8th Congress of Somali Studies and Governance, Hargeisa 2001; unpublished.
6. Osman A. Farah, “Water Sources Management In Rural Somaliland,” paper presented at 25th WEDC Conference: Addis Ababa 1999, unpublished.
7. African Ministerial Commitments On Implementation And Partnerships For Achieving The Water And Sanitation Targets, December 2003
8. EC, Somalia Unit, 2001, Rural development & food security strategy for Southern Somalia
9. Gomes, N. 2003: Water & Land Management In The Riverine Region of southern Somalia, preliminary study for FAO/IFRA, Nairobi.
10. WHO/UNICEF meeting the MDGs water and sanitation target; a mid-term assessment 2004.
11. UNICEF Ethiopia: Water and Sanitation, (WES) 2004-2006 target
12. FAO/Land & Water Development Division: Review of Water Resources Statistics by Country
13. Water Partners International, 2006
14. Ethiopia Water Supply Sector Resource Flow Assessment: WSP July 2004
15. Water Supply & Sanitation in Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers, Oct. 2003
16. Eritrea: Improving Food Security; IFRC/RCS; December 2002
17. EarthTrends Environmental Information/World Resources Institute…
18. CARE 2002 Report: www.care.org/newsroom/specialreports/ hornafrica/ index.asp
19. Safe the Children, June 2006
20. Tom Gardner & Robert Engelman: “Sustaining Water, Easing Scarcity”, Population Action International: 1997

2007-05-25T14:26:00.000-07:00

Somaliland Water Scarcity And The Challenges Of The MDGs
Meeting Basic Needs: For Safe And Sufficient Water And Sanitation

ABSTRACT:

Water, the source and origin of all life, is scarce in Somaliland. The country lies within the tropical monsoon region, but has 1000m3per person per year. Its annual average rainfall is only 253mm, (western areas and far eastern Sanag region, receive 430mm rainfall) with no major perennial rivers while the potential evapotransportation is above 2000 mm per year.

So, water scarcity is a major deterrent to sustainable socio-economic development in the country and to this date, success in the development of water systems remains elusive. In addition, a 1997/2000 inconclusive survey by the government (Somaliland) shows that the areas¡¦ water quality is too poor indicating that most of the country's drinking water sources are unfit for direct human consumption. In fact, access to safe water is limited to only 20% for urban areas. And of the 60% of the nomadic population who raise agriculture and livestock, less than 10% has access to safe water when almost none has access to sanitation.

Consequently, many water-related diseases are rife, endemic and epidemic in Somaliland with high morbidity/mortality rates causing many pre-mature deaths of 138/1000, Oxfam 1992 (limited information says diarrhea alone claims about 100,000 mostly children in Somalia, nationwide).

Considering this water scarcity and the need to provide coverage for Somaliland people by 2025 to meet the Millennium Developmental Goals and the World Summit For Sustainable Development targets set for Sub-Saharan Africa, the World Community, NEPAD, AMCOW, Africa Water Task Force etc. have major moral leadership challenges/obligations waiting ahead especially if this fledgling democracy is to meet those goals.

Introduction
Water is life. All living things, humans, animals, plants as well as the ecosystems depend on water for survival and existence. Fortunately, it is plenty in nature as the hydrosphere covers over 70% of the earth. But 97.47% is salty and more than two-thirds of the remainder is trapped in poles as ice and snow and in deep underground. Less than 1% is accessible. In addition, worldwide, freshwater is hugely distributed uneven. It is this poor distribution, the geometrical growth of world population and man¡¦s activities that further reduce freshwater resources quantity and quality causing water scarcity crisis worldwide.

Water, What Is It?
Water is a unique blend of colorless, odorless liquid. It is not a living particle but there is no life without it too. Water is also unique in both its physical and chemical properties as it is one of the few substances that expand on cooling to zero degrees centigrade, a condition that facilitates ice to float so that life in oceans and seas is preserved¡Klarge bodies of water covered with masses of ice and snow do still provide enough warmth for undersea flora and fauna and still maintain enough dissolved oxygen that is so essential to the survival life. Were it not this uniqueness, oceans, seas and all bodies of water would freeze from bottom up killing lives in it. Blocks of ice and snow would stay unmelted even during hot summers creating drastic climatic change as there would be less water evaporation resulting less precipitation. Water is also unique as it has a moderating effect for it can absorb a lot of heat without itself becoming warmer. This alone can justify why bodies of water remain cool when adjacent sand beaches may fry your bare feet.

In addition, during evaporation, water absorbs heat and escapes into the atmosphere. But when it comes down as rain, the same heat is dissipated back to the atmosphere. Water acts as an energy custodian and as a liquid that is in the oceans, seas and in the air, it acts as a thermostat that regulates heat. Water is also a universal solvent and all living things depend on it for food assimilation that is so important for sustenance and growth.

Water Is Life
Water is the source and origin of all life! All living things depend on water for survival and existence. On the average, our body is 75-85% water. Unlike hunger, which our body can survive for several weeks as the body possesses sufficient reserves, a lack of water will lead to certain death within days as our body cannot retain any water reserves. (Peter Gleick of Pacific Institute of Oakland, California regards 20-40 liters per person per day, as the minimum to meet all person's needs).

