School Health and Hygiene for Mayan Children

We have been forming some exciting new partnerships since our last check-in. Our Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) project has been collaborating with Colgate to equip our beneficiary schools with healthy dental hygiene knowledge and supplies. This initiative is part of Colgate’s innovative campaign “Brilliant Smiles, Brilliant Futures.”

On August 16-17, school directors, teachers, and parents from all of Pueblo a Pueblo’s beneficiary schools gathered at Tzanjuyu and La Cumbre schools to attend a series of workshops led by Colgate Program Ambassadors Carlos Soberanis and Nery Castillo. Important themes were covered, such as the relationship between healthy habits, self-esteem, and academic productivity.

Colgate Ambassador Carlos Soberanis asked, "What happens when children brush their teeth? They are nourishing their self-esteem, sense of security, and confidence. And self-esteem is vital. It can affect whether a student becomes a lawyer, an architect, or a bilingual translator...”

The Colgate Ambassadors also reviewed tips and tricks for children to use when brushing their teeth, and they gave parents toothpaste, a toothbrush, and fun informational games for students to play at home. In total, 3,945 of Pueblo a Pueblo’s beneficiary students received Colgate supplies!

In addition to trainings, we officially completed and inaugurated new WASH facilities at San Juan Mirador School. We also celebrated the installment of a new rainwater collection system at Totolya School, so that students and teachers always have a secure supply of water. With WASH facilities and access to clean water, in addition to dental hygiene trainings, students are equipped with more tools to fight away the germs and develop good self-esteem!

Last time we checked in at San Juan Mirador School, a small, Kaqchikel-speaking community outside of San Lucas Toliman, we were in the very beginning stage of breaking ground on new WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) facilities. The bathrooms at San Juan Mirador were in such poor conditions that students were at high risk of getting sick and missing school.

Thanks to a partnership with the students at Trailside Middle School in Ashburn, VA, and support from donors like you, construction is well underway. During this first phase, Pueblo a Pueblo is building four latrines, two handwashing stations with four faucets, and a urinal. The WASH facilities are set to be completed by early August, which means the teachers and 222 students at San Juan Mirador will soon have access to new clean bathrooms!

Meanwhile, we’ve moved forward with our second round of training for WASH student ambassadors. During this training, the WASH student ambassadors at San Juan Mirador learned how personal hygiene affects self-esteem and academic productivity. Teachers and students were divided into two groups. They then analyzed short stories explaining how poor hygiene habits, like not washing your hands or not bathing, can cause sickness. The stories showed that when students get sick often, they miss more school, harming their academic development and self-esteem.

WASH student ambassadors also learned how to create good personal hygiene routines. For example, students should always wash fruits and vegetables before eating them, and they should boil tap water before drinking it. With this knowledge in hand, WASH ambassadors can encourage their peers to follow these healthy habits as well!

WASH Project Coordinator Tomas Mendoza notes that it is  “very important to have a group of student ambassadors learn healthy habits, so they can be change-makers for a healthier school environment and improve the overall personal hygiene of their peers.”

Now that they are equipped with personal hygiene and sanitation knowledge and the soon-to-be finished WASH facilities, students and teachers at San Juan Mirador are on their way to healthier and more productive school days!