Water Shortages

To drink a draft of water 
Some people have to walk 10km every day across deserts under scotching heat.
Children die from drinking muddy, polluted water.
4 in 10 in the world suffer shortage of water.
2 in 10 do not even have access to drinking water.
Since 1970s, 24,000 people die each year from lack of water.
The world population, which stood at 2.3 billion in 1940, 
more than doubled to 5.3 billion in 50 year as of 1990.
On the contrary, water use soared by 6 folds, causing a serious water shortage.
By 2025, about 10 years from now on when the world population will be expanded to 8.3 billion, 
2/3 of people in the world will be suffering from water scarcity.

Around 30 nations are already engaged in conflicts and wars due to water scarcity.
In 1967, Israel waged war against Syria, the 3nd Middle-East War, to prevent Syria from constructing a dam in Jordan river.

Egypt has come into conflict with Sudan and Uganda over its dam construction in the Nile river basin.

Syria declared war against Turkey as Turkey built a dam in the upper region of the Nile River.

In Bolivia, a capital city in South America, local people had a fight against a water supply company over water charges. The fight got so fierce that people even shed blood in fighting.

For the city of Busan, the 2nd largest city in Korea, water supply becomes insufficient by more than 7 tons at a time of severe drought.

To resolve this issue, the Korean government pushed forward a plan to provide water to Busan city from Namgang river dam. However, cities adjacent to the Namgang river opposed the plan, worrying that it would cause depletion of water resources and degradation of water quality. It was the beginning of regional conflict over water.

The main causes of water scarcity are 
First, skyrocketing water use due to population growth
Second, groundwater depletion due to rapid global urbanization
Third, desertification due to global warming

Advanced nations, including South Korea, are putting enormous efforts to address the global water scarcity issue. Thanks to such an effort, 35,000 people in Africa gained access to clean water. More than 10,000 people in Ethiopia will be able to have access to drinking water.

International relief organizations in Korea garnered support from citizens to reach out to the far-flung corners of the world and help people draw water for life. For those who have to trade a drop of water with their own blood, we hold it our duty to reach out our helping hands to them who are suffering from water-related diseases.

‘World changers’ ought to realize the severity of global water scarcity issue, and make efforts for water conservation.

- Charity: water http://www.charitywater.org/
International non-governmental organization which was founded to bring clear and safe drinking water for people in developing countries/ Conducting the campaign which let people to donate $20 for monthly to bring water for one person for 20 years.

- World Water Council, WWC: www.worldwatercouncil.org
Founded in 1996 to seek the way to solve water shortage problem in the world / Members are specialists about this issue, governments and international NGO/ Hold World Water Forum at every three years to discuss solutions and three prestigious water related Prizes.

- Unicef Tap Project / www.tapproject.org
Tap Project by UNICEF since 2007/ Started with 300 restaurants’ participation in this and now thousands of restaurants got involved / The total donation money have used to bring clean drinking water to millions of children and build related facility.