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According to Harper’s Index, two-fifths of the world’s total population is living in a “severely water-stressed environment.” Countries and peoples experience water stress when the demand for water exceeds the amount available or when poor or dangerous situations limit its use. Severe water stress occurs in places like rural El Salvador, where today only one in five people has access to safe drinking water. This percentage has decreased since 1980, when two in five people could access water that was safe to drink.

The amount of people who can safely locate adequate drinking water worldwide is fairly low as well. As many as one in six people across the globe lack safe drinking water because of socioeconomic conditions. A very dire economic situation that leads to challenges for proper nutrition can be found in Rwanda, where the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is equal to Harvard University’s annual budget.

In Sudan, starvation is always a major challenge to the country’s health and well-being. Since July 2009, an estimated 69 people per 10,000 died of starvation over 10 days in just one Sudanese village.

There are countries and organizations worldwide making efforts to counteract these serious problems that many less developed countries are facing. The United States has given $14,500,000 to El Salvador for earthquake relief since January 2010. Since 1986, the World Bank has given $2,937,000,000 in aid to various African nations.

On smaller scales, groups of people are helping countries like El Salvador and Sudan as well. Since March 2009, one class of fourth graders in Denver, CO has raised $35,000 to buy and free Sudanese slaves. Their efforts have resulted in the freeing of 600 Sudanese who were once enslaved.

There are many other issues that plague Africa and other poorly developed countries. The chance that a child that has become an orphan because of AIDS lives in Africa is 19 in 20. The ratio of male to female AIDS cases in Africa is 1:1 and 23 of the world’s 35 poorest nations are in Africa.

Forty years ago, the world’s richest countries agreed to give 0.7% of their gross national income as official international development aid each year. Despite giving billions annually, these wealthier nations have rarely met their promised targets. Even the United States, which is often the largest donor in terms of dollar amount, still ranks among the lowest in terms of meeting the stated target.

Despite what the United States is doing for other nations at the international and government level, there is much being done by individual citizens that is having a large impact on the health and happiness of other countries. International community service plays a huge role in the lives of many Africans and other less-privileged people.

Teen community service is an increasingly popular and effective way for aware young people to lend a hand to those less fortunate than themselves. VISIONS summer community service offers a safe program for teenagers and middle school students to get a deep cultural context for a new place and also a means to impact other people’s lives for the better.

Since 1989, VISIONS has provided young adults with a unique opportunity to embark on a fulfilling and exciting journey that offers a first-hand look at the importance of today’s multi-cultural climate. Teen community service gives young people an important experience they can remember for the rest of their lives and also teaches them lessons they will implement to improve our world for everyone.