Water Tracking App Could Help Alleviate Water Crisis
According to a U.N. report, corruption, restricted political rights and limited civil liberties are all factors that lie behind the planet’s growing water crisis. The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) states that the global water crisis is largely a crisis of governing systems that “determine who gets what water, when and how, and decides who has the right to water and related services.”
Photo of Mzimba, Malawi location. Courtesy of Google Maps
A specific case surfaced in Mzimba Boma in February 2014. Zenak Matekenya claims that the 35,000 locals risk having a cholera outbreak due to a persistent shortage of clean water. Some residents insist that the problem is due to corruption within the district’s water board members.
H2O2U app to the rescue
Even when water has been shipped into places that are facing emergency shortages, oftentimes corrupt government leaders withhold the much-needed water from the people. Imagine providing these people with a tool that could make sure they get their water. H2O2U is a smartphone app that tracks the water’s location and determines whether or not the intended recipient receives their water within a certain amount of time. If not, a prompt will be provided so that the person can discreetly send a message to notify the proper authorities. With the power in the hands of the communities, corruption could be weeded out.
The app, although global, will support localization- Hello- “choose your language” will be on the first screen of the app. The software will be field tested for user-friendliness. In addition, a company such as AT&T could provide general smartphone usage training, as well as H2O2U program training.
It takes a village
From Michael Gines Munsayac, PR practitioner, the digital divide is the “result of differential access to new technology, owing to socio-economics factors, language, and content.”
Photo of H2O2U Welcome screen
With local support being provided, the folks would not only learn how to use the H2O2U app, but also the basic features/ benefits of the iPhone itself. This could be a first step for impoverished individuals to bridge the digital divide.
The H2O2U app could be promoted in water crisis areas via regional Red Cross or U.N. efforts. Since the recipients would not initially be able to receive the message digitally, a traditional approach such as local word-of-mouth and signage would be utilized. Successes from one village could then be passed on to others via word-of-mouth. The app would also add a visual cue such as a blue dot to a local map in real-time whenever a person receives water. This could add to the sense of empowerment as people visualize their participation first as individuals, then as part of a larger movement. Everyone has a right to water, and hopefully the H2O2U app could help make it a reality- one village at a time.