Project Background
Thank you for the vital role you are playing in helping to transform the lives of students in Papua New Guinea. Our schools program in Papua New Guinea provides safe water, sanitation and hygiene to children, ensuring some of the very poorest children in Papua New Guinea have a better chance of achieving their ambitions.
Access to clean drinking water and sanitation is an issue for over half of Papua New Guinea's population, many of whom live in re-mote, rural locations that are hard to reach with essential services.
There is low access to education in rural areas, and a widespread lack of understanding about the importance of toilets and basic hygiene practices to health. Diarrhoeal diseases are common.
Our work with schools helps to ensure students and teachers have water points and basic toilets, allowing them to focus on their school work. We also promote the need for hand washing and good menstrual hygiene practices.
Project Overview
One of the rural schools we worked in was Kouderika Primary School. Kouderika Primary School is a school in the Central Prov-ince of Papua New Guinea with 200 students. The school only had one toilet, so the students had to use the bush or village beach for defecation. With nowhere safe and clean to go to the toilet, these children were exposed to disease, lack of privacy and embarrassment.
Improvements in water, sanitation and hygiene can lead to in-creased school attendance and performance due to healthier students. Additionally, if private toilets and shower facilities are installed, more girls will stay in school.
This is because a lack of toilet facilities creates a particular problem for menstruating girls, who often skip school or drop out altogether.
Thanks to supporters like you and the hard work and expertise of our team on the ground, all the pupils and teachers at Kouderika Primary School have clean water and safe and private sanitation facilities for the very first time.
The new facilities have transformed the health and education of the pupils, and made the school a much cleaner and safer environment in which to learn. As a result, these children have a real opportunity to achieve their potential, and in time will contribute to the growth and development of their community and country.
Key Project Outcomes
Toilet Blocks
Three permanent toilets were constructed and one female shower room was constructed for the primary school. The school now has four toilets.
Drinking water and hand washing facilities
Rainwater supply systems were installed along with hand washing facilities. Access to drinking water and hand washing facilities allow children to keep clean, healthy and hydrated.
Hygiene education
Staff and students participated in a workshop to talk about hygiene practices. Improving hygiene behaviour is vital for the full benefits of access to water and sanitation to be realised.
Project Partners
Our partner for this project was local NGO Anglicare PNG. We invest in our local partner organisations to help them deliver project work. We typically provide financial support, training and technical advice as well as help with planning, budgeting and institutional development.
What next?
Our local partner intends to use the positive results at Kouderika Primary School to show other schools the improvements that can be made in the lives of students when safe toilets and water supply systems are installed. They also intend to use the results to motivate staff and students to take care of their water, sanitation and hygiene facilities.
Can I visit this project?
Due to the nature of the project, not at this time.
What’s covered in project cost
Funding will go towards providing one school in the National Capital District region of Papua New Guinea with six toilets, a tank-based water supply, and one female shower, educational workshops for students and teachers, and monitoring and evaluation of the project.
Project objectives
You can play a vital role in transforming the future prospects of students at a school in the National Capital District. A safe supply of clean water and private hygienic toilets can help ensure children get the education they need.
Clean water and safe and private toilets are essential in promoting good hygiene behaviour and general health. Improvements in water, sanitation and hygiene can lead to increased school attendance and performance due to healthier students. Additionally, if private toilets and shower facilities are installed, more girls will stay in school. This is because a lack of toilet facilities creates a particular problem for menstruating girls, who often skip school or drop out altogether due to shame and lack of privacy.
The benefits of investing in this work:
- With completed water and toilet facilities for the school you’ll be removing the barriers to education for hundreds of children in Papua New Guinea.
- You’ll share in the moment when water and sanitation comes to a school in this mountainous region of Papua New Guinea.
- Improved health among students and better overall attendance and retention rate (especially among female students).
Background on current situation
The school we’re asking you to support is typical of primary schools in the National Capital District. The school has about 400 students, and those students have nowhere safe to go to the toilet, or get a drink. While it is hard for us to imagine, most schools in Papua New Guinea are constructed without toilets or access to clean water. A school without water and toilets means children are prevented from regular attendance at school, and miss vital lessons and school days. Many students cannot attend school due to diarrhoea and students are sent home when the limited school water supplies run out. With no toilets at the school, students have no choice but to go in the open.
Project partners / community involvement
WaterAid will work with our local partner, Anglicare, on this project. Anglicare aims to enable rural people to develop and use skills and appropriate technologies that give them more control over their lives and contribute to the sustainable development of their communities. WaterAid supports communities through funding, by providing advice and sharing resources, and providing monitoring and evaluation advice.
The school children will be involved in construction of the facilities in appropriate ways (eg collecting plant-based materials for the walls and roof, and undertaking light construction work), and their parents’ involvement is also encouraged. Local materials are used in the construction of the facilities.
How this project fits into a larger strategy
WaterAid has been working in Papua New Guinea since 2005. Papua New Guinea faces many development challenges. People living in rural communities typically have low access to education and suffer many preventable diseases such as diarrhoea. Over 900 children die each year from diarrhoea caused by unsafe water and sanitation.
WaterAid and its partners pay special attention to the issue of girls leaving school early because of the stigma and embarrassment associated with menstruation. Our school water, sanitation and hygiene program includes the development of appropriate girl-friendly toilets and showers. These activities will have a positive impact on girls’ attendance and completion of schooling, which of course brings a great many benefits not only to the girls, but to their future family’s health and the community as a whole.