Help 2,000 School Girls Access Clean Sanitation

1. Background

Loreto Vietnam is implementing educational programs in most disadvantaged communities of Vietnam where most residents are farmers, fishermen, day laborers or migrants with low income. 32% of the students are from state registered ‘poor’ or ‘near-poor’ families. 42% of the classrooms are downgraded and have to be closed down on extremely rainy days. Among Loreto Vietnam’s project schools, 47% are lacking basic hygiene facilities with temporary toilet block or even no toilet at all. This challenge is creating more health risks to students and teacher as well as refraining them from attending classes regularly. Without hand-washing practice and lack of safe water, killer diseases including COVID can happen at a wide scale during a short period, if we do not implement urgent intervention programs.

"A toilet is not just a toilet. It is a life-saver, dignity-protector and opportunity-maker. Whoever you are, wherever you are, sanitation is your human right" (United Nations, 2020). Sharing that spirit, Loreto Vietnam understands the importance of clean water, basic toilet, and good hygiene for the survival and development of every human beings, especially children. As an effort to resolve the problem and to raise awareness and improve sanitation standards, Loreto Vietnam seeks to renovate toilet blocks, provide health education program and ensure standard sanitation facilities, safe water, new wash basins and separate areas for girls and boys to promote their safety, privacy and comfort.

To further expand the knowledge of students in hygiene, health and appropriate toilet practices, regular communications and training are conducted. The teachers and students would also join in-class talks and discussions on how to keep the school including toilet areas safe, clean and green, initiate waste management and water save solutions.

2. Key activities

-          Needs assessment: 

Loreto Vietnam performed various needs assessment meetings with the local authorities,  project schools including principals, key teachers and focus-group students on their needs related to school sanitation and health education, their knowledge, skills, and expected outcomes.

-          Renovating school sanitation facilities

Under the support of the local authority, 2 new toilet blocks are built and fully equipped, separately for girls and boys, 1 new water storage tank is equipped.

-          Capacity building and communications

Loreto Vietnam provided trainings on health knowledge and skills for all the schools. The team also delivered the communications sessions to the students and teachers via two simple and easy videos to learn and practice how to wash hands properly. All the teachers will use 6 steps of handwashing and dance to integrate into all classes within their official curricula.

-          Monitoring and supportive supervision

Loreto Vietnam conducted monthly monitoring trips to review the implementation and provide supportive supervision to all the schools. The local partners assigned staff to be responsible for maintaining, and operating the project regularly; planning periodic communication activities, guide students on the use of the facilities, personal hygiene, and school sanitation; setting up daily and weekly cleaning and cleaning schedules.

3. Next steps:

-          To sustain the model implementation by continuing providing the trainings on health education, monitoring and supportive supervision and organizing regular review meetings with local partners.

-          To explore the opportunities of expanding the model to other districts and provinces based on the lessons learned and achievements of the current model