Clean Water for Schools; Denver-based Water for People to Improve Water, Sanitation, Basic Hygiene for Vietnamese School Children; Photo Available 4/18/2003
From: Nancy Haws of Water For People, 303-734-3476; E-mail: nancy@waterforpeople.org DENVER, April 18 -- Water For People (WFP), the Denver based humanitarian organization that helps people worldwide improve their quality of life by helping to provide communities in developing nations access to clean drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene education projects, has formed a partnership called "Clean Water for Schools" which will bring improved access to clean water and sanitation facilities in Vietnam's Kien Giang Province. Working with CARE Vietnam and the Kien Giang Provincial Education Department, WFP will develop strategies for the construction of toilets and the facilitation of hygiene education activities for children in primary and secondary schools in and around the U Minh Thuong National Park buffer zone. WFP is an independent organization and the "charity of choice" of the American Water Works Association and has a history of working with the water profession in identifying and assisting developing countries in building clean water, sanitation and hygiene education programs. More information about these programs are available at http://www.waterforpeople.org. Assessment findings in Kien Giang Province indicate that the main health problems of school children in the area include, stomach aches, diarrhea, headaches, and dengue fever. Almost all of these illnesses are water and sanitation related problems, which have a negative impact on health and education. Garbage disposal is also a concern at most schools It is usually disposed of by throwing it into nearby ponds or canals. Over the next 18 months, WFP's "Clean Water for Schools" program will implement the design and construction of water and sanitation facilities in 37 schools within the buffer zone. The direct beneficiaries will be the 4,650 school children who attend these schools. "WFP identifies the expertise to assist areas that are suffering from no lack of access to clean drinking water and functioning sanitation facilities," said Steve Werner, Executive Director of WFP. "Uncollected garbage, overflowing latrines and non-functional residential and municipal drainage pipes plague poor people in urban areas. Unimproved, hand-dug wells only serve to spread disease and discomfort in many communities that lack choices, options and a voice in decisions that shape their lives." The assessment of the water problems include several areas: -- Garbage disposal is a concern at most schools. In most cases garbage is disposed of by throwing it into nearby ponds or canals. -- 9 out of the 42 schools in the area are lacking latrines. In these cases, school children use bushes, canals or fishponds for defecation and urination. Where latrines do exist most are of poor quality and lack water for flushing. Subsequently water has to be carried from cannels or ponds. Due to lack of funds for maintenance some latrines are locked and out of use. Amongst other issues, latrines have no doors, the roofs are too low and cement floors are in disrepair. -- Water sources are inadequate. For schools with pump wells, drinking water is taken from the pump well and kept in large urns. Water from pump wells is used for both washing hands and flushing latrines. School children state that water was salty and smelled bad. For schools without pump wells, hands and feet are washed using water stored inside the latrines blocks or with water carried from ponds or canals. Students go to neighboring houses to ask for water to drink and for handwashing. This water is usually taken and used directly from pump wells and is not boiled or filtered. -- Health and health practices are topics taught within primary schools yet the facilities and teaching materials required to support these topics is unavailable. Facilities and teaching aids are required so that theory can be put into practice. -- Based on the research findings so far, hygiene education teaching aids will be developed to enhance the quality of the current teaching and to reinforce personal hygiene practices amongst the students. Outdoor hygiene promotion activities will be designed aimed at increasing school children's awareness of the importance of sound hygiene practices. The schools and community indicated that they were very interested and keen to discuss this and to be engaged in the construction process. This community involvement in design and construction will be critical to the development of a sense of ownership, commitment and responsibility for operation and maintenance of the newly constructed facilities in the future and will help to ensure the sustainability of program interventions. EDITOR'S NOTE: High resolution, publication-ready photo(s) supporting this story available for free editorial use at: http://www.wirepix.com/newsphotos/USN |