By Grace Rubenstein, CEI Intern, and Christine Mason

Are students in your school studying about water quality and safety issues? CEI's mission and vision is to provide leadership to help schools address 21st Century learning. We see water safety and quality as related to 1) STEM and 2) Heart Centered Learning and teaching students about consciousness and compassion for others.

In this article, we provide background information on how water quality concerns that are impacting Americans and others. Here are a few ideas for instructing students in your school. The ideas come from the CEI Food Insecurity Curriculum.

• As your students study STEM, they might examine a specific concern and then problem solve about ways that they could be involved in service learning projects to address concerns.
• Students could also be involved in reporting on the extent of problems, factors influencing those problems, and steps that others are taking to address concerns.
• Students could also work in teams to research civic responsibility and prepare presentations to share with classmates, and possibly parents and community members.

21st Century Concerns. When we consider 21st Century skills and lessons, understanding how to meet water and food needs rises to the top in terms of its importance for humans, animals, and our environment. In 2016 alone, several events impacted water quality in the US and internationally. In the US, one of the biggest environmental stories was the Flint, Michigan crisis. Most recently a judge ordered, as a stop-gap measure, four cases of bottled water to be delivered directly to residents until the water quality can be guaranteed.

Another significant event in 2016 that has impacted water security and quality was Hurricane Matthew. One of the hardest hit places was Haiti. In early October 2016, Hurricane Matthew wreaked havoc throughout the Caribbean, and inflicted immense damage along the western parts of the island. Enormous waves and wind destroyed hundreds of homes, as well as wiped out crops, livestock, and businesses. The economic struggles of a country trying to recover from such a severe event increase exponentially without the sources of income many people relied on.

Compounded Impact in a Poverty-Stricken Area. Even before Matthew occurred, 40% of Haitians lacked access to clean water, while 80% did not have access to a sanitary toilet. The effects of last month's disaster have compounded upon already dire circumstances, causing issues with water, health, displacement, and education. Children as a demographic are especially vulnerable to these problems. Health issues have and will continue to arise if all basic human needs are not met. Reports show that 112,500 children under age five are at risk for acute malnutrition. To combat some of the consequences of the wreckage on children in Haiti, UNICEF has provided hygiene kits, blankets, and food to 3,552 children.

Haiti's Water Crisis. One key need that requires immediate attention is the water crisis now facing Haiti. Lack of access to clean water has led to a cholera outbreak that hospitals, diminished both in number and resources, struggle to keep under control. In response to this epidemic, UNICEF has begun to organize vaccinations for 900,000 people. Additionally, UNICEF and its partners have committed to providing clean water to 100,000 people, and have distributed water purifying tablets and hygiene kits.

Access to Education. Perhaps overlooked in light of the pressing health concerns, access to education faces serious obstacles. According to the government, the hurricane flooded, destroyed, and damaged over 420 public schools. That figure leaves out the private schools, which greatly outnumber public schools. Estimates of unsafe school buildings range from 600 to 900. Furthermore, at least 156 of the salvageable schools in the affected area had to be converted to emergency shelters to accommodate a portion of the 175,509 displaced people now living in shelters. Combining the destroyed, damaged, and re-purposed schools, these numbers mean that over 100,00 children have been unable to continue their education.

 

The sudden cessation of mental stimulation is reversing the progress Haiti had made thus far in advancing education accessibility to an acceptable level. Returning from this delayed development will prove exception- ally difficult for schools once they reopen. The impact of the storm on education was not limited to the school buildings themselves. Even if substitute locations are found, many students still have to replace their uniforms, books, and supplies. The destruction of businesses also handicaps many family's ability to fund their children's education.

Humanitarian Aid. International humanitarian aid will go a long way towards jump starting Haiti's recovery. It is vital that this aid arrives in a timely manner so as to save children from the mental and psychological repercussions of surviving a devastating disaster that has subsequently ripped normalcy from their lives. Haiti's flash appeal for aid requested $4,375,000 to dedicate to education. The money will rebuild schools and replace lost learning materials. This investment in children is the only way to ensure a brighter future for the people of Haiti, as children hold the future in their hands. With all other basic needs met, education becomes the most important vehicle to transport Haiti to healthier and happier days.