This video, entitled "The Girl Who Couldn't Cry," follows a young girl who is born in the slums of India. She has witnessed immeasurable tragedy in her short time on earth; she has seen and experienced things that no child should have to go through. It's hard to imagine an existence like hers that doesn't involve tears, but this girl never once cries.
At first, it is easy to assume that she does not cry because she has developed a strong resolve and a thick skin, that perhaps she does not cry because she does not want to show weakness. It is made clear towards the end, though, that she wants to cry but physically cannot. This is due to severe dehydration; people who are severely dehydrated cannot produce tears. Dehydration is a problem that affects a huge portion of the global population. According to statistics from the Rehydration Project's website, only 86% of people in developing countries have access to safe water. According to Unicef, the leading cause of death before the age of 5 is diarrhea, and it kills about 600,000 children each year. Each day, approximately 1,400 children under the age of five lose their lives because of diseases related to diarrhea. These diseases are linked back to a lack of safe water, sanitation and basic hygiene.
It is incredibly important to share videos like this one that remind us in a very compelling way that our fellow human beings are suffering from problems that we have the technology and information to change. What are your thoughts on the issue? Let us know in the comments below!
Share
Tweet