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Well, this is an idea that at least gets water to people for now, which of course, is good. However, isn't it really an exploitation of children? Just because they live in poverty do they not warrant having the ability to walk into their homes and turn on a faucet for their water like American children do? You mean to tell me that these companies providing these "merry-go round pumps" don't have the capacity to then put more towards giving them quality water systems that can deliver water straight to their homes? In the 21st Century this isn't possible?

Laura Bush Announces Program At Clinton Initiative

And of course, because it is cheap and can get someone a high profile, Laura Bush announced a program regarding it at the Clinton Initiative this week. Unfortunately, it looks as though she didn't say that these children in Africa deserve to have the same access to water children in more priviledged countries have, especially countries like this that WASTE more than they use. How do these children also learn the tools necessary to provide for themselves? This type of activity just keeps them beholding to other entities such as the WORLD BANK.

I really do not mean to be negative here, but there are also other factors that I believe must be be considered. What happens in these Sub-Saharan areas when there isn't enough water to pump through these merry go rounds because of drought? How then do they get water? What happens should these children become ill and cannot play? How then do they get water?

While it is an idea that at least alleviates the drudgery of collecting water, it is still collecting water only by deceptive means. Grants should also be used for educational purposes to teach these children how to survive in their countries should pumps become unusable due to extreme drought, climate change, or other factors.

Although seeing their smiling faces is uplifting, the stain of poverty will remain on them pumps or not unless they are given a real chance to learn how to sustain themselves and again, they deserve to have water pumped right to their homes through faucets.

The fact that companies and politicians only use this to get props for themselves instead of really calling for what it takes to do this right, shows to me an underlying motive to it all. And yes, while I believe it is good it is said that they are getting safer water, perhaps one day the children of Africa will truly be looked upon as worthy of getting their water as American children do, and not needing to be exploited to get it.

Drought and Famine In Africa

Does Laura Bush and Bill Clinton also think the children dying of famine feel like then having to get on a "merry-go-round" to pump the water they need to live? This is just another "rich man's make himself feel good" project. Give the people the tools they need to become independent of the World Bank and other entities, then you are doing something. And Laura Bush, push your illegitimately elected torture loving husband to enact legislation that brings down the very human induced greenhouse gases that contribute to the droughts that are killing these people if you care so much, instead of doing these touchy feely speeches in your Armani suits and Gucci pumps.

Play Pumps
Why do they need ads and other messages on these pumps, and just what types of messages are being placed there?

It also appears that one of the sponsors is Coca-Cola...I wonder how much money they are making from having their products advertized on these pumps, and how much of it they might actually be taking to use to bottle for profit in exchange for their sponsorship. And both the Case Foundation and the MCJ Foundation are aligned with the Bush Administration and were part of their "interfaith" conference this year. Hmmm, do those using the water have to pledge their faith as well before being able to use it? I find it hard to believe that any corporation or government entity would sponsor anything like this without expecting anything in return, especially any organization tied to the Bush regime.

Again, it isn't the plan to bring clean water that I object to, it is the way it is being done, and what I see as a motivation to exploit it. These pumps could have been built to be powered on solar power or any type of hydraulics system rather than using the children to have to pump for it. To think any of that water they are pumping might be going to Coca Cola's or some other companies's profits from behind the scenes to me is just wrong.