WASH Awareness

A school’s cleanliness and infrastructure can significantly impact children’s health and wellbeing. Disease can spread quickly in compact, inadequately ventilated spaces, where toilets are in disrepair and handwashing facilities are not accessible. Schools, often, are places where children start becoming ill.

Across the world, millions of women and girls lack access to appropriate facilities for menstrual hygiene management due to inadequate access to WASH infrastructure and education. For school-aged girls, the lack of private toilets, hand washing stations and access to hygienic facilities means they are unable to maintain their menstrual hygiene in a safe and dignified manner. 

On top of the increased risk of sickness, this results in further school absenteeism. 

Education has the power to change lives; it is crucial in achieving societal equality, prosperous communities and breaking the cycle of poverty. Missing vital parts of their education has severe economic and social costs on children’s lives and their communities. Without quality education, children face significant barriers to employment and wage-potential later in life.