Presentation: Water & Sanitation (presented by Hae-Lin and and Jackson)

I thought Hae-Lin and Jackson’s presentation was both very engaging and informative. What struck me the most was their discussion of the negative impacts of unsanitary water on areas other than health; while I was aware of the many health concerns surrounding a lack of clean water, I had never considered the economic or social impacts:

• The burden of finding and carrying water falls on girls/women
  • Cannot work or get an education
• Rural regions and indigenous groups are disproportionately affected
• Reduces productivity of workers and the number of people in the workforce
• Negatively impacts tourism
• Affects fishing industries in Lake Managua

In addition, Hae-Lin and Jackson presented several “roadblocks” to changing Nicaragua’s water & sanitation issues: economic development versus environmental sustainability, extreme weather and climate change, and a general lack of hygiene in Nicaragua. Of these, I see economic development versus environment sustainability as the most significant; in a developing country, politicians and economists are far more likely to favor a working economy over the perverse environmental effects.

While solving the issue of clean water in Nicaragua will be a challenge, the presentation ended on a positive note, by introducing several organizations that are attempting to solve water & sanitation issues in the short, medium, and long-term. It is my hope that these organizations, along with our help, can make meaningful strides towards improving the accessibility of clean water in Nicaragua.