water-for-refugees

1. Water for Refugees
Prepared by: Ivaylo Ivaylov

2. Content
 On the road
 The problem
 The solution
 Reality
 Interview with Ivelina Georgieva
 A thing to remember

3. On the road
• Refugees take water that will be
enough for consumption and basic
hygiene needs while they’re
travelling to Bulgaria;
• But they are staying in our country
temporarily, and they need a
constant source of water during
that period.

4. The problem
• If refugee status is given to a foreigner in Bulgaria,
they get Red Cross aid packages (containing a bottle
of water and basic foods, of course);
• The problem is that most of the refugees don’t
have refugee status, don’t know the language or
don’t want to seek help. They face the challenge of
buying water at their own expense, taking water
from natural water sources, or begging for money
in order to buy some.

5. The solution
The solution is refugee camps. They
are the most effective way to
provide all of the refugees with
water and food at the same time
because if they’re staying at one
place, it would be much easier.

6. The solution
In a refugee camp, access to clean
water is not just "what" but also
"how" this life-sustaining resource
is provided. This is as important as
the availability of water itself.

7. The solution
• There must be sufficient supply for
basic needs for each and every
person throughout the camp;
• Water quality must be monitored
regularly for bacterial contamination.

8. The solution
Facilities must be located
centrally and not too far
from the dwellings, with
minimum waiting time,
and safe and user-
friendly designs.
An example of a refugee camp with water tap stands
placement shown:

9. Reality
Poor quality of water in refugee camps has
created a “crisis within a crisis” causing
outbreaks of waterborne diseases such as
cholera, typhoid and hepatitis. This is due to
misuse of the water quality regulations present
and the lack of time available to implement
these regulations on water quality in refugee
camps.

10. Interview with Ivelina Georgieva
1. How long have you been working
at the bottling factory in Bankia?
• I’ve been working here for 5 years
now.

11. Interview with Ivelina Georgieva
2. Do you like your job?
• My job is extremely interesting – I
do different things and I learn new
things every day, I work with
different departments and
organizations.

12. Interview with Ivelina Georgieva
3. What is your position, what are your responsibilities related to?
• I work as an analyst - I am responsible for the safe working conditions at
PC Bankia and I do environmental analyzes (reporting on water,
electricity, fuels, waste, reporting of potential losses, chemicals spills,
emissions measurements in the air, etc.)

13. Interview with Ivelina Georgieva
4. What can be done to eliminate refugee water crisis?
• With the refugee situation worsening and no permanent solution to this
crisis in sight, the minimum that can be done is to provide an adequate
amount and quality of water for these refugees. The current purification
techniques are not efficient enough to protect refugees from all harmful
bacteria.

14. Interview with Ivelina Georgieva
5. Which ways of providing refugees with water are most effective?
• There is a variety of ways that water can be provided. Wastewater
treatment, rain harvesting, humidity harvesting, among others are
sustainable sources of water. However, providing water is not sufficient;
water quality is just as important as water quantity.

15. Interview with Ivelina Georgieva
6. How water quality can be improved?
• There must be water quality regulations specific to refugee camps that
take into account the different aspects that might affect the quality of
water (transport, storage, temperature). If things are to improve, it is
absolutely vital for concerned governments, aid agencies, volunteers etc.
to band together and create water quality guidelines specific to refugee
camps and that are capable to withstand different aspects within these
camps.

16. A thing to remember
• The quality of every human’s life
depends on the adequate supply of
fresh water;
• Save water! Every drop counts!

17. Thank you for your attention!