Water security research in Trinidad and Tobago

It's been a while since my last post. School has been incredibly hectic. However, much is being learned and not enough time to absorb it. A lot of information and courses and information intersect with each other which is incredibly helpful to getting a whole picture of how things are all interrelated. My program is a huge advocate of experiential learning, immersive learning, in the field, which, after teaching English overseas I can see the benefits of it. In fact, it's probably the best way to learn.

University of Waterloo had sent me and my class down to Trinidad Tobago to research and study the water insecurity issues on the island. There are several different aspects to supplying and accessing potable water. Surprisingly, they are very strict with their water and is WHO (World Health Organization) compliant, ie; you can drink straight from the tap... which I did.

One of the chaperones on this trip came with to help organize and document the trip from a 3rd party perspective had written an article about the trip. Reproduced with permission, this summarizes the whole trip.

Author: Uzair Jaffer

In the midst of the dry season in Trinidad and Tobago, seventeen graduate students from the Master of Development Practice (MDP) program engaged themselves in understanding the real-life challenges of water management on the islands.

What I'm doing can potentially make the world worse; reflections from school

"We're richer and more powerful than you, so you better listen to our advice on how to not be poor"

My local volunteer buddy's English class in Tanzania

Development can be detrimental  and perpetuate all the things wrong with the world also. Everyone who were quick to compliment me on this "noble cause" might not have warranted that compliment so quickly had they known it might even further destruction...

This "Western Saviour Complex" is a struggle that development practitioners encounter. How does the Western world help a poor country without repeating colonial history?

Or more academically; how do we not appear hegemonic, neo-colonialist, and de-meaning to the people that we are there to help. Not all noble actions are without consequence and in this case, perhaps, deliberate actions to keep them poor. 

Mozambique as a world example

Take Mozambique as an example, in 1975 after they won independence from Portugal, WHO (World Health Organization; a branch of the UN) declared their health care system should be a model upon which all other are based in the developing world. By 1980's they have established 1,200 rural health posts, 8000 health workers were trained, and 11% of the government budget was committed to health care. And then the Rhodesia war broke out.

Enter the IMF and their crusade to develop the poor

By 1987, Mozambique adopted an IMF Structural Adjusted Program (SAP). For those who don't