In addition, we need water for keeping clean and we need it for farming. Water helps insure that all living things assimilate food nutrients without which life on this earth would be impossible. Biochemical/biological reactions that take place during metabolism and growth of living cells (plant and animal) take place only in aqueous media. With the help of water through osmosis, chlorophyll and sun light, plants absorb nutrients/minerals to build simple sugars. And water helps our body discharge its wastes. It lubricates our systems, keeps them free from waste and maintains a normal body. Water is also a critical component of most global systems, such as climate, vegetation and erosion and human disturbances of one part of the water cycle inevitably have impacts in others.

Water Availability In Somaliland
Worldwide, freshwater is hugely distributed uneven. In addition, pollution and high population growth rate further reduce freshwater resources quantity and quality. It is the sum of these problems that cause water scarcity crisis worldwide.

Somaliland is located in the Horn of Africa¡K.its boundaries are defined by the Gulf of Aden in the north; Somalia in the east, Ethiopia in the south and west and Djibouti in the northwest (it lies between latitudes 80 27' north and longitudes 420 35' east). And though it is in the tropical monsoon climate zone, water availability is a major issue as rainfall is extremely low and variable¡Kthe country¡¦s average annual rainfall is only 253mm with no major perennial rivers while the potential evapotransportation is above 2000 mm per year. So, the country is water scarce ¡Kwater scarcity happens when a country has less than 1000M3 per person per year (the 2,800 calories a person needs a day for adequate nourishment requires a minimum of 1000M3 of water).

Somaliland experiences four seasons; only Gu (spring) is rainy (March-May). Hagaa (summer)¡KJune-August, is hot and dry and Dyr (fall) late August-November; is cool though occasionally rainy and the Jilaal or winter December- late March is dry. In fact, the country suffers from different types of scarcities (i) natural water scarcity due to its unfavorable arid climate (ii) demographic scarcity because of its huge livestock populations (iii) technical scarcity because of its low level of development. And it is not only lacking available water resources, it is also desperately lacking trained manpower and financial resources to set up institutions that can develop badly needed infrastructure.

In addition, drought with scaring effects and its major impacts on people¡¦s and animal life is another feature of the country¡¦s physical environment. For instance, severe droughts followed by occasional torrential rainfall kill hundreds of people and thousands of livestock and any sign of it is often received with dread and worry. Prayers and sacrifice for rain are therefore common and the onset of rain is often viewed as the single most important event of the year. So, today, groundwater constitutes the principal source of potable water in most areas and is in fact, the basic component in most of the country¡¦s water needs particularly during droughts and with the exception of seasonal rainfall it is the major source.

Fortunately, a 1999 UN studies on groundwater, show that there is sufficient quantity of water to cover the domestic needs of the whole population¡K but in spring, excess rainfall water has been getting discharged into the seas after coursing its way through the drains. In effect, it is possible to prevent this wastage of water by storing it during the rainy season for use as drinking water during the dry seasons; or for allowing it to seep underground in dry areas as a measure of maintaining adequate levels of ground water. This water can subsequently be recharged or pumped up for irrigational or drinking purposes¡K Somaliland must harvest this by capturing it and allowing it to percolate down into aquifers or store in dams and reservoirs. But, authorities must realize that doing so requires caution as it may cause environmental degradation due to the potential influx of huge livestock and people due to the availability of water.

In Somaliland, access to enough water is limited and the country¡¦s main export is dependent on rainfall for adequate pastures and watering. Urban and rural communities access to safe water in most cases is restricted especially in dry seasons¡K access is typically available for only about 20% of the population in the urban areas and almost nothing exists for the rural community. So, rural communities depend on four sources of water: the dry wells, the springs, open water holes (ballays; berkads) and boreholes. Most villages use berkads, ballays and boreholes or shallow wells.

Ministry of Water and mineral Resources (1999):
Region Drilled wells Abandoned wells Hand dug wells Springs Berkad/ Ballays Water Systems
Awdal 37 21 over 300/ important 38/ 22 fitted with pumps 22 31 surveyed/\ most bacterial contamination mini water systems/2 urban/5 rural
Galbeed 62 34 465 8 5061 11 water systems 2 urban/9 mini water supply
Tog Dheer 43 14 1300 8 4920 1 water system
Sahil 12 6 over 600 20 --- 8 water system
Sanaag 35 6 250 38 88 8 water system
Sool 18 1 120 15 300 13 water system
Source: C. Fiallace and E. R. Failace (1986):

Waterr Quality Data Book of Somalia, V.2.; Ministry of Water and mineral Resources (1999): Inventory of Permanent Water Sources in Somaliland
Groups from nomadic population for example need supply points that lie within a few days¡¦ walk even when the weather is bad or fodder is short and the average length of stay at a given place is extended accordingly and the risk of overuse becomes greater. But too many livestock watering points can have disastrous environmental consequences though in Somaliland, the need to preserve human life may sometimes mean that these primary concerns have to be ignored and even non-renewable ground water must be exhausted with long-term repercussions. And uncontrolled groundwater withdrawal causes adverse consequences on the quality of surface and groundwater and thus indirectly on the human health and that of animals. It often leads to over-drafting and a good water supply in rural areas can lead to overgrazing of vegetation and compaction of the soil by the livestock.

