What Can “A-Dollar-a-Day” Diaspora Fund, That Newly Elected Ethiopian Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed Established, Accomplish in Ethiopia?
Presenter's country
United States
Start Date
18-8-2018 9:00 AM
End Date
18-8-2018 9:45 AM
Location
Bernhard Center 105-107
Submission type
Keynote
Abstract
Ethiopia has been in a euphoric state since the election of a new PM just a few months ago. Change is in the air with plenty of social and political changes mushrooming every day and transforming both the social and economic landscape of the nation. As part of his call to speed the transformation of his country, the PM has asked everyone to take a break from their daily dose of Starbucks coffee and donate a dollar a day into a diaspora fund that can accelerate the process of change in the nation, particularly in health and more particularly water health. Even though the number of participants from the Ethiopian diaspora in this fund is not clear, any amount will definitely help. Regarding water health, only 1 in 9 people in Africa have access to safe drinking water. In developing countries like Ethiopia, 80% of illnesses are related to water and sanitation conditions. Nearly 1 out of every 5 deaths of those under the age of 5 worldwide is due to a water-related disease. Half of the world's hospital beds are filled with people suffering from a water-related illness. Girls and women are responsible for fetching water and this is part of the reason that girls may not be allowed to go to school. The average container for water collection in Africa, the jerry can, weighs over 40 pounds when full. Over half of the developing world's primary schools don't have access to water and sanitation facilities. Without toilets, girls often drop out at puberty. What can a-dollar-a-day do?
What Can “A-Dollar-a-Day” Diaspora Fund, That Newly Elected Ethiopian Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed Established, Accomplish in Ethiopia?
Bernhard Center 105-107
Ethiopia has been in a euphoric state since the election of a new PM just a few months ago. Change is in the air with plenty of social and political changes mushrooming every day and transforming both the social and economic landscape of the nation. As part of his call to speed the transformation of his country, the PM has asked everyone to take a break from their daily dose of Starbucks coffee and donate a dollar a day into a diaspora fund that can accelerate the process of change in the nation, particularly in health and more particularly water health. Even though the number of participants from the Ethiopian diaspora in this fund is not clear, any amount will definitely help. Regarding water health, only 1 in 9 people in Africa have access to safe drinking water. In developing countries like Ethiopia, 80% of illnesses are related to water and sanitation conditions. Nearly 1 out of every 5 deaths of those under the age of 5 worldwide is due to a water-related disease. Half of the world's hospital beds are filled with people suffering from a water-related illness. Girls and women are responsible for fetching water and this is part of the reason that girls may not be allowed to go to school. The average container for water collection in Africa, the jerry can, weighs over 40 pounds when full. Over half of the developing world's primary schools don't have access to water and sanitation facilities. Without toilets, girls often drop out at puberty. What can a-dollar-a-day do?