Clean drinking water is a human right. Millions of people around the world, particularly in rural villages, do not have access to this essential necessity. Without clean water, people can get sick, and children will not be able to stay in school. Not only does the absence of clean water lead to disease and sickness, but the threat of diseases leads to poor hygiene and ultimately poor health. People, particularly children, are more likely to be healthy, continue education in school, and realise their potential when they are able to access clean drinking water.
In a community with no clean drinking water, it is typically the women and children who will have to walk long distances to fetch water from an unsafe water source, sometimes spending hours doing this. There can be a burden of fear that comes with the responsibility of finding water, knowing the risk of waterborne diseases. But what does it mean when clean water is provided to communities, with implications of improved health opportunity, time, and opportunity to pursue education and economic opportunities?
We have seen this all happen in Ghana. Blockchain technology – through the Hive ecosystem – allowed us to create transformational boreholes for poor communities. We constructed over 20 clean water projects in Ghana alone, using decentralised funding, with support from the Hive blockchain. The boreholes have provided safe, accessible and free drinking water and improved the health of thousands of people.
It is the transformation through impact that is special. Technology can be translated into real-world solutions, and blockchain – even though it is misconstrued as being purely virtual and financial – is showing its value in solving tangible issues. Through Hive's decentralised platform, people across the globe can come together to raise funds and support projects that make lives better, and clean water is the most pressing.
With each borehole we commission, we watch the transformation take place. Improved health, improved school attendance, and communities are more able to focus on improving their circumstances rather than simply surviving. The look of relief and joy expressed by people – especially children – when they take the first drink from the new aseptic source is a motivating image that stays with you.
What we have created in Ghana should be a shining example of what is possible when compassion, community, and technology are united. Every clean drop of water represents dignity, change, and empowerment.
Let's keep telling these stories, expanding these efforts, and demonstrating that blockchain can – and should – provide solutions to areas of real significance.