The Health Dimension
Water Quality, Sanitation And Health

As a general rule, safe and sanitary freshwater is essential for a healthy living. But water (like health) is subject to degradation. So, when we drink polluted water (dirty water), we are building, over a period of time, the basis for sickness or diminished health. And use of contaminated water gives rise to waterborne diseases¡K when microbiological and chemical contaminants enter water supplies, they do so as a result of human activity or are found in nature and the potential for health problems from drinking dirty water illustrated by the local outbreaks of waterborne diseases. Moreover, many diseases have been linked to contamination due to bacteria or viruses probably from human or animal waste. ¡K In 1992, UNCED estimated that ¡§¡K80 per cent of all diseases, and over one-third of deaths in developing countries are water-associated, and on average as much as one-tenth of each person's productive time is sacrificed to water-related diseases¡¨¡K and within the developing world, the poorer urban and rural households carry the burden (Agenda 21, UNCED, Chapt. 18, p175).

In Somaliland, water scarcity and pollution due to animal wastes turn springs, wells, bardkads, ballays etc. to filthy trickle¡Kpolluted water contains impurities (minerals, gases, viruses, parasites, bacteria, suspensions etc.) that give rise to water borne diseases, creating epidemics and posing greater risks. And a limited survey carried out by the government (Somaliland) shows conductivity, hardness, dissolved solids etc. are too high, conductivity up to 11,000 MicroS/cm in most sources and the few bacteriological screens conducted (total coliforms) in many areas show CFU200/100ml (world standard zero) The poor sanitation indicates that most of the country's drinking water sources are unfit for direct human consumption.

In addition, the harsh environment and the resulting erosion due to torrential rains further reduce quality of fresh water while deforestation and degradation of once grassy lands accelerate and alter the water cycle, threatening the continuity of the ecosystems and groundwater recharge¡K(the dominant hazard is flooding, which when it occurs washes away topsoil slowly choking streams, dams and reservoirs and causing further water quality impairment).

Today, despite the 1980s International Decade of providing safe drinking water and sanitation services for the developing world, only 20% of Somaliland people who live in urban areas have access to clean water supply. And almost all those who live in small towns or rural areas lack access to safe water and adequate sanitation services though the UN considers both a human right.

Global Mortality From Water-Related Diseases Versus Somaliland (figure 2)
WHO 2000 2.2 million (diarrhea diseases only)
WHO 1999 2.3 million
Hunter et al 2000 more than 5 million
UNDP 2002 more than 5 million
Johannesburg 2002 more than 5 million
Water Dome 2002 more than 3 million
UNICEF 1992 100,000 per year (Somalia
Hinrichsen et al 1997 12 million
Source: world 1996 and others in (peter gleick: dirty water 2000-2020)

As a result, many water-short households are forced to rely on contaminated water supplies. And waterborne diseases like diarrhea, dysentery and cholera etc. are on the rise. Diarrhea alone affects hundreds of thousands mostly children and killing hundreds yearly. Intestinal helminths, trachoma etc. are high. And it is believed that diarrhea alone claims over 100,000 deaths in Somalia (nationwide) and estimates show that one in four dies before fifth birthday. It is therefore, unfortunate that water scarcity is probably the single greatest threat to Somaliland people¡¦s health, their environment and food supply. It threatens food security and peace as people seek to cope with shortages.

In environmental terms, growing urbanization further exacerbates the problem as it concentrates large numbers of human beings, demanding dependable sources of water and adequate sanitation services on unprecedented scales¡K (Hargeisa, the capital city for instance has grown from 300 to 700 thousand residents and continues to grow). The changes in land use pattern brought about by the urbanization also affect water supplies by altering and accelerating natural rain patterns and runoffs. It erodes soils and speeds evaporation with urban runoff severely degrading quality of life and further creating health and hygiene problems. Most of those who suffer are the poor who live in peri-urban areas.

CONCLUSIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS

Water is a vital resource that is unfortunately scarce in Somaliland; so the nation must fully assess its groundwater as there are perennial rivers.
The nation must develop comprehensive national water resource development programs for sustainable water strategies.

The country¡¦s water scarcity can be offset by harvesting spring torrential rainwater in catchments, dams, reservoirs etc. with the intention of replenishing groundwater cycle. But, in doing that it must avoid disrupting the delicate ecological balance of the land as huge influx of people and livestock due to water availability can cause overgrazing exposing topsoil to erosion rendering soil sterile and unproductive.

The nation should explore ways to acquire simple, inexpensive, proven effective technologies for the acquisition of drinking water and sanitation services.

But, the nation must prioritize policies and measures to insure adequate and clean environmental sanitation practices including disposal of garbage.

The nation must provide clean water/sanitation access to its rural community.
The nation must establish water quality guidelines and encourage hygienic practices since without them, people will continue to suffer from water-borne diseases.

