OVERVIEW:
This project aims to build six pit latrines for a school in Swaziland. “’Tippy Taps’ will also be installed and hygiene education undertaken. At the moment the school has four latrines for 500 students, which is not sufficient. Hygiene is poor, and there is not a separate boys and girls latrine area, meaning young girls are not able to be safe or discreet. Lack of hygiene facilities and knowledge has led to high rates of sickness and school absence.
WHAT WE LIKE ABOUT IT:
This is a holistic approach, including toilets and hygiene measures, as well as training the school teachers in a new style of teaching. Thus one simple project has multiple outcomes. The idea is to train the school teachers to conduct the hygiene training for the rest of the school. By training the teachers in hygiene training using the latest pedagogical methods, this will allow the teachers to update their teaching methodology in general, and expose them to new tools.
The school has identified lack of latrines as a constraint to better education outcomes and the local community will participate in their construction.
BUDGET:
The total budget in the local currency is 81,200 Emalangeni (SZL). Funds will be used to construct 6 pit latrines, make and install tippy taps, develop and print training materials and undertake the hygiene training. Costs are kept low through community participation.
THE NEED:
Inadequate number of latrines is a leading cause of young women dropping out of school. Poor hygiene is a leading cause of child-hood illness. Both lead to poorer quality of life and a continuation of the poverty cycle. Sufficient latrines with appropriate hygiene facilities will reduce school drop out rates, reduce days of absence due to illness, and assist students to concentrate better when at school. In addition, through innovative techniques, teachers will also be exposed to up-to-date pedagogical methodologies. Current opportunities for teachers to update their skills are extremely limited.
LIFE CHANGE:
