Better WASH for Healthy Nepal

Fourth grader at Lalit Kalyan Lower Secondary School in Balkumari, Lalitpur, Kamal asks for a break from the class for an escape from the heat of the midday sun and runs with his water bottle to the drinking water tap. He rests his bottle in the side of the sink and below the ‘Drinking Water With WATASOL Treated by ECCA’ sign, he opens the tap, washes his hands a little and proceeds to drink his fill before filling his bottle. Satisfied, he trots to his class, smiling and bidding a short bye to the juniors who were drinking water at the other tap.

A couple of months ago, the school had only one drinking tap facilitating around 150 students from grade 1 to 8. In the smouldering heat, the children had to come and queue up in the sole drinking water tap till the end of their recess time. It was difficult and impractical, some frustrated children would just opt not to stand in a queue or drink water. Principal Mr. Ramesh Shrestha states, “Due to the lack of insufficient taps, the children suffered a lot. They used to quarrel with each other over whose turn it was to drink water. It was distressing to see them arguing like that.”

In the 3^rd National Children’s Club Conference conducted in April by ECCA, two students from the school, Bimala and Dhiroj, had participated. It was an important participation for them, as they presented a proposal in the Knowledge Market Place about installing more drinking water taps in the school, which won Rs. 25,000. With the prize money, three taps, whose water was treated with WATASOL was installed just a couple of weeks earlier. Along with that, the school also set up a water tank for the extra taps. Shrestha shares that the excitement of the children drinking water without any quarreling was great to witness.

As Bimala comes to the drinking water tap with her friends for a quick refreshment, she looks happy. After a draught of the cool water, she goes back to her class, leaving an air of accomplishment behind her, evermore confident and sure of their success.

THANK YOU for your continuous support towards bringing smiles in faces of the students where we work. Do share the information of our program in your circle for change.  A regular updates on our activities are also posted through our Facebook page, Twitter and in our Blog posts. We look forward towards your valuable suggestions and comments.

Thanks & Regards,

Sachi Mulmi

Media Coordinator

Links:

• Blog on Improving access to safe drinking water - Lalit Kalyan