About Ghanaian Water Purification Fund
Activity Water filtration to remove parasites in drinking water
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The Ghanaian Water Purification Fund
The Ghanaian Water Purification Fund was founded by George Antwi, a Ghanaian, who is currently working and studying in England. The Fund\'s aim is to eradicate the guinea worm parasite, endemic to Ghana, by providing water filtration tanks and education in the importance of clean water and sanitation. In the smaller villages of Ghana, where little or no charitable aid is available, poor families are currently obtaining their drinking water from contaminated water sources such as rivers and ponds. Villagers bathe in water infected with the guinea worm and contract the disease or pass the parasite they are carrying into the water.
The guinea worm is the largest parasite known to infect people. The worm migrates through the body and eventually emerges (through the feet in most cases) causing intensely painful swelling, a blister and then an ulcer. Perforation of the skin by the guinea worm, which can be 120 cm long, is accompanied by fever, nausea and vomiting. Infected persons remain sick for months. There are no drugs to treat the disease although it can be treated by removing the parasite once it emerges from the body. The removal process is extremely painful. Prevention is essential to eradicating the parasite. Prevention is based on the provision of safe water and education in avoiding contact and transmission.
Ghana is on the West Coast of Africa and is densely populated. It has been suffering economic decline for 25 years and this has led to water shortages and poor sanitation, which in turn has led to health problems such as the guinea worm infestation. 38.8% of the people live below the poverty line. Adult literacy is 70%. Lack of education is a key cause of poverty and many children do not go to school because of the lack of safe water and sanitation.
The villages hardest hit are those that are furthest from safe water sources. The larger charitable aid organisations have benefited many in Ghana but this aid is not reaching the more remote villages. Educating the people in the cause of the disease has been neglected. Because many villagers do not trust foreigners who say they are trying to help them, we believe that it is essential to appoint representatives from each village who will be taught by other Ghanaians to teach their village about prevention.
Nelson Mandela has said, "The greatest single challenge facing our globalised world is to combat and eradicate its disparities." Africa has long been ignored by the world\'s wealthier nations. The disparity between the wealthy and poor nations of the world will continue as long as funds continue to be re-directed from aiding Africa to fighting terrorism. It therefore falls upon us individually to recognise our humanitarian duty to assist Africa in its plight.