Lack of basic services, education, food supplies, shelter, water and sanitation services often lead to prevalence of preventable infectious diseases; so the nation must raise community awareness of the role human/animal wastes play in the propagation of poor health.
People must break their traditional unhygienic habits and gender participation must be encouraged ¡Kleadership (especially women).

Finally, the nation must actively pursue help from international community and donor organizations in particular who are morally obligated to redress this human tragedy.

2007-05-25T10:27:00.000-07:00

Harnessing our sun’s energy for commercial use is the next hi-tech frontier!

The other day, I was in an international science and technology conference/exhibition in one of the major cities in the Middle East and I was truly amazed how far man had gone in utilizing science and technology and applies it toward his developmental needs. I was especially impressed in one occasion when a Chinese company showed me in its stall a new solar energy-harnessing module that would supposedly store our sun’s energy for all future needs. Huge horizontal silos with tinny cylindrical cellular attachments in vast geometrical arrays would, according to the exhibitor, absorb the sun’s energy, store it indefinitely and avail it for a myriad of uses whenever and wherever needed. Hence the need for fossil fuels will become a thing of the past soon. “What a scientific marvel and a success of humanity!” I whispered to myself.

However, though amazed of that human success, naturally as an African I was truly embarrassed since there was no African nation there and so, thousands of questions, excerpts of which are the following, immediately came to my mind:

Now that man had taken such huge strides in that new and spectacular frontier, will nations soon fight for supremacy over the outer space as each nation scrambles to grab its “fair” share of the sun’s energy for its national developmental needs?

Could world’s top research scientists already be theorizing how to place huge dishes that would deflect ALL the sun’s energy to centralized stations that would absorb, process and store it in huge storage facilities for commercial purposes?
Will a vast new niche of satellites be placed in our already crowded skies soon for that purpose?

That realized, could technologically advanced nations take a lion’s share of our sun’s abundant energy, commercialize it leaving behind tribal-strife-torn Africans in the cold?

Could this resource which the whole continent of Africa always had in abundance and taken for granted for centuries be monopolized by those who had already “rightly and wrongly” grabbed all world resources and utilize it for their better economic gains?

Will those developed nations all of which fall outside the perimeters of mother earth’s tropical hot climate again colonize poor Africa by stripping it out of its legitimate last resource?

Will destitute Africa again end up in begging and waiting for handouts even for our sun’s energy despite being the sole continent that lies within the tropical hot climate?
And could it even possibly one day snow all over pathetic Africa simply because it will have no access to already “commercialized sun’s energy” and its people freeze to death?

Is not amazing that man’s superb intelligence never runs out of innovations, ideas and inventions?

But is it not really embarrassing that Africans are beaten in every field of life and yet shamefully continue to fight over trivial issues?

Despite these disturbing and horrific thoughts, I was impressed how flawless the exhibition was; how amazing the high niche technology on the exhibit was; how inspiring the precise innovations on display were and how magnificently the show was organized, how remarkable man’s intelligence is and how amazing the myriad of technological supplies that were on display at the center were!

So, this short article is an appeal to my fellow Africans, and let me say that while it is a fact that the African continent is the second largest in the world; while it is also a fact that it is the birth place of mankind and while it is a fact that it is unbelievably rich when it comes to natural resources, how behind and backward it is, is painfully mind-boggling and extremely bewildering!

It is too hard to understand that we Africans do not realize that developments such as those described are only the result of man’s innovative imagination. It is too hard to understand that we Africans do not realize that today’s technological advances are the product of man’s superb intelligence. It is too hard to understand that we Africans do not realize that while our intelligence is not inferior to that of any other race because many of us excel in distinguished international universities graduating with honors, we have yet to contribute any thing of value toward this world’s civilization, science and technology!

Rather, our contributions are: tyranny by despotic leadership, nepotism and greed, public incivilities all of which breed civil strife and corruption which robs our continent of its developmental resources and continuous wars that result only death and destruction all of which contribute toward our peoples’ misery!

My fellow Africans please:

Consider strife-torn Somalia in where Africa’s main killer disease…tribalism nightmares sink that nation into mayhem and bloodshed that have yet to stop despite over 16 long years.

Consider the daily hostage taking of oil workers by untamable tribal Nigerian gangs, who despite that nation’s high literacy rate and educational level, refuse to respect law and order!

Consider Zimbabwe’s strife and economic down slide since independence due to Robert Mugabe’s nepotistic tribal ideology that drove out the legitimate leader of that nation… Mr. Joshua Nkomo whose sacrifices liberated his country from colonialism…. simply because Mr. Joshua happened to be of a different tribe!

Consider Sudan’s thirty-year civil war between the South and the North and its new demonizing civil war in the Darfur Region caused by the Janjaweed tribal militias and the resulting misery despite that nation’s huge natural wealth including oil and gas.

Consider Liberia’s ugly civil wars in which hundreds of thousands died and hundreds of thousands more were maimed forever!

Consider Siera Leone’s long civil war in which thousands died and hundreds of thousands more suffer despite having one of the richest diamond fields of the continent.

