School Exchanges on Hygiene & Sanitation
School latrines in two neighboring villages
There are about 2 billion people in the world who do not have access to latrines of which many practice open defecation in the outdoors. As a result, the public’s sanitation suffers and children with weak immune systems often fall victim to diarrhea. More than 800 people die every day from this disease*. In Japan, access to toilets is taken for granted but as you can imagine from the stated goal of SDG 6, that is, to achieve access for all to sanitation and hygiene by 2030, it gives you an idea of how big of a problem the lack of access to latrines are around the world.
*UNICEF World Toilet Day Project
Many communities in south Ethiopia are among those that do not have access to latrines. The lack of clean and safe latrines in schools is a serious problem especially for young children. Lack of access to latrines not only affects children’s health but also their education, as the children who avoid using latrines can suffer from health problems while others stop attending school altogether.
In 2021, HOPE constructed latrines at Kale Malo Primary School with a grant from the TOTO Water Environment Fund. After the construction of the school latrines was completed, 25 children formed a WaSH club (Water, Sanitation & Health) at the school, and they currently actively encourage their fellow students to use the latrines and maintain them and they also raise awareness on hygiene practices.
Currently, latrines are also being constructed at Yongi Primary School, which is in the same district as Kale Malo Primary School.
WaSH club at Yongi Primary School
Crossing mountains and villages
An exchange was held between the two school’s WaSH clubs to share information and knowledge on raising awareness on hygiene and sanitation practices.
Although both schools are in the same district, Kale Malo Primary School and Yongi Primary School are so far apart that it takes several hours to walk across the mountains in between. For this reason, there have been no exchanges between the two schools so far, with this event being the first for the children of both schools to meet students from schools other than their own.
At this exchange, 16 members of the WaSH club from Yongi Primary School visited Kale Malo Primary School by vehicle. On the other hand, the WaSH Club of Kale Malo Primary School were prepared with their presentations and were a little nervous waiting for the Yongi School students.
Cleaning latrines and washing hands for the first time
The atmosphere was a little tense at first when the students from the two schools met.
Presentation by students of Kale Malo Elementary School
After presenting the details of their club activities, the Kale Malo students took the Yongi students over to their school latrines and explained how they use them and how they clean the latrines. They also demonstrated their hand washing technique with soap at a wash basin built next to their latrines.
It was a stimulating and educational experience for the Yongi students and also an opportunity for the Kale Malo students to reinforce their understanding of hygiene and sanitation practices.
Demonstration of latrine cleaning and hand washing
Interview of a Yongi Primary School WaSH club student
Mardokyos Bazgaba (7th grade)
Q1. Did you enjoy this school exchange?
"Yes, it was fun. It was my first time to travel outside of my village. It was interesting to learn how to wash my hands with soap."
Q2. Did you know how to wash your hands before today?
"No, I learned today for the first time."
Q3. What do you think about the new latrines?
"I think it's great that you know exactly where to put your feet when using the latrines (the feet placement areas are slightly elevated). Also, it's interesting to see the pipes sticking out of the roof, which vents out any bad smell."
Q4. Were you able to see the demonstration on cleaning the latrines?
"Yes, I did. I would like to make sure our latrines will be just as clean."
Impressions of a student from Kale Malo Primary School
Melkamnesh Meshasha
"I am very happy that the members of the WaSH club from Yongi Primary School traveled all the way to visit us. It is very important to keep the latrines clean. I hope that the students at Yongi School will practice hygiene and sanitation and will maintain their latrines as we do here."
