Drinking
water is collected in pots / plastic containers from the river and treated often
left to settle in a clay tank in the house before drinking.
Sometimes the river water is boiled before drinking, although rarely
because the climate is hot, and cold water to drink is much preferred.
There are no fridge’s in which to chill water.
Sanitation
follows the seasonal changes. There
are simply more
‘bugs’ carrying parasites during the rainy season, when
puddles appear and quickly become infested with things like, mites causing
intense skin itchiness, leading to wounds which don’t heel due to the
humidity. Common worms and amoebas
which if not treated can be fatal. Malaria
and Dengue parasites which breed near stagnant water.
Many
of these infections have cures nearby. Hygiene
is maintained by Eco-systems such as faecal waste that is excreted into deep
holes, which are dug 20 meters from the house.
This decomposes back into the earth, creating fertile ground on which to
plant in the future. Pigs are kept
under the house, and they eat all household waste.
Chickens, ducks and geese constantly peck at unwanted insects, which keep
the number of pests low. Goats keep
the grass short around the house, so that poisonous snakes can be seen and are
warned off by the dogs guarding the house.
The area can be swept daily and the cats deter rats from entering the
territory.
Everyone
has to de-worm their systems every six months.
Amoebic dysentery causing severe diarrhoea can be treated by foliage, as
can severe irritating superficial skin infections. Malaria and Dengue are killers that must be avoided,
therefore, people tend to bathe before and after six o’clock, they keep water
fresh in the house, cover themselves in tree oil, and do not eat sweet foods at
night and use mosquito nets to prevent themselves being bitten. Some regional animals that are kept as pets,
eat these unwanted pests.
