Health and Nutrition

by Erik Kelly, Solwezi, Zambia

Although I assume that my water was clean, I let it stand for 24 to 48 hours and then run it through a filter. I do this not because of the source of the water, but because of others who may have handled the water and infected it. Some communities have very specific rules about water, such as putting fences around the source to keep animals away or not allowing anyone or anything to be washed near the source.

Very few families boil water, and as far as I know, no one filters it.

by Megan Mann, Mapulanga, Zambia

My community takes care of its water sources, but they often think that "if it's clear, it's clean." Because there is a lot of white clay in the area, the water sometimes looks milky after rains. The villagers don't boil their drinking water. During the rainy season, diarrhea is rampant; children can die from it. Although the community tries to ensure good quality water, they are more concerned about planting crops than fixing wells.