The Burden of Thirst

Summary: The Burden of Thirst

783 million people don't have access to clean water. Tina Rosenberg of National Geographic goes to many developing countries and reveals the hardships that humans are facing finding clean water, if there is even any water to be found. In southwestern Ethiopia a place where Rosenberg spent a lot of her time, she reveals that the women and children are responsible for the finding, and collecting of the water, which, is more than likely polluted. These young girls are forced to quit school at a young age to start making multiple, hourly, daily trips carrying 50 pounds of water on their back, with no other thought than “this is going to be my life, forever.” Along with the problems discussed in this article, Tina also recognizes other countries efforts to decrease the water hardships that most people of developed countries, take for granted.

The main problem that the world is facing right now is the unequal access to clean water. At least a 3.3 million people globally die, as a result from improper hygiene, lack of human waste disposal, and contaminated water. In developed countries, people just walk a few steps to the bathroom and there is a faucet with clean water, that has been checked hourly for any contaminates. In southern Ethiopia access to any water is at 2 hour round trip that they do multiple times a day. Rosenberg also states in her article that “Here in southern Ethiopia, and in northern Kenya, a lack of rain over the past few years has made even dirty water elusive.”

Tina Rosenberg emphasizes that, facing the bulk of the inequality, is the women of southern Ethiopia. Carrying 50 pound jugs of water for 8 hours hot day is looked at as a females responsibility. The woman's life revolves around finding and delivering water to her family at a very young age, most of the time dropping out of school by the age of eight. Boys will help until they