With
the support of UNICEF, Save the Children was successfully able to
implement a WASH project in sin Lahj. The project which started in February
2012, includes activities such as distributing WASH hygiene supplies
(consumable kits and tools, plumping materials) and also conducting hygiene
promotion activities (awareness sessions, trainings, cleaning campaigns).
Omar
Fathi is a 13 year old 8th grader in Al-Shahid Saeed Haidar School.
He told us how the project started in his school and what his role in it was: “When
the program started in my school, a committee came and asked that one student in
each class gets chosen to be trained on hygiene care so that he can teach his
peers. I was nominated in my class and we now have sessions in which I explain
about hygiene and diarrhea and conduct activities to teach the other students
how to take more care of their hygiene, wash their hands, cut their nails, etc.
We also make a schedule for cleaning the school; everyday a group of students
from one classroom will go out and clean the whole school.”
Omar Fathi explaining good hygiene practices to his fellow peers.
The
Al-Shahid Saeed Haidar School was not in a good condition before the
intervention of the WASH project. It had lack of supplies and was not cleaned
constantly. Naseem Mohammed Saleh, a 31 year old volunteer for Save the Children expressed that the project has a
great impact on the school and that the students have reacted very well towards
it and accepted it greatly. She continued to say: “The school had lack of
supplies and was not able to afford all necessary equipment for cleaning. Save the Children has provided us with everything
needed, sweepers, soaps. The school was very dirty but now even when I enter
the toilets, they’re very clean. The school management is very cooperative and
so are the students. Since there are no janitors, the school principle and I
would sometimes go clean the toilets ourselves but soon find ourselves
surrounded by students who are helping us clean as well.”
Naseem Mohammed with
a group of students who are performing a play about hygiene which is one of the
activities of the project
Naseem
also told us about the approach she takes to get the students excited about
cleaning the school: “When I conduct awareness sessions in this school, I don’t
force students to go out and clean. I leave it up to them to choose whether or
not to help in cleaning. I think that motivated them more to help and keep
their classrooms and toilets clean. We conduct awareness sessions and
activities everyday in the school. To be honest I am astonished at how well the
students have accepted this program and worked on it. I didn’t expect this
reaction at all and I hope it will continue to be this way."
Written by: Alaa Al-Eryani
Photos by: Alaa Al-Eryani
Written by: Alaa Al-Eryani
Photos by: Alaa Al-Eryani