Public schools in indigenous areas in Guatemala are poorly equipped and funded, significantly contributing to the high regional elementary school dropout rate (about 50% do not graduate 5th grade). Students in Barrio San Pablo are currently without functional toilets during the school day, and lack a handwashing station for hygiene. Worse, during rain, the toilets overflow. This project will provide a new three-toilet bathroom facility with a handwashing station and a sanitary septic system.
Public schools in Guatemala, especially in the indigenous areas, are poorly equipped and funded. Poor facilities are a major contributor to the high dropout rate during elementary school (about 50%). One of these schools is in Barrio San Pablos in a part of Chisec, Guatemala. However, the current bathrooms on the school property are very old and nonfunctional, negatively affecting child health due to unsanitary facilities as well as school attendance, learning, and privacy.
We would like to provide new bathrooms and a septic system for this school. This will enable the students to focus on their school work and learning and have a sanitary educational environment. The project will be a three-toilet bathroom building with lockable doors, handwashing station, and a sanitary septic tank for a primary school in Barrio San Pablo. Handwashing and other WASH training will be provided to improve child health.
The new bathroom facility will help the 146 school children with functional toilets for use during the school day, improving their ability to learn hygienically and comfortably. Also, disease and malnutrition caused by water-borne pathogens will be significantly reduced by the handwashing station and overall improved hygiene of the facilities. Better health and more comfortable facilities can improve school attendance. The septic tanks will prevent waste leakage and contamination of the village.
