Preparation

Whenwefirststartedgatheringinformationonsocialjusticeissuesaroundtheworld,Iactually
hadnoideathatthetopicIchosewouldbethesametopicwewouldresearchforourWebsite
Project.ItwasnotuntiltheseconddayofworkingonourlinoitboardthatDamianandIwere
awareofthefactthatWaterScarcitywouldbeourareaoffocusforourfinalproject.Asaresult,
inthebeginningwegatheredalotofverybroadresearchandaddedtoourlinoitboard.Because
itwasourmainformoforganizingalotofverygeneralinformation,thelinoitboardwasbyfar
themosteffectivetoolinpreparationforconstructingourwebsite.Researchwise,theUN
GeneralAssemblyresolutionwasbyfarthemostvaluablesourceinourearlyworkdays.The
documentprovidedunderstandable,indepthanalysisofthewaterscarcityissueinAfricafroma
governmentalstandpoint.SeeingthatthissocialjusticeissuebeingaddressedbytheUnited
Nations,yetstillisamajorissuearoundtheworld,made
meinterestedinwhythereisno
solutiontothiseverlastingproblem.Thedocumentstated:wateriscriticalforsustainable
development,includingenvironmentalintegrityandtheeradicationofpovertyandhunger,andis
indispensableforhumanhealthandwellbeing,(2004UnitedNationalGeneralAssembly
resolution58/217)butthereisstilllimitedtonogovernmentalinterferencewiththisissue.
Furthermor
e,theWaterProjectorganizationwasveryhelpfulinprovidingdataandstatisticsof
theeffectthelackofwaterhasonindividualslivinginimpoverishedAfricancommunities.
Thesesourceswereveryvaluabletoourgroupbecausetheyservedasgreatoverallsources,
providingalotofgeneralinformationnecessaryforDamianandItounderstandaboutthewater
crisisbeforebeginningindepthresearch.Originally,wewantedtofocusonwaterscarcityand
pollutionaroundtheworldthesetwosourcesmadeitveryclearthatwaterscarcityisamuch
morerelevantissueinAfrica,sincewaterpollutionoccursalmosteverywherearoundtheworld.
KnowingwhatIdonow,Iwouldhavefocusedonwaterscarcityspecificallyinonecountry,
suchasKenyaorGuinea.Theavailabilityofwaterfluctuatesfromregiontoregion,andmany
partsofAfricaactuallyhaveabundantamountsofcleanwaterhowever,muchofthe
informationwefoundfocusedonthisissuespecificallyinAfricancountriesaroundtheequator,
anditwasmucheasiertofindstatisticsanddataforonecountry,ratherthanAfricaasawhole.

TheWebsitePresentation
Personally,andfromanaestheticviewpoint,Ireallyliketheconstructionanddesignofour
website(partiallybecauseitismydesign).Itriedtomakethewebsitemodernwithlarge,bold
topicheaderssothefreshmanwouldhaveaneasytimefindingpartsofthewebsitetheyare
interestedin.Also,IbelieveDamianandIdidaverygoodjobprovidingaccurate,relevant,and
extensivecontentthroughouttheentiretyofourwebsite.SomeareasIwouldwanttoimprove
arethediscussionsabouttheinstitutions,systems,andspiritsoftheairinvolvedinourstory
aboutHindiyaandher17dayjourneyforwater,aswellasthebackgroundpage.Wedidnot
necessarilyknowwhattowriteabout,sotheinformationweprovidedwasverylastminuteand
couldhavebeenexplainedmuchbetterifwegothelpearlyon.Furthermore,andinformational

aspectIwouldwanttoimproveisourincorporationanddescriptionofgraphsorstatistics.The
onlytimeourgroupincludessomesortofgraphisonthebackgroundpage.Thefreshmaneven
mentionedthattheyfoundthe
graphconfusing,andthe
explanationtobeinsufficient.As
youcanseeinthepicture,the
graphlooksverycomplicatedin
itself,andthedescriptiondoes
littletohelpclarifythedataand
itssignificance.Lookswise,I
wouldhaveliketoaddmore
imagestoreallymakethe
freshmanrealizetheseverityof
waterscarcity.Imagesareworth
somuchmorethandataandstatistics,andseeingtheimpactalackofwaterhasonchildrenin
Africaisheartbreaking.Thefreshmanfoundourwebsitetobeveryorganizedandinformational,
butmentionedthatwehadalotofwritingforeachpage.Iwouldwanttousethiscriticismand
perhapstakeoutsomeofthefluffinourwriting,andinsteadjustkeepthemostpowerful
informationshortandsweet.

Politics,Priorities,PsychologyandHumanity
.
N.d.Withintheblackcommunity.blogspot.com,
N.p.

PersonalGrowth
SincemiddleschoolIhavebeenveryawareofthedetrimentaleffectsofwaterpollutionand
waterscarcitythroughouttheworld.Afterfouryearsofnotreallythinkingaboutthesesocial
justiceissues,itamazesmethattherehasbeenlittletonoimpactmadeinresolvingthese
problems.WhenDamianandIfirststartedresearchingwaterscarcityinAfrica,Ididnotreally
thinkaboutthesufferingpeoplemustendureeverydaywhilewetakewaterforgranted.Over
thecourseoftheprojectIstartedbecomeveryawareofhoweasyitistowastewater.Evenin

