penny

“I’m studying overseas at a small college in Minnesota. I’m just home for the summer. There’s definitely more outward freedom in the states to wear what I want and do what I want. But I never feel completely at ease because there are only three Pakistanis at my school, and I feel that everything I do reflects on my family, my religion, and my country. I feel pressured to always be exceedingly polite and well behaved, even when I don’t feel like it. But in Pakistan I can relax more, even though the electricity sometimes goes out and I’ve already been mugged twice since I’ve been back. Because here I feel like my actions only reflect on me.”

394 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean are without water access.

358 million people in Africa are without water access.

195 million people in Southeast, East Asia and Oceania are without water access.

9 million people are without water access in developed countries.

More than 840,000 people die from a water-related disease each year. That could be from diarrhea caused by derisory drinking water, hygiene and sanitation. It translates to 2,300 deaths per day.

About 750 million people do not have access to clean water, which is approximately 1 in every 9 people.

82 percent of people who don’t have access to “improved” water live in rural areas.

There are more people who have a mobile phone than access to a toilet.

Women and children spend 140 million hours collecting fresh water every day.

1 child dies from a water-related illness each day.

There is a $4 economic return for each dollar that is spent on water and sanitation.

The amount of safe water could drop by 40 percent in 15 years if people do not change the way they use water.

Not at SXSW? 

think we needed this post, no? #brownboys