They have no choice, so they drink it

So the above advert is played frequently here in the UK all the time and it really bugs me the things they say such as:

" Every day Consilia gives her baby water teaming with parasites and bacteria, she knows it could kill him but she has no choice"

Well woman why don't you make a fire and boil it to kill the microbes, you know other people have been doing that for God knows how long! And when your finished with the fire might be a good idea to keep some of the charcoal so you can pour the water through it to filter it!

Better still why don't you get your man wherever he is to get off his ass and go out with the rest of the boys and dig a water well for you, that's what people in other country's have been doing for thousands of years, and they are not on TV asking for people to come out and dig water wells for them!

The thing is a guy I used to work with was involved with a similar charity and every few years he would go out to Africa with a team of other volunteers to dig water wells. I said to him once the natives watch you dig a well, see how its done do they then get together and do it themselves? He said no they fight over the well and wait for the team to come out and dig another one, I just could not stop laughing when he said this

reply to post by LUXUS


Same feeling I get when I see a famous celebrity on TV asking me to give my money to some needy cause. I mean come on, you're standing right there with these starving kids or whatever, surrounded by cameras, and you can't give them something to eat? Don't get me wrong, I believe in donating to worthy causes.

LUXUS

So the above advert is played frequently here in the UK all the time and it really bugs me the things they say such as:

" Every day Consilia gives her baby water teaming with parasites and bacteria, she knows it could kill him but she has no choice"

Well woman why don't you make a fire and boil it to kill the microbes, you know other people have been doing that for God knows how long! And when your finished with the fire might be a good idea to keep some of the charcoal so you can pour the water through it to filter it!

Better still why don't you get your man wherever he is to get off his ass and go out with the rest of the boys and dig a water well for you, that's what people in other country's have been doing for thousands of years, and they are not on TV asking for people to come out and dig water wells for them!

Ive thought the same things about a million times...ahhh television

reply to post by LUXUS


I believe the main problem here is the lack of education. You know the saying:"Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; show him how to catch fish, and you feed him for a lifetime."

The people of those poor countries have become too dependent on charity to come and help them, instead of them doing something.

I believe they need to be shown how to build those schools for themselves, how to dig those wells, etc. Just watching someone do it, is only half the lesson. They need to be taught.


I wouldn't even be surprised if they didn't know that boiling water kills bacteria... how could they know if they've never had someone to teach them?

My two cents

reply to post by LUXUS


Perhaps they are too hungry and probably already sick, it's heavy work for someone who has three meals a day and access to clean water. They have a farm to tend all day and a long way to walk for ^&%£ty water, I don't fancy tidying my living room after a day of sitting in my office, I couldn't possibly imagine working on a farm all day then someone coming along and telling me to dig a well afterwards.

Don't judge them until you've been there for yourself, you don't know what it's like.

Although I 100% agree with the boiling water bit, I was literally thinking that today, well weird that you put this up!

reply to post by Rainbowresidue


I'm a city boy but even I know how to find water with a stick and the process of how to dig a water well, my grandad back in Ireland taught me, so why aren't their grandads telling them?

reply to post by LUXUS


Because they live in a desert, did you grandfather tell you how to find water there? Or in rainy Ireland?

In US Colonial times, the two main sources of beverage were ales and tea. One needed boiling right before use, and the other one had alcohol content which killed germs. They even gave ale to babies. They didn't know why, germ theory not being in the bible or invented yet, but they knew if they drank these, they didn't get sick.

Expecting a village to just go out and dig a hole (without a local hardware store and money to buy a shovel?) might not be practical. And expecting them to know enough, and have access to enough firewood) to boil water might not be practical too. Do they even have schools? A source of real information not gleaned from moronic missionaries wanting to spread the gospel rather than useful information?

The places you're talking about are tribal societies that have continually been F'd with by the west and with high illiteracy rates. What do you expect? Funny though, how the people asking for money have enough for video cameras and plane tickets...and after decades of asking for charity help, things seemed to have not changed.

reply to post by iRoyalty


Don't think I remember adverts by Arabs who live in deserts asking for people to come out to dig water wells...btw the advert is for Uganda!

reply to post by iRoyalty


They don't farm actually!

reply to post by LUXUS


True, but I believe it is a bit wetter, they definitely have more plants and water for farm animals, this is evident in their traditional cuisine which is very varied and abundant. There isn't a lot of famous African cuisine because there's not a lot to eat out there except other animals and the odd termite queen.

LUXUS
reply to post by iRoyalty

 

They don't farm actually!

Afican farms

They would not be able to live if they didn't farm, everyone has to farm.

iRoyalty

LUXUS
reply to post by iRoyalty

 

They don't farm actually!

Afican farms

They would not be able to live if they didn't farm, everyone has to farm.

edit on 20-12-2013 by iRoyalty because: (no reason given)

Thats way they are hungry!

reply to post by LUXUS


Well yeah because they don't own the farm, that food isn't theirs, it gets shipped to our supermarkets. Also it's extremely hard to grow with a lack of water, a good harvest is an absolute blessing out there.

reply to post by iRoyalty


Really, we import food from there...No we dont, its too far and the transport costs would be too high.

reply to post by LUXUS


I know the folks involved with HoldenUganda. Their project is very, very touching and inspiring.

But the problem they have noticed is that warlords claim the well as theirs. Then dole it out to suit their needs.

reply to post by LUXUS


Lol of course we do, that's why fair trade was started up...

African and other LEDC countries farm the food and they sell it in the UK and USA for crazy inflated prices. If you go out to Africa as a middle class or even upper working class citizen, you will be a king out there. Our money is worth SOOOO much more. It would be silly of businesses there to try and sell their produce to poor Africans.

bigfatfurrytexan
reply to post by LUXUS

 

I know the folks involved with HoldenUganda. Their project is very, very touching and inspiring.

But the problem they have noticed is that warlords claim the well as theirs. Then dole it out to suit their needs.

Very true, it's a very tough subject, whilst they need our help there are always those who will abuse.

That's why I never got the whole Kony thing... Another warlord will just take his place.

reply to post by Rainbowresidue


With a big FAT AGREED!!! I endorse your opinion.
Just how long has the U.N. been around??
Are they not an organization for the advancement of the human race??
Why not educate the people?

iRoyalty

bigfatfurrytexan
reply to post by LUXUS

 

I know the folks involved with HoldenUganda. Their project is very, very touching and inspiring.

But the problem they have noticed is that warlords claim the well as theirs. Then dole it out to suit their needs.

Very true, it's a very tough subject, whilst they need our help there are always those who will abuse.

That's why I never got the whole Kony thing... Another warlord will just take his place.

I am not sure that people can "need" help until they are prepared to recieve it.