Of course there are a host of international organizations dedicated to helping provide solutions for access to safe drinking water and the work they do saves countless lives. As one might expect of third world regimes, the ability to control the available water supply is used as leverage to keep the people in check. What’s even worse is that in many of these third-world countries water, like other natural resources, is viewed as a strategic commodity that can be horded and traded for political significance. In fact, the health of the entire community is put at risk when a staple as basic as clean water is removed from the picture. Children are neglected, things like studying and personal development are thrown by the wayside and basic notions of human kindness are forgotten. Women and children are forced to spend hours every day in the pursuit of that basic need with little room for anything else. And the problem generally perpetuates itself.Ī community water crisis leaves a far greater impact on the community than just the absence of clean, usable water which, of course, is devastating in and of itself. A major contributing factor is that 80% of sewage in developing countries is discharged into rivers, lakes and coastal areas without first being treated. 98% of all those deaths will occur in the developing third world.Īt any given time, half of the world’s hospital beds are occupied by patients suffering from diseases associated with lack of access to safe drinking water, inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene.5 million of those deaths will be among children under the age of five.Of the 1 Billion people that lack access to clean water, 3.5 million will die this year from a water-related disease.We water our plants, go to swimming pools for recreational purposes, even put decorative fountains in our front yards just because we like the way it looks.Ī few hard – and sobering – facts from the World Health Organization: And yet, you and I drink as much as we want every day, bathe for as long as we want, as many times as we want every single day.
Think about it: one out of every eight human beings around the globe don’t have access to clean water. And, as I learned, if you have never suffered from thirst because of a lack access to clean water, then you are more blessed than roughly 1 Billion other people in the World. For instance, if you don’t have to worry on a daily basis about where you will get the food to feed your children on that particular day, you are already in a better position than 33% of the world’s population. The things that many of us take for granted are exactly the things that we should be most thankful for. I mean if I wanted clean water it was never as far away as the nearest faucet. Now there’s no doubt that I’ve been blessed in my life, but I have to admit that up until that time I, along with most of you I’ll venture, had taken clean water for granted. Later on I learned the fundamental cause of this disease which shocked me almost as much as the sight of its victims: a lack of access to clean water. When I asked several of my travel mates what exactly was the cause of this epidemic they told me that it was ‘water sickness’ and that it was a common occurrence throughout the country. It was in the suburbs of Mexico City at that time that I saw an epidemic of people stretched out in the streets in the obvious throes of terrible disease. In fact, that sight has stayed with me, even until today. I also remember the one sight that struck me like a lead weight. Since this was my first trip ‘south of the border’ I remember surveying the place with a keen eye.
Of course, I remain Vice Chairman of Powermat and am still quite active on its Board but my departure as CEO has given me more time to devote to my many other projects…some of which are even as exciting as wireless charging!Ībout 12 years ago I was traveling through Mexico City enjoying the sights and trying to soak in the local culture. As many of you already know, I left my position as CEO of Powermat some months ago.
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