Consider the Republic of Congo in which rape, death and destruction bleed the resources of the nation and force millions to live in local refugee camps despite being the superpower of Africa when it comes to natural resources!

Consider the Rwandan genocide and the ugly slaughter in which close to a million people were massacred overnight simply because they were of other tribes!

Brothers and sisters, the whole episode is shameful but that is what we have. It is shameful that the miseries we cause instigate the mass exodus of our people to the unknown. It is shameful that these miseries lead our people to die on the shores of Europe, a Europe that is not willing to accept us let alone offer us sanctuaries. It is our self-inflicted wounds that make us…Africans look inferior in the eyes of others. It is our inherently pathetic indifference of our situation that keeps our continent behind. And it is our inability to accept one another, abandon hate and let our people live in peace and harmony.

The African continent is wealthy. It is rich in wildlife that roams in the wild in its multitudes. And only developing that industry alone could significantly make our continent an economic power. Africa is rich in gold and diamonds too. It is rich in culture and climate and it is rich in the Sun’s Energy because of its geographical local; an energy that is the new target of today’s science and technology, which will soon exploit it and may help wealthy nations monopolize. In fact nations are already striving to take a lion’s share. Let us wake up to realities. It is never too late but it is now or never!

It is therefore, incumbent upon us to heed the following eloquent poem by a prominent Somali Poet!

Niman yohow addoomaha illaah kala ayaan roone! Afrikaanka moyee ma jiro ruux itaal yarie! Inkaar inay qabaa iyo waqtiga inaanay eegeenin! Arrintoodu meel bay aqoon iin ku leedahaye!

“Ow people, some of the Lord’s servants are luckier than others. And only Africans are weak economically; They (Africans) may be either cursed or else they do not see (realize) the challenges of time! Painfully, their being must have some weakness somehow somewhere!”

I personally think that that “weakness somehow somewhere”, has something to do with the deadly effects of killer tribalism that harbors despotism and corruption which are followed by wars that hamper Africa from progress and rob it from its natural resources that could be utilized for all its developmental needs!

Despite all these, we cannot give up hope because the good thing about the Africans is that they beat others in forgiving and forgetting the past and it is due to that natural God-given gift of the African that President Nelson Mandela forgot and forgave those who aggrieve him for 27 long and lonely years! Brothers and sisters it is a high time that we hold shoulder to shoulder and move our continent, the sole natural resources superpower, forward!

2007-05-24T19:45:00.000-07:00

Borama Mayor should do something about the poor hygiene of the city!

Waa In uu Mayorka Borama nadaafadda magaalada wax ka qabtaa!

I recently read an article whose title was the same as “the heading of this article”. And so, I decided to share my know-how on that topic with my friends everywhere and specially with those at home. And certainly I am assuming, by doing that, I am enlightening many of them in that area which I consider as mine.

First: Water is the source, supporter and sustainer of all life!!!
So, my dear friends referrencing WSSCC & other internatinal organizations let me ask:

Water is the source, supporter and sustainer of all life?
Fortunately it covers about 71% of the earth’s hydrosphere?
Of all waters on earth, 97.47% is salty unfit for direct use?

And of the remaining 2.53% fresh water, some 67% is either trapped deep underground or frozen in polar icecaps?

Of the other 33%, most is present as soil moisture?
In the end, less than 1% of the world's fresh water is readily accessible for direct use?

This readily accessible fraction is found in lakes, rivers, reservoirs and in underground sources shallow enough to be tapped at affordable cost?

If all the earth's water were to fit in a gallon jug (4 liters), available fresh water would equal just over a tablespoon? The human body is about 60%-- 85% water and plants over 80% water?

Today, freshwater is becoming the most critical natural resource issue facing humanity?

As populations grow, water use rises, demand soars, pollution increases and yet the supply is finite or limited?

A person can live about a month without food, but only about a week without water?

A human being needs about 16 to 20 liters of water per day just to survive?

But to ensure our basic needs are met, we all need 20 to 50 liters of water free from harmful contaminants each and every day?

The average American uses 380 to 670 liters of water at home each day?

And the average African family uses about 20 liters of water each day?

An estimated 1.1 billion people worldwide lacks access to adequate safe water and roughly 2.2 billion people lack adequate sanitation?

Worldwide, careless use of water resources is harming our natural habitat, our health as well as the environment?

By 1995, 31 countries faced chronic freshwater shortages but by 2025, 48 countries are projected to face shortages affecting 2.8 billion people worldwide?

By 2025, nearly 200 million people in sub-Saharan Africa will face water scarcity?

According to World’s Water (2002/2003) report, we must rethink the way we capture, distribute and use water if we are to meet water scarcity challenges?

Excessive demand of water uses reduces many rivers to filthy trickle by the time they reach the sea or lake?

Pollution is a major problem world-wide and only a few countries have adequately safeguarded water from pollution?

Today, groundwater provides drinking water to more than 1.5 billion people daily and to many more in times of drought and/or water scarcity?

Two thirds of the world’s population gets their water from public standpipes, wells, rivers, lakes, rainfall collected off roofs etc.?

Unfortunately, in the Third World, more than 200 million hours are spent each day by women and female children, just to collect water from distant, often polluted sources?

