At heart of Yemen's conflicts: water crisis
A recent report shows that 70 to 80 percent of rural conflicts are over water shortages in Yemen, already on the brink of becoming a failed state.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/1105/p06s13-wome.html
The World Bank considers Yemen "one of the most water-scarce countries in the world" where only 125 cubic meters of water are available yearly per capita compared to the world average of 2,500 cubic meters. Just 46 percent of Yemen's rural population has direct access to an adequate water supply and the number is only slighter better in cities, according to the German Development Service (GDS), which is working with the Yemeni government to improve water management.
2 comments:
These are some startling statistics, to be sure. However, there are some great opportunities for us to get involved and help rural areas and impoverished people reach clean, safe water. A unique way this can be done is through the use of a Basic Utility Vehicle, or BUV. The BUV is a low price, low maintenance vehicle that costs around $6000. With one of these vehicles, a community could come together to transport water from a far away well. Many community members wake up early and walk hours just to reach a clean water source...think what could be done if a community was provided one of these vehicles! So much productivity could be now focused on different economic activity that an area could be totally revitalized.
To find out more about these vehicles, which are made by the BUV ministry through the Institute for Affordable Transportation, simply visit their website at drivebuv.org. Thanks for taking the first step in helping supply clean water to those less fortunate!
Hello- reading the commentary written here on BUV, what an awesome idea- went to the website suggested here, lots of great information here on ways to help- thanks!
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