WEST AFRICAN TECHNOLOGY, EDUCATION AND RECIPROCITY (WATER) FOR BENIN
Impact/Purpose:
Sub-Saharan Africa faces severe shortages of potable water currently and in the coming decades. The lack of access to potable water is exacerbated by extreme poverty. The United Nations Millennium Development Goals set forth realistic goals to improve access to water, sanitation and education and simultaneously reduce the number of people living below the poverty line. Appropriate technologies for water supply must synergistically address the three pillars of sustainable design: Solutions must be economical, environmentally benign and socially acceptable.
Description:
The Songhai Center has produced and tested over 300 fully functional point-of-use drinking water filters. The holistic approach of incorporated water treatment, waste reduction, economic development and promoted environmental and health awareness in the community.
The water filters were manufactured in Benin with local resources. Agricultural and industrial waste products such as sawdust, rice hulls, and waste motor oil were incorporated into the filter manufacturing process. The use of renewable energy sources such as biofuels has been investigated to decrease reliance upon non-renewable fossil fuels and decrease tree harvesting required for boiling water upon implementation in Benin.
Transfer of the technology will be most effective where there are existing facilities for manufacturing that already employ trained professionals. The technology can be easily adopted where there are community organizations such as community water boards or school boards. Clearly, the health and quality of life for millions of West Africans may be impacted at very low relative by this simple technology.
Integration of P3 concepts as an educational tool
“More than anything else, I’ve been shocked by how many people seem to brush off the issue of unhealthy water in developing countries. When they hear that we were there to work on a water filter project, they usually ask what I drank while I was there and if I got sick. Then at least half of the people I’ve talked to mention something about how I would get sick since I’m from the U.S. but that the people living in Benin don’t get sick because they’ve built up enough antibodies. They’re surprised every time when I explain that even though they do have some antibodies, they definitely get sick and children live with diarrhea daily. Where do so many Americans get this idea that people in other countries just adapt to living in less sanitary conditions?” (Maleena Scarsella, 2007 after returning from Benin)
The educational outcomes from the water treatment project included developing:
- Increased cultural competence for working in developing countries
- Increased understanding of bilingual education in West Africa
- The ability to develop content-based curricula in science and health education
- Appreciation for political and economic conditions of West Africa
- The ability to apply basic epidemiological concepts to health initiative strategies
- Experience in applying principles of sustainability to engineered systems
- The ability to recognize challenges of engineering in developing countries
Record Details:
Record Type:PROJECT(
ABSTRACT
)
Start Date:08/31/2007
Completion Date:04/30/2008
Record ID:
186610
Keywords:
COMMUNITY BASED, HUMAN HEALTH, DRINKING WATER, BIO-FUEL,
Related Organizations:
Role
:OWNER
Organization Name
:GONZAGA UNIVERSITY
Mailing Address
:E 502 Boone Ave
Citation
:Spokane
State
:WA
Zip Code
:99258
Project Information:
Approach
:This proposal seeks to improve the production process for drinking water filters at the Songhai Center for Sustainable Development in Porto-Novo, Benin. A manufacturing process to produce ceramic drinking water filters will be implemented during part of a Gonzaga University course taught at the Songhai Center. As part of this course, students will study the economic, engineering and social variables that make access to potable water challenging in Benin. Students will analyze the results of the data collected to make improvements to the drinking water manufacturing and marketing process during the academic 2007-2008 academic year. For example, students in civil and mechanical engineering will design a solid bio-fuel feed system to fire the drying kiln for the ceramics and activated carbon used in the drinking water filters. Students in the language, education and nursing programs will develop socially responsible educational materials to help market affordable point-of-use water filters in Benin.
Health assessments, educational materials and technical data will be used as metrics to measure the success of the project. As part of the on-going collaboration between the Songhai Center and Gonzaga University, a multi-year health assessment and epidemiological study will be started with this program and continued in future years to access the implementation process.
Cost
:$10,000.00
Research Component
:Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development
Approach
:This proposal seeks to improve the production process for drinking water filters at the Songhai Center for Sustainable Development in Porto-Novo, Benin. A manufacturing process to produce ceramic drinking water filters will be implemented during part of a Gonzaga University course taught at the Songhai Center. As part of this course, students will study the economic, engineering and social variables that make access to potable water challenging in Benin. Students will analyze the results of the data collected to make improvements to the drinking water manufacturing and marketing process during the academic 2007-2008 academic year. For example, students in civil and mechanical engineering will design a solid bio-fuel feed system to fire the drying kiln for the ceramics and activated carbon used in the drinking water filters. Students in the language, education and nursing programs will develop socially responsible educational materials to help market affordable point-of-use water filters in Benin.
Health assessments, educational materials and technical data will be used as metrics to measure the success of the project. As part of the on-going collaboration between the Songhai Center and Gonzaga University, a multi-year health assessment and epidemiological study will be started with this program and continued in future years to access the implementation process.
Cost
:$10,000.00
Research Component
:P3 Challenge Area - Water
Project IDs:
ID Code
:SU833541
Project type
:EPA Grant