WASH
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene are essential for a healthy future.
Why Water, Sanitation & Hygiene?
443 million school days are lost each year because of water- and sanitation-related diseases (UNDP). Through our WASH (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene) program, we provide children with access to clean water, private bathrooms and good hygiene practices to foster their growth and development. We believe providing safe, clean infrastructure, coupled with knowledge about hygiene behavior is essential for keeping kids healthy, happy and in school.
Our WASH program is straightforward: Provide the infrastructure (e.g., toilets), distribute materials and educate students and communities on healthy behaviors (e.g., handwashing).
Infrastructure
PoP teams provide thoughtful training on the maintenance of WASH infrastructure, water filters and handwashing stations for community members, teachers and students. Maintenance training educates teachers and school administrators on how to properly take care of provided materials in order to ensure they’re functioning properly.
Workshops
As a supplement to WASH infrastructure, PoP provides water, sanitation and hygiene lessons to educate teachers and school administrators on healthy behaviors. Each WASH workshop is tailored to the cultural context. Workshops are based on community need, pre-existing infrastructure and school community knowledge.
Clubs
Student-led WASH clubs are held to enforce healthy behavior practices with students, such as handwashing, drinking clean water and toothbrushing. Student representatives are trained on how to explain to their peers the importance of drinking enough clean water, how to operate water filters properly and how to correctly clean and maintain the filters.
Support
WASH observations are conducted throughout the school year to monitor the use of WASH infrastructure, WASH activities and student behaviors over time. We analyze the progress of sanitation habits in order to track student behavior change and ultimately create lifelong healthy practices.
Our Results
Long-Term Vision
Invest in WASH
The long-term benefits of WASH include decreased risk of illness, improved nutritional status, improved primary healthcare and reduced healthcare system burdens as well as higher school enrollment and attendance rates.
