SS7G2: Environmental Issues
Across Africa and its Impact on
Education
7th Grade Social Studies
Polluted Water – Unfit to Drink
• Pesticides, fertilizers,
human waste, storm water
runoff, mining and
manufacturing byproducts
all contribute to water
pollution in Africa.
• Almost half of the patients
in Africa’s hospital beds are
there because of unclean
drinking water, which
impacts the economy by
reducing the workforce.
• Many humanitarian
organizations provide clean
water however, as the
population grows in some
countries, the amount of
clean water is actually
decreasing.
• Polluted water harms the
fishing industry, unfit to
swim, two oil spills in
Nigeria a day, waste from
industry is poured directly
into the Indian Ocean
One effective way to help water-stressed
communities is to donate and distribute
LifeStraw® Personal water purifiers.
It cost about $10 and can be used by a
child for approximately one year of
drinking water.
Jay-Z’s Water for Life Project
Internet connection required
In 2006, Jay-Z met with Kofi Annan. Kofi Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who
served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations, from January
1997 to December 2006.
They joined forces to raise awareness for the global need of clean water.
Education in Africa
• Civil wars and a lack of
resources are major
factors negatively
influencing quality
education. Girls, in
particular, have limited
education opportunities.
• Kenyans value education
and in 2003 made primary
schools free. However, in
rural areas only half of the
children attend due to a
shortage of clean drinking
water, teachers, buildings
and textbooks.
• Due to finance, boys usually attend school over girls.
Girls have responsibility at home and many quit because
of poor sanitation and concerns for their safety and
security.
• Educating orphans because of the AIDS epidemic is
another problem. Harambee schools are built to helps
these children. These are schools built by volunteers and
rely on donations to build more schools.
Education in Sudan
• Education has suffered due to years of Civil
War. Refugee camps often do not offer
schooling. The United Nations estimates that
75% of the children in southern Sudan have no
access to education.
• The Islamic government of the north closed all
Christian schools established by missionaries
and replaced them with Muslim schools.
• UNICEF donated tents for education, but
untrained teachers and lack of resources remain
an obstacle.