If reduction of the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water is be halved by 2015 all communities must play major roles?

Improvements of public-health services and providing safe water and better sanitation are key to better life?

Improved water management has brought enormous benefits to people in developing countries?

Despite this, over a billion people have yet to benefit, with lowest coverage in rural areas and urban slums?

And an estimated 2.6 billion people — representing half the developing world population— lack toilets and other forms of improved sanitation?

To achieve the 2015 targets for freshwater provision, water supplies is to reach an additional 1.5 billion people in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean?

Nearly 200 million people in Africa are facing serious water shortages?

By 2025, of an estimated 900 millions Africans, nearly 230 million will face water scarcity, and 460 million will be living in water-stressed countries?

Water problems are more related to mismanagement than to scarcity?

Up to 50 per cent of urban water and 60 per cent of water used in agriculture is wasted through leaks and evaporation?

According to an international Scientific and Technological Research Group, a person living in an urban center uses in 1 day:50 liters to flush the toilet; 30 liters to wash clothes in a machine; 27 liters to wash the dishes; 18 liters to water the garden; 15 liters in cooking; 10 liters, in other uses (drinking, washing hands)?

A child born in the developed world consumes (30 to 50) times as much water as one in the Third World?

Unfortunately, the cost of providing safe drinking water and proper sanitation to everyone in the world by 2025 is between US$111 and 180 billion a year….two to three times greater than present investments?

But Did You Also Know That:

A UNEP report puts water-related global death toll at 5.3 million yearly due to poor hygiene or dirty water related diseases?

Unfortunately, water like blood, is subject to degradation and when you drink dirty water, upon time you build poor health?

The first rainstorm runoff from your roof-top to your catchment is usually highly contaminated due to bird-droppings and from other roof-top accumulated dirt?

Preventable water-related diseases kill an estimated 10,000- 20,000 children each day worldwide and number is proportionately much higher in our country… again hygiene related?

At any one time, an estimated half of the world’s hospital beds are occupied by patients suffering from water-borne diseases…. poor hygiene?

That at any one time, 80% of all sicknesses in the Third World is water-related (hygiene) diseases?

Trachoma, a water scarcity eye disease….. from lack of face washing, affects millions and blinds hundreds of thousands yearly?

The simple act of washing your face could virtually eliminate any potential trachoma and other eye diseases?

The simple act of hand washing can reduce diarrheal diseases by 33%?

Basic hygiene, through hand washing and safe food handling, reduce sicknesses by 35%?

The safe disposal of feces and other dirt reduce all diseases by 40%?

Improving water quality (hygiene) reduces childhood diarrhea by 15-20%?

One gram of an average healthy person’s feces contains 10,000,000 viruses?

That that one gram contains 1,000,000 bacteria, 1,000 parasite cysts and 1,000 parasite eggs?

That if the average infective dosage (how much can make you sick) of virus to a person is 10 viruses, then an entire city of 1,000,000 persons can be infected by just one gram feces of infected person?

In the last 10 years, diarrhea disease (poor hygiene) killed more children than all people lost in armed conflict since World War II?

Most epidemics are due to use of dirty water and/or poor sanitation?

The simple act of boiling your drinking water could significantly reduce the chance to get sick from water related diseases or from poor hygiene?

The simple act of regularly spraying your toilet with (one cup of house bleach in 1000 cups of tap water) or covering your latrine can significantly reduce many poor-hygiene-related illnesses?

2006-11-11T04:41:00.000-08:00

W.A.S.H (Water & Sanitation) WSSCC
Facts & Figures:

1. Water is life and fortunately, the hydrosphere covers about 71% of the earth.

2. All water on earth, 97.47% is salt water, and of the remaining 2.53% fresh water, some 67% is either unreachable deep or frozen in the polar icecaps. The other 33% is mostly present as soil moisture. In the end, less than 1% of the world's fresh water is readily accessible for direct uses. This fraction is found in lakes, rivers, reservoirs and in underground sources shallow enough to be tapped at affordable cost.

3. Water is the basic need for all living things (human body is about 70%-- 85% water).

4. Today, freshwater is becoming the most critical natural resource issue facing humanity because as populations grow and water use rises, demand soars; yet the supply is finite.

5. Worldwide, careless use of water resources is harming the natural environment.

6. If all the earth's water fit in a gallon jug, available fresh water would equal just over a tablespoon.

7. It is estimated that around 1.1 billion people lacks access to adequate safe and around 2.2 billion people lack adequate sanitation.

8. A person can live about a month without food, but only about a week without water.

9. A person needs 4 to 5 gallons of water per day to survive.
10. The average American individual uses 100 to 176 gallons of water at home each day.

11. By 1995, 31 countries faced chronic freshwater shortages and by 2025, 48 countries are projected to face shortages affecting 2.8 billion people.

12. By 2025, nearly 200 million people in sub-Saharan Africa will face water scarcity.

13. World’s Water (2002/2003) report says we must rethink the way we capture, distribute and use water if we are to meet water scarcity challenges.

14. Excessive demand of water uses reduces many rivers to mere and filthy trickle by the time they reach the sea or lake.

