Social Justice Challenge

Our service learning coordinator travels to Nicaragua and Guatemala who so desperately need them. She also heads a water consortium and I felt she was best to answer these questions because of her first hand experience and knowledge.

1. What is the first thought that comes to your mind when you think of Water as a social justice issue?

Inequality! When some people don’t have access to water, they lack the ability to go to school because they have to work on getting water. Girls and women especially can’t get ahead in society if they lack the basic necessities and must devote all of their time to hauling water.

2. What, if any, exposure have you personally had to a water shortage?

I have seen indienous people in Guatemala appear to be patient when they were actaully severely dehydrated. I have seen dogs lick dark spots on the dry ground thinking something had spilled there and that a little liquid might be extracted. I also saw a tank truck with the dregs of oil in it back up to Lake Petin Itza and drain the remainder of the oil into the lake, polluting the whole thing. There were virutally no toilets in the rain forest and the ones in town that did flush were barely usable. Used tissue was piled in the corner of the bathroom and unable to be flushed because of inadequate plumbing.

3. What potential action steps can you think of that relate to this month’s theme of Water?
Read Running Dry, the book, watch Running Dry, the movie. Watch Flow, the movie. Google “water shortage” and see what you can find. Google “carrying water” to see and talk about the millions of women and girls who have to spend sometimes 6 hours a day to get the water for the family. Check out the Water Advocates website and get ready to talk about water on

World Water Day, March 22. Take part in the 1st Walk for Water in Philadelpia on Saturday, March 20th. Donate to http://www.H2OforLifeschools.org my link textmylinktext to help bring water to schools so kids have to walk to SCHOOL to get their water and can pick up an education along the way. For every dollar you donate to this site, it is matched 100% so that the schools get latrines or bathrooms, sinks for handwashing and hygiene education.