Project Spotlight: Articles for Drip by Drip
As part of their Blue Stories series, the organization Drip by Drip writes informative articles on the current climate environment and water issues plaguing our world. I had the pleasure of collaborating on their River Clean Up Project in Bangladesh by translating the project information and the accompanying article from German into English.
Drip by Drip is a not-for-profit organisation working to find, develop and spread solutions for the water issues caused by the textile industry, engaging with consumers and professionals to spark change. Drip by Drip wants to reach an international audience and move them to take action into their own hands. By translating this content into English, the organization can count on more English-speaking advocates to lend a hand in their significantly important project.
Please find excerpts from the source and my translation below:
Bangladesch ist ein Land des Wassers, leider aber auch eines der Länder, die bereits heute am stärksten unter Trinkwassermangel leiden. Landschaftlich ist das Land vor allem durch das Mündungsdelta der Flüsse Brahmaputra, Ganges und Meghna, mit ihren ausgedehnten Sumpfgebieten sowie die Sundarbans, die größten Mangrovenwälder der Welt, geprägt. Circa 90% des Landes sind flaches Tiefland – Die Hauptstadt Dhaka liegt lediglich 6 Meter über dem Meeresspiegel. Während der Monsunzeit im Sommer leidet das Land entsprechend schnell unter Flusshochwasser und Überflutungen. Durch die Meereslage ist zukünftig auch von Überschwemmungen auszugehen, ausgelöst durch den steigenden Meeresspiegel. Eine Versalzung der Ackerböden durch den bisherigen Anstieg ist bereits heute zu beobachten. Darüber hinaus ist ein erheblicher Teil des Grundwassers in Bangladesch arsenverseucht. Die WHO sprach bereits im Jahr 2000 von der "größten Massenvergiftung der Geschichte" , die rund 20 Millionen Bangladeschis betrifft. Wasser ist also prinzipiell im Überfluss vorhanden, aber nur sehr wenig davon eignet sich für die Versorgung der 164,7 Mio. Menschen umfassenden Bevölkerung.
Bangladesh is a water country, but it is also, regrettably, one of the countries that suffers the most from a lack of drinking water. The country's landscape is mainly characterised by the delta of the Brahmaputra, Ganges and Meghna rivers, with their extensive marshlands, and the Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forests in the world. Around 90% of the country is made up of flat lowlands; the capital, Dhaka, is only 6 metres above sea level. During the monsoon season in the summer, the country is often struck by river floods and inundations. Due to its close location to the sea, more flooding triggered by rising sea levels can also be expected to occur in the future. The results of salinisation of the arable soils due to the previous rise in the sea level can already be seen today. Furthermore, a considerable part of the groundwater in Bangladesh is contaminated with arsenic. As early as 2000, the WHO spoke of the "largest mass poisoning in history" , affecting around 20 million Bangladeshis. Water is, in principle, available in abundance, but very little of it is suitable for supplying the 164.7 million inhabitants of this country.
More Blue Stories are available on Drip by Drip's website here. You might also stumble across more of my translations.
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