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Our work in support of the health of women and girls
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for the Primary Schools in the Karatu District
Almost 10,000 primary school students in the Karatu District of Tanzania are getting an important education in the life-saving effects of handwashing and sanitation with a new project launched by CPAR in 15 schools this month.
Why this project is important
Schools in the Karatu District of Tanzania banded together and asked CPAR for help in this area, as they did not have the resources to provide handwashing stations and sanitation education to their students and staff. According to the most recent World Health Organization (WHO) statistics, 52% of those in Tanzania do not have access to handwashing stations using soap and clean water, while only 25% have access to what the WHO classifies as ‘safely managed sanitation services’.
Handwashing in settings where a lot of people are occupying the same area is critical to help prevent the transmission of disease and infection. By encouraging students and teachers to wash their hands as they enter the school and after using the bathroom, students, staff and teachers all safeguard their health against illness and disease. Handwashing stations and sanitation education are an easy, low-cost way to prevent the transmission of disease and ensure that children grow up healthier and able to attend school without fear of falling behind in their studies by missing days or even weeks due to illness.
Project Objectives
The 15 schools where CPAR is working do not have handwashing stations and were not equipped to clean the classrooms at the end of the school day. CPAR is showing teachers and students how to build tippy-taps with locally available materials, and providing each school with soap, sanitizer and cleaning agents. Masks will also be distributed to students whose families may not be able to afford them.
Over 115 handwashing stations will be built overall, averaging eight per school. These will be placed near the school entrances and the latrines, and students will be encouraged to use them by teachers and school staff. Proper handwashing and other sanitation and hygiene education will be given to the teachers, who will pass on the information to their students.
This project is expected to reach and benefit over 9,300 students, teachers and school staff from 15 schools in the Karatu District.