Sanitation facilities for 5 Public schools Uganda

The management of SCOEN wish to thank all generous donors that have continued supporting the less fortunate amidst this challenging time for us all of Covid 19 or corana virus.

Uganda as a nation has been on lock down for over 16 weeks now, schools closed upto now.The schools are yet to open up, the ministry of Education and Sports announce this years fate will be pronounces this month of August, 2020.

If schools are to open. the identified schools have no enough separate latrines for boys, girls and teachers, the three categories tend to share the same latrines which make it difficult for a girl child epecially.

SCOEN aims is to constructdrainable girl friendly VIP latrines of 5 stances each with wash room and to
provide reliable hand washing facility for girls of menstruating age in the five public schools identified in Bukedea and Soroti district. Also, to reduce the high pupil to latrines ratio and  provide a separate girls' pit-latrine with washing facilities and clean water in the 5 schools, this will ensure school attendance of girls during menstruation and increase the number of girls with qualifications.

In the life time of a woman, she will have a total of around 3,000 days of menstruation. For her basic schooling period which range from primary 3 to 7 the number of such days is 450.
There is a growing awareness of special needs of girls in the school. At school, girls are faced with poor facilities – inadequate hand washing facilities, no privacy and non-functioning or insufficient toilets. This reduces their school attendance. Adolescent girls are often absent from school due, in part, to inadequate sanitation facilities. It is important to realize that one out of two 13-year-old girls will probably be menstruating. One in eight girls begins to menstruate (menarche) when she is 11 years or younger.

The aim of the project is to construct 4 latrines of 5 stances pit-latrines with two wash rooms/changing room in each latrine and to provide reliable clean washing water for girls of menstruating age in two schools of Akaikai, Awoja, Telamoti and Aminit Primary Schools in the Soroti district. Also, to reduce the high pupil to latrines ratio and offer separate toilet/pit-latrines for boys and girls; and raising awareness about menstruation to eliminate the stigma of menstruation.

To provide a separate girls’ pit-latrine with washing facilities the four schools, as well as raising awareness, will ensure school attendance of girls during menstruation and increase the number of girls with qualifications.

 Achievements against planned activities and targets

 As per the month of January, 2018 below are the achievement against planned activities:-

• Successfully conduct stake holders meeting with education, community development, planning and water and sanitation departments.
• Identified the contractor
• Conducted site visits and allocation and handover of the sites to the contractor
• Excavation of the latrines in the fours.
• Collection of community contribution (locally available materials)

 Activities planned for the next month

• Completion of pit excavation
• Laying of foundation
• Construction of latrines in 4 four targeted schools