15. Today, groundwater provides drinking water to more than 1.5 billion people daily and to many more in times of drought and/or water scarcity.

16. Two thirds of the world’s population gets their water from public standpipes, wells, rivers, lakes, rainfall collected off roofs etc.

17. Over a billion people lack access to clean water in the developing world and 2.5 billion people lack access to adequate sanitation.

18. Pollution is a major problem and few countries have adequately safeguarded water from pollution.

19. The average African family uses about 5 gallons of water each day.

20. More than 200 million hours are spent each day by women and female children to collect water from distant, often polluted sources.

21. Approximately 60 to 70% of the rural population in the developing world have neither access to a safe and convenient source of water nor a satisfactory means of waste disposal.

22. Water systems fail at a rate of 50% or higher.

23. According to the UN, 20% of the world's population, in 30 countries, face water shortages. This number is expected to rise to 30% of the world's population in 50 countries in 2025.

24. Some of the world's largest cities, including Beijing, Buenos Aires, Dhaka, Lima, and Mexico City, depend heavily on groundwater for their water supply. It is unlikely that dependence on aquifers, which take many years to recharge, will be sustainable.

25. Poor people in the developing world pay on average 12 times more per liter of water than fellow citizens connected to municipal systems; these poverty-stricken people use less water, much of which is dirty and contaminated…. hence health problems

26. Every $1 invested in children, including money to improve access to clean water and sanitation, saved $7 in the cost of long-term public services… health etc.

27. But the Millennium Development Goals require that by 2015, nations reduce by half the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water.

28. 80% of diseases in the developing world are due to contaminated or inadequate water supplies;

29. A UNEP report puts water-related global death toll at 5.3 million yearly.

30. Preventable water-related diseases kill an estimated 10,000- 20,000 children each day
worldwide and about 100,000 mostly children in Somalia per year.

31. At any one time, an estimated half of the world’s hospital beds are occupied by patients suffering from water-borne diseases.

32. The simple act of hand washing with soap/water can reduce diarrheal disease by 1/3rd.

33. One gram of an average healthy person’s feces contains 10,000,000 viruses, 1,000,0
00 bacteria, 1,000 parasite cysts and 1000 parasite eggs.

34. Improved water quality reduces childhood diarrhea by 15-20%;

35. But hygiene, through hand washing and safe food handling, reduces it by 35%, while safe feces disposal reduces it by 40%.

36. Often rural Africa women/girls walk about 6 kilometers daily just to haul water.

37. In Africa, women and girls spend 40 billion person-hours a year, hauling water.

38. The weight of water women in Africa carry is equivalent to 20 kilograms… hence health problems due to back injuries.

39. In the last 10 years, diarrhea killed more children than all people lost in armed conflict since World War II.

2006-10-25T11:23:00.000-07:00

2006-10-13T13:21:00.000-07:00

Somaliland Water Scarcity And The Challenges Of The MDGs
Meeting Basic Needs: For Safe And Sufficient Water And Sanitation

Abstract:

Water, the source and origin of all life, is scarce in Somaliland. The country lies within the tropical monsoon region, but has <1000m3>

So, water scarcity is a major deterrent to sustainable socio-economic development in the country and to this date, success in the development of water systems remains elusive.

In addition, a 1997/2000 inconclusive survey by the government (Somaliland) shows that the areas¡¦ water quality is too poor indicating that most of the country¡¦s drinking water sources are unfit for direct human consumption. In fact, access to safe water is limited to only 20% for urban areas. And of the 60% of the nomadic population who raise agriculture and livestock, less than 10% has access to safe water when almost none has access to sanitation.

Consequently, many water-related diseases are rife, endemic and epidemic in Somaliland with high morbidity/mortality rates causing many pre-mature deaths of 138/1000, Oxfam 1992¡K(limited information says diarrhea alone claims about 100,000 mostly children in Somalia, nationwide). Considering this water scarcity and the need to provide coverage for Somaliland people by 2025 to meet the Millennium Developmental Goals and the World Summit For Sustainable Development targets set for Sub-Saharan Africa, the World Community, NEPAD, AMCOW, Africa Water Task Force etc. have major moral leadership challenges/obligations waiting ahead especially if this fledgling democracy is to meet those goals.

Introduction:

Water is life. All living things ¡K humans, animals, plants as well as the ecosystems depend on water for survival and existence. Fortunately, it is plenty in nature as the hydrosphere covers over 70% of the earth. But 97.47% is salty and more than two-thirds of the remainder is trapped in poles as ice and snow and in deep underground. Less than 1% is accessible.

In addition, worldwide, freshwater is hugely distributed uneven. It is this poor distribution, the geometrical growth of world population and man¡¦s activities that further reduce freshwater resources quantity and quality causing water scarcity crisis worldwide. Water, What Is It? Water is a unique blend of colorless, odorless liquid. It is not a living particle but there is no life without it too. Water is also unique in both its physical and chemical properties as it is one of the few substances that expand on cooling to zero degrees centigrade, a condition that facilitates ice to float so that life in oceans and seas is preserved...large bodies of water covered with masses of ice and snow do still provide enough warmth for undersea flora and fauna and still maintain enough dissolved oxygen that is so essential to the survival life. Were it not this uniqueness, oceans, seas and all bodies of water would freeze from bottom up killing lives in it. Blocks of ice and snow would stay unmelted even during hot summers creating drastic climatic change as there would be less water evaporation resulting less precipitation. Water is also unique as it has a moderating effect for it can absorb a lot of heat without itself becoming warmer. This alone can justify why bodies of water remain cool when adjacent sand beaches may fry your bare feet.

