The Tragedy of Clean Water Scarcity for Eswatini's Children
Water, the source of life, has become a burden for the innocent children of Eswatini. Each day, they embark on arduous journeys, spanning miles, searching for water, often found in streams and ponds. This quest for survival comes at a steep price, as sickness plagues their communities, and precious time is lost in the relentless pursuit of this life-sustaining resource. Tragically, livestock such as cattle, goats, and chickens mingle with these water sources, contaminating them with fecal matter and leaving children and others to fill their 5-gallon buckets with dirty water – a risky endeavor that can inflict sickness and even death upon their families.
The time spent on this quest for water and the burden of transporting it back to their humble mud huts robs these children of educational opportunities, assuming they can even afford to attend school.
In sobering reality, one in every three individuals lacks clean water, while a staggering 540,000 lack access to a functional toilet. A grim consequence of this crisis is the loss of over 200 young lives under the age of 5 each year, succumbing to the ravages of diarrhea.
Clean water, a fundamental human right, is indispensable in a child's life. It enhances memory and attention, supports healthy weight maintenance, reduces the risk of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and, when fluoridated, even prevents dental cavities.
The tragedy of this water crisis cannot be overstated, and the urgent need for clean, accessible water for Eswatini's children is a call that resonates deeply with the essence of life itself.
