SLUMS

One of the greatest learning experiences this far was visiting the slums. A translator, another fellow, and myself went on an outing to conduct surveys of numerous homes in the poorer area of town. The purpose of the survey was to obtain data on the history of health in each household. We were most interested in understanding each family’s access to drinking water and the health of children less than 15 years of age (most notably the incidence of diarrhea or other symptoms in the households per month).
Our second interviewee was at first hesitant to speak us. Our translator conveyed to him, “They are students from America…They would like to speak with you--they are here to help.”
We were then invited to remove our shoes and come sit inside. The three of us shared one mat, the head of the household sat comfortably no more than two meters across from us on the other wall, in minimal light. My back was pressed up against the foundation of the dwelling, my socks tucked under me trying to remain as small as possible in the tiny, dark space. The residence consisted of two rooms and had a diminutive area for bathing--No toilet, no fan, no door, and no beds. It is in this home that in the couple raised their four children. Only one of them has been lucky enough to attend school.
During the thirty minute interview the man shared with us details of his personal life and that of his family’s. In hearing about their lifestyle, I began to comprehend to a greater degree the importance for our work. The more concerning answers we received during the interview, were from the following questions:
Translator: “What is your source for drinking water?”
Interviewee: “The bore well”.
Translator: “Do you treat your drinking water before you drink it?”
Interviewee: “Haha… No. It looks clean-- Why should I do that?”
Bore wells are sites that provide drinking water for communities. However, many communicable water borne diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, typhoid, etc arise when bore wells are not adequately maintained and remained uncovered. The neglected site may be situated next to a garbage dump or may be affected by bacteria from nearby sewage piping. Bore wells then become improper areas to obtain drinking water and may carry water borne diseases. Furthermore, they may become sites that attract mosquitoes carrying malaria.
As an outsider, I realize there is a need to provide these people with access to clean water, but the surprising factor is, that many families remain unaware of the problem. They do know that it is the water that influences numerous disease outbreaks.
The closing survey questions were also informing:
Translator: “Would you use a treatment method if provided with one?”
Interviewee: “Not necessary. Water is clean. Why would I need it? Filters too expensive.”
It was in hearing the answers to these questions that it became clear that my team faces many challenges ahead. I realized it will not only be a challenge to physically implement water filtration systems into households, but more so a societal challenge to convince the people why they need to use the filtration system. Also, it is clear that in the future we must explore microfinance opportunities to disseminate the inexpensive filters on a mass scale that we find to be most effective, given the conditions of the community. This will be important to ensure that future filtration systems remain affordable and another opportune project to give back to trained individuals in the community.
My experience in the slums was an exceptional learning experience. It helped me to further understand the characters of these communities and catch an intimate glimpse into their lives. As anyone may guess, it was awakening to see how these families live, with the few amenities they have. While it was discouraging to learn about the challenges which await us, it is also thrilling to know that the USC team has the potential to positively impact the daily lives of many.