Radouan Torkmani at the UN, for HuffingtonPost – January 18, 2015 – What if I told you that with just a minor investment, you could significantly impact up to 40 % of the World’s population? Would you take up the challenge and come to the aid of 2.8 billion people? These 2.8 billion people are among those deprived of basic sanitation, resulting in the death of an estimated 700,000 children annually. Funding for sanitation has been extremely low in comparison to water and almost negligible in comparison to funding received by development sectors such as health and education.
Of the world’s seven billion people, six billion have mobile phones. However, only 4.5 billion have access to toilets or latrines – meaning that 2.5 billion people, mostly in rural areas, do not have proper sanitation.
For these reasons, the United Nations created the “World Toilet Day” on Thursday 19th November 2015 to raise awareness and incite us to take actions.
The Harvard University Center for African Studies, Golden Palm Investments (M. Sangu Delle) and MIIM Designs (Mrs Maryam Eskandari, architect) are among those who will sponsor the “Innovation in Sanitation Prize” event organised by Cleanacwa in Accra, Ghana on World Toilet Day.
Source: HuffingtonPost
Follow @MIIMDesigns, @AfricaHarvard, @YouthAssembly, @RadouanTorkmani
Background:
The Harvard University Center for African Studies (CAS) – The Harvard University CAS is “fosters the creation and dissemination of knowledge about Africa and African perspectives, across the University’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences and Professional Schools. As a University-wide entity, the Center works collaboratively with Harvard’s many loci of Africa-related expertise to expand upon and create new opportunities and resources for education and research, and to enhance connections among and between scholars, students, and groups focusing on Africa-related knowledge at the University, in the broader community, and through partnerships on the continent.”
Sangu Delle – Sangu Delle is an Entrepreneur, Author, Clean Water Activist, Soros Fellow and TEDGlobal Fellow. Sangu is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Golden Palm Investments (GPI); an investment holding and advisory company focused on building world class companies in Africa. GPI operates companies in high growth industries and funds promising start-ups that can have social impact and generate jobs. Sangu is also the co-founder of Cleanacwa.
Maryam Eskandari – Maryam Eskandari is Educator, Entrepreneur, Aga Khan Program in Architecture Fellow and Rothschild Fellow. Maryam is Founder and CEO of MIIM Designs a multidisciplinary design studio that is in the vanguard of creating sacred spaces that reflect contemporary needs through environmentally sustainable materials. Prior to MIIM Designs, Maryam was the Director for the American Institute of Architect Associates. Currently, She serves on the Board of Directors of Harvard’s Alumni Association, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Foundation and is an Ambassador to HRH Reema Bint Bandar’s 10ksa Breast Cancer Awareness in the Middle East.
Related at Ismailimail:
- More toilets and changing attitudes: India’s bid to eradicate public defecation
- India Matters: Toilet & Sanitation issues in Delhi, an Overview
- D.R. Toilet System – Disaster Relief Toilet by Rahim Bhimani, Industrial Designer
- Aga Khan Planning and Building Service (AKPBS), Pakistan kicks off Potable water project
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