10/11/06 UNICEF and Sanitation

It is so easy to take for granted the fact that we have food in America. Hang out in a Wal-Mart parking lot and it is obvious that obesity is more of a concern than starvation. On that same note we give nary a thought to the fact that most of us have access to a bathroom. In the African country of Chad only 9 percent of the population even utilize a pit latrine, in Nigeria the percentage is a bit better at 13 percent . UNICEF is one organization that has under taken dramatic efforts to improve sanitation throughout the world citing the fact that 1.5 million children die each year from diarrhea caused by lack of proper sanitation. As disgusting as it is for western society to fathom a lack of proper toilets can spread terrible intestinal worms . UNICEF's work in both Malawi and Senegal has resulted in nearly 75 percent of the population receiving hygienic sanitation along with the majority of Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. Kudos' to UNICEF for taking on the unpleasant task of improving the worlds sanitation