A further problem is that even the collection of contaminated water often involves Ethiopians trekking for hours each day. The role of collecting water in Ethiopia is traditionally carried out by women and children, meaning that children often can’t attend school and women risk being raped in rural areas while they carry the water back home.

What makes the situation even more frustrating is that Ethiopia is often referred to as the “green drought” because the landscape is not the parched brown colour that is so familiar in drought situations. Indeed a clean water supply can sometimes be found just metres below the ground but frustratingly, even if the locals dig to collect the water, contamination can still occur. The solution is often simple and involves non-governmental organisations working with the locals to either dig or use machinery to construct a well. The source is then isolated, protected and has small amounts of chlorine added so that fresh clean water can be pumped to the ground usually using a hand-pump. In other situations a spring is found andthis is capped and protected so that fresh clean water can be provided.