Update: Promoting Healthy Behaviours Including Universal WASH Access
Children spend a significant portion of their day at school where WASH services can impact student learning, health, and dignity, particularly for girls. The inclusion of WASH in schools in the Sustainable Development Goals (targets 4.a, 6.1, 6.2) represents increasing recognition of their importance as key components of a ‘safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environment’ and as part of a ‘universal’ WASH access, which emphasizes the need for WASH outside of the home.
Washing your hands properly with soap and water can help prevent the spread of the germs (like bacteria and viruses) that cause these diseases (CDC). In an effort to promote hand hygiene in schools, HopeCore distributed 1,920 litres of liquid hand-washing soap to 93 partner schools.
Students from Kairuni primary school handwashing with soap provided by Village HopeCore
Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM)
Menstrual Hygiene Management is crucial to achieving gender equality. Solving these complex and interrelated challenges requires a comprehensive, collaborative, and intergenerational approach that engages both boys and girls. It must address access to toilets and the availability of sanitary supplies.
In an effort to improve menstrual hygiene management in partner schools, HopeCore, through a generous contribution from Andy Olney, initiated the construction of MHM facility at Kagongo Gacheke primary school. Once completed the menstrual hygiene management facility will comprise of a private changing room with a waste bin, hand washing station, and menstrual waste incinerator. This facility will provide support for menstrual hygiene management for Kagongo Gacheke primary school and Kagongo Gacheke Vocational Training Centre.
A model MHM facility for learning institutions being constructed at Kagongo Gacheke Primary School
New WASH School Partners
Village HopeCore International has incorporated nine Vocational Training Centres (VTC) into the school health program. Through the WASH project, the vocational centers will receive a 220L tank for each VTC, 20L liquid soap for hand washing (termly), and WaterGuard for drinking water treatment. Health education on various health topics including WASH will enable them to develop healthy behavior hence enabling them to grow into responsible adults hence enhancing holistic community development.
This month, we held an induction meeting with all nine Centre managers together with Mwimbi sub-county Coordinator for Vocational Training Centres for stakeholder engagement as we roll out the project. The participants lauded HopeCore for this consideration.
Vocational training centers managers receiving tanks during an induction meeting at Village HopeCore International
WASH and Tank Monitoring
Monitoring of WASH in schools includes tracking ‘basic’ drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene services in pre-primary, primary, and secondary schools. This is in line to ensure schools maintain the tanks for storing water for hand hygiene and drinking as per the requirement of the MOU. In the month of June, the WASH team in conjunction with school health teams carried out WASH monitoring at 114 partner schools.
Achievement: most of the schools have installed stands to protect tanks from damage.
Most schools have also bought large storage tanks to ensure there is available water for drinking and hygiene. This is WASH improvement to schools following routine monitoring and WASH education by the team visiting the schools for WASH monitoring
WASH Follow-Ups
WASH Team carried out 12 follow-up visits to schools. The reasons for these visits were broken tanks, leaking taps, inadequate number of handwashing tanks for replacement of broken tanks as per MOU requirements.
Also, some schools have embraced innovative methods such as Tippy Tap jerricans. The Tippy Tap is a hands-free device for handwashing. It is operated by a foot lever and thus reduces the chance of the transmission of pathogens as the user only touches a bar of soap suspended by a string.
WASH in Community
Availability and access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services are fundamental to fighting contact and droplet infections including Covid-19, and preserving the health and well-being of millions. Hand washing is one of the most effective actions you can take to reduce the spread of pathogens and prevent infections (WHO).
This month the WASH Team carried out WASH monitoring at six community handwashing stations and distributed 35 liters of liquid hand soap to promote hand hygiene, which is crucial for the prevention of infectious diseases.
Feedback: community members appreciated HopeCore for distributing quality handwashing soap to their handwashing stations and minding their health as a community.
