What are basic human needs?
I know that there is that pyramid thing of needs and the further up to the top the better your life should be. I think that the essentials are shelter, food and water and I would think that some for of human contact is also pretty useful especially for child.
Shelter
Ok so where I am most people have some kind of basic shelter to live in with god only knows how many other people. However, as it is the rainy season many of these houses leak, especially as many of the roofs are only made from plastic sheets and grass. This can make people have very difficult lives and I can tell you that when it rains here it really does rain! Even my house leaks in places. Mainly right down the middle of the house where the 2 sheets of iron meet. If you want to take a shower then in a really bad storm all you’d need to do is stand anywhere under the join and hey presto! It’s not actually that bad and does dry up quickly as my house is still really hot inside!!
Food
In Malawi this is the start of the ‘hungry’ season mainly because last years crops (maize) is running low and the new crops won’t be ready to harvest for a while so in the coming months malnutrition will become a problem, especially in children. People have also spent their money on buying maize seeds and fertiliser to ensure a good crop for the next season.
Water
Ok so it is the rainy season and there should be plenty of water coming from the gods. And yes there is but is comes so fast and in bursts that the drainage system can’t cope so the pipes block with really muddy, dirty water. This dirty water often makes its way to the local water supply where it comes out of the taps and is drunk. This can lead to disease. Recently in a village on the outskirts of Blantyre (One of the main towns in Malawi but at the other end of the country from me) there was a big break out of cholera because of the poor water supply.
I have had no running water in my house for 3 days apparently because someone ran over the main pipe and broke it and the water board are taking their time to fix it. It is now the weekend so looks like it will be a few more days. I have to get my poor night watchman to fetch buckets from a local borehole and really have to minimise how much I am using. This has really shown me how much water I use and how much I waste as well. We really do take it for granted that we turn on a tap and there the water is. Most of the people in the area a live have running water but even 1 mile away from the town, people (well lets be honest here – the women) have to collect all their water from the local borehole and carry it back to their houses.
So the next time you turn on your tap and leave it unnecessarily think of the poor women who walk for miles to collect their water and please turn it off promptly!!
Caroline
Shelter
Ok so where I am most people have some kind of basic shelter to live in with god only knows how many other people. However, as it is the rainy season many of these houses leak, especially as many of the roofs are only made from plastic sheets and grass. This can make people have very difficult lives and I can tell you that when it rains here it really does rain! Even my house leaks in places. Mainly right down the middle of the house where the 2 sheets of iron meet. If you want to take a shower then in a really bad storm all you’d need to do is stand anywhere under the join and hey presto! It’s not actually that bad and does dry up quickly as my house is still really hot inside!!
Food
In Malawi this is the start of the ‘hungry’ season mainly because last years crops (maize) is running low and the new crops won’t be ready to harvest for a while so in the coming months malnutrition will become a problem, especially in children. People have also spent their money on buying maize seeds and fertiliser to ensure a good crop for the next season.
Water
Ok so it is the rainy season and there should be plenty of water coming from the gods. And yes there is but is comes so fast and in bursts that the drainage system can’t cope so the pipes block with really muddy, dirty water. This dirty water often makes its way to the local water supply where it comes out of the taps and is drunk. This can lead to disease. Recently in a village on the outskirts of Blantyre (One of the main towns in Malawi but at the other end of the country from me) there was a big break out of cholera because of the poor water supply.
I have had no running water in my house for 3 days apparently because someone ran over the main pipe and broke it and the water board are taking their time to fix it. It is now the weekend so looks like it will be a few more days. I have to get my poor night watchman to fetch buckets from a local borehole and really have to minimise how much I am using. This has really shown me how much water I use and how much I waste as well. We really do take it for granted that we turn on a tap and there the water is. Most of the people in the area a live have running water but even 1 mile away from the town, people (well lets be honest here – the women) have to collect all their water from the local borehole and carry it back to their houses.
So the next time you turn on your tap and leave it unnecessarily think of the poor women who walk for miles to collect their water and please turn it off promptly!!
Caroline
posted by Caroline Pitcairn at
1:38 pm
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home