The Environment and Agriculture

by Erik Kelly, Solwezi, Zambia

The quality of water is not always improved by new technologies. We can install a new and expensive well, but all it takes is one person with unwashed hands to contaminate it. Because of this, we spend a lot of time educating people about hygiene.

New technologies can also breed a "keeping up with the Joneses" mentality. One community gets a borehole, but the next one doesn't, and they therefore refuse to accept anything less. But even a borehole can become useless if a community cannot support its upkeep financially. There has be a careful balance of technology and education when it comes to water supply improvement.

by Megan Mann, Mapulanga, Zambia

I don't think changes in our community have improved or damaged the quality of water. In a nearby village a borehole was built four years ago, but it has only actually worked a total of nine months. The villagers have given up on fixing it. They prefer to gather water from the river or wells.