In addition, during evaporation, water absorbs heat and escapes into the atmosphere. But when it comes down as rain, the same heat is dissipated back to the atmosphere. Water acts as an energy custodian and as a liquid that is in the oceans, seas and in the air, it acts as a thermostat that regulates heat. Water is also a universal solvent and all living things depend on it for food assimilation that is so important for sustenance and growth.

Water Is Life:
Water is the source and origin of all life! All living things depend on water for survival and existence. On the average, our body is 75-85% water. Unlike hunger, which our body can survive for several weeks as the body possesses sufficient reserves, a lack of water will lead to certain death within days as our body cannot retain any water reserves. (Peter Gleick of Pacific Institute of Oakland, California regards 20-40 liters per person per day, as the minimum to meet all person¡¦s needs). In addition, we need water for keeping clean and we need it for farming. Water helps insure that all living things assimilate food nutrients without which life on this earth would be impossible. Biochemical/biological reactions that take place during metabolism and growth of living cells (plant and animal) take place only in aqueous media. With the help of water through osmosis, chlorophyll and sun light, plants absorb nutrients/minerals to build simple sugars. And water helps our body discharge its wastes. It lubricates our systems, keeps them free from waste and maintains a normal body. Water is also a critical component of most global systems, such as climate, vegetation and erosion and human disturbances of one part of the water cycle inevitably have impacts in others. Water Availability In Somaliland Worldwide, freshwater is hugely distributed uneven. In addition, pollution and high population growth rate further reduce freshwater resources quantity and quality. It is the sum of these problems that cause water scarcity crisis worldwide. Somaliland is located in the Horn of Africa¡K.its boundaries are defined by the Gulf of Aden in the north; Somalia in the east, Ethiopia in the south and west and Djibouti in the northwest (it lies between latitudes 80 27¡¦ north and longitudes 420 35¡¦ east). And though it is in the tropical monsoon climate zone, water availability is a major issue as rainfall is extremely low and variable¡Kthe country¡¦s average annual rainfall is only 253mm with no major perennial rivers while the potential evapotransportation is above 2000 mm per year. So, the country is water scarce ¡Kwater scarcity happens when a country has less than 1000M3 per person per year (the 2,800 calories a person needs a day for adequate nourishment requires a minimum of 1000M3 of water). Somaliland experiences four seasons; only Gu (spring) is rainy (March-May). Hagaa (summer)¡KJune-August, is hot and dry and Dyr (fall) late August-November; is cool though occasionally rainy and the Jilaal or winter December- late March is dry. In fact, the country suffers from different types of scarcities (i) natural water scarcity due to its unfavorable arid climate (ii) demographic scarcity because of its huge livestock populations (iii) technical scarcity because of its low level of development. And it is not only lacking available water resources, it is also desperately lacking trained manpower and financial resources to set up institutions that can develop badly needed infrastructure. In addition, drought with scaring effects and its major impacts on people¡¦s and animal life is another feature of the country¡¦s physical environment. For instance, severe droughts followed by occasional torrential rainfall kill hundreds of people and thousands of livestock and any sign of it is often received with dread and worry. Prayers and sacrifice for rain are therefore common and the onset of rain is often viewed as the single most important event of the year. So, today, groundwater constitutes the principal source of potable water in most areas and is in fact, the basic component in most of the country¡¦s water needs particularly during droughts and with the exception of seasonal rainfall it is the major source. Fortunately, a 1999 UN studies on groundwater, show that there is sufficient quantity of water to cover the domestic needs of the whole population¡K but in spring, excess rainfall water has been getting discharged into the seas after coursing its way through the drains. In effect, it is possible to prevent this wastage of water by storing it during the rainy season for use as drinking water during the dry seasons; or for allowing it to seep underground in dry areas as a measure of maintaining adequate levels of ground water. This water can subsequently be recharged or pumped up for irrigational or drinking purposes¡K Somaliland must harvest this by capturing it and allowing it to percolate down into aquifers or store in dams and reservoirs. But, authorities must realize that doing so requires caution as it may cause environmental degradation due to the potential influx of huge livestock and people due to the availability of water. In Somaliland, access to enough water is limited and the country¡¦s main export is dependent on rainfall for adequate pastures and watering. Urban and rural communities access to safe water in most cases is restricted especially in dry seasons¡K access is typically available for only about 20% of the population in the urban areas and almost nothing exists for the rural community. So, rural communities depend on four sources of water: the dry wells, the springs, open water holes (ballays; berkads) and boreholes. Most villages use berkads, ballays and boreholes or shallow wells.

2006-10-12T15:41:00.000-07:00

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