How many children worldwide have no access to water at their school?
This is a question that always affects me deeply and at the same time shows what still needs to be done. At present, 600 million schoolchildren have no access to clean drinking water. In other words, almost one in three children has no opportunity to drink at school. In the poorest countries in the world, the situation is dramatic in some cases. There are regions where not even half of the schools have a functioning water supply. These are not isolated cases; it is a global problem with devastating effects on the health and education of millions of children.
*Quelle: JMP Report 2019 Unicef/WHO
Why is it so concerning when schools lack water, toilets and hygiene?
The consequences are dire, because without clean water and soap, diseases such as diarrhoea can spread quickly. The same applies to a lack of or inadequate sanitary facilities. Children get sick more often, miss school and cannot concentrate because they are hungry and thirsty. Hygienic conditions and privacy are especially essential for people who menstruate. The result is that those affected stay away from school during their period. It is clear to us that the lack of water, hygiene and sanitation entrenches inequality and prevents children, but especially girls, from reaching their full potential. A vicious circle.
What is arche noVa doing in Somalia and other project countries to promote WASH in schools?
We are actively promoting clean water, good sanitation and hygiene measures in Somalia and other countries, such as Uganda, Mali and Kenya. Part of our activities is to build wells and toilets and to install hand washing stations. In doing so, we always focus on one crucial point that characterises our work: the involvement of the community. We train teachers and students in hygiene measures, establish WASH clubs and work closely with local authorities. This is our contribution to ensuring that facilities are maintained in the long term and that hygiene measures can be implemented permanently. We work to ensure that children can learn and live in a healthy environment.
Find out more about our focus on water, sanitation and hygiene, or WASH for short, here.