thedroughtwearecurrentlyinIwastakingtenminuteshowersandlettingthefaucetrunfor
longperiods.Readingabouttheseverityofwaterscarcity,andhoweverydropwastedhassome
impactonahumanstrugglingtofindsomethingtodrink.SinceIwasawareoftheissueandhow
itaffectedpeoplearoundtheworld,Idonotbelievetheinformationalsideofthisprojecthelped
megrowasaperson.Instead,Ihaveseensmallchangesinmylifethathaveresultedfrom
learningabouttheissue.Ihavecutmyshowertimedowntounderthreeminutes,Ihavetothink
twiceaboutpouringoutwater,andInolongerwashmycarasaresultofknowingthiswater
couldbeusedtosavesomeone'slife.WhileIdonotbelievedoingtheresearchandreadingfor
ourprojecthasshapedmeasaperson,theactofcompletingourwebsiteliterallyhoursbeforeit
wasduehasdefinitelyhelpedmegrowasaperson.MypartnerandIwerenotveryefficientwith
theampleamountoftimewereceivedinclass,andoutsideofschool,andthusstayedupall
nighttocompleteourproject.Igotatotalof43minutesofsleepthatnight.Theactofstayingup
allnighttocompleteaprojectwehadbeengivenplentyofopportunitiestoworkonbeforewill
foreverhaveanimpactonmeasaperson.Ithasonlybeenaboutaweeksinceithappened,butI
feelliketheexperienceofcompletingourprojectlikethathaschangedthewayIfeelabout
procrastinatingandwastingtime.IamveryhappythishappenedthoughIwillbeputinto
situationslikethisnextyearatPenn,butnowatleastIknownottowaituntilthelastminute.

ThoughtsonChurchTeaching
TheveryfirstthemeoftheCatholicSocialTeachingsstates:webelievethateachpersonhas
inherentdignity,hasaworthbeyondmoneyorpower(
Theme#1:LifeandDignityofthe
HumanPerson).Ifindthisstatementtobeverymeaningful,especiallywhentalkingaboutthe
lackofwateraccessibilitypeoplefaceinunderdevelopedAfricancommunities.Waterisnota
bigissueuntilyounolongercanaccessaclean,drinkablesource.Peopleareleftfordeaddueto
dehydrationanddiseaseduetowaterscarcity,andAfricangovernmentscontinuetoturnablind
eye.TheChurchstatestheimportanceofrecognizingdignityinallhumans,andsayspeopleare
worthmorethanmoneyandpower.IdonotbelievemanyAfricangovernmentsfollowthis
teachingtheChurchistakingastance,sayingpeopleslivesareworthmorethanmoney,and
yetgovernmentscontinuetofailtoprovidedrinkablewatertomillionsofAfricanmenand
womenbecauseitcoststoomuchmoney.Iflifeanddignityareworthmorethanmoneyand
power,thenpeopleshouldnotbesufferinginsuchmasses.Furthermore,thefourththemeofthe
CatholicSocialTeachingmentionsthatthesuffering
arethefirstpeopleweshouldworryabout.
Whenthereismoneytogive,thatswhereweshouldputit(
Theme#4:OptionforthePoorand
Vulnerable).ThisstatementreallymademeunderstandthattheChurchtrulywantsthebestfor
allpeople,nomatterwhatthecost.Shedoesnotrecognizemoneyasanissuewhendealingwith
thehealthandwellbeingofapopulation,orsinglepersonrather,theChurchpushesallpeople
torecognizedignityandvalueineveryindividual.ThefactthattheChurchisabletoseepastthe
powerofmoneyreallyopenedmyeyestotheimportanceofherteachings.Intheworldwelive
in,everythingseemstobedrivenbymoney.Whentheworldwasfirstcreated,peopledidnot

havepossessions.InowrealizethattheChurchfocusesonprovidingguidelinesforallhumansto
feelrespectedandworthyoflivingonthisplanet.Ultimatelyitisthetakingawayofthesebasic
rightsthatcausessocialjusticeissuestoarise.

Privilege
BeingaSerraPadreisaprivilegeinitself.Wearefortunateenoughtobeabletowakeupandgo
toaschoolwherewehavefriends,teachersthatcare,andagreateducationatourfingertips.
However,manyofusbegintakingthisprivilegeforgranted.Ibelieveoneofthegreatest
obligationsweasSerrastudentshaveistobeawareofandeducatedaboutthemanysocial
justiceissuesaroundtheworld.Itisoftendifficulttotakeactionagainsttheseproblemsbecause
theyarenotveryprominentinourcommunitiesandlives,orwesimplydonotknowtheyexist.
Sinceitisunrealistictoexpectstudentstotakeactionagainstsocialjusticeissue,Ibelieveitis
mostimportantthatwecareandeducateourselvesaboutthem.Withknowledgeaboutwhyand
wheretheseinjusticesoccur,wemightbeabletomakeabeneficialdifferencelateroninlife
whenwearenolongerinourearlystagesofeducation.Whileactioncannotbetakenagainst
manyoftheinjustices,forwaterscarcityinAfricaspecifically,thereareafewthingswecando
tohelpthesuffering:wecanturnofrunningwaterunlessnecessary,stopwashingourcars,take
shortershowers,andothersmallchangesthatwouldconservewaterevenonaminimalscale.In
thefuture,Iseemyselfdoingmorethantheseminimalisticeffortstoconservewater.Iama
whitemale,whichisagreatprivilegeinthesocietywelivein.Ihopetousethisprivilegetomy
advantage,andfocusmyresearchandfutureeducationonbenefitingothers.Currently,Iam
majoringinNursingandHealthCare,soIbelieveIwillbeabletomakesomebeneficialimpact
onpeopleslives,andpossiblymakeanefforttohelpthosefacingtheinjusticeswehavestudied.