A R21.7 million grant will help to alleviate poor sanitation in schools in the Eastern Cape, according to an announcement by African Water Fund.
The grant will benefit 10 000 students in the region which has been plagued by poor attendance for hygiene reasons, particularly among the female student body. Business and employment opportunities will also be created by the initiative, especially for the local youth.
Social franchise
Close partnership arrangements between the local municipality and the community will provide sustainable and affordable sanitation services to roughly 300 schools in the Amathole and Buffalo City municipalities.
This social-franchise model has been approved by local government as an innovative, viable and sustainable business model for sanitation services.
The project will also aim to raise awareness among students of proper sanitation practices. A menstrual hygiene management plan will focus on the specific needs of pubescent girls. This plan will be piloted in 10 schools and sanitary disposal bins will also be provided.
The health of boys and girls will be improved by the project, and by setting up sanitation facilities, the school attendance of students will improve which will greatly contribute to the improvement of their education.
Improved sanitation
Sanitation awareness has the potential to reduce hygiene related illnesses such as diarrhea by as much as 45%. Fecal sludge for urban agriculture will be piloted through a locally developed process to address the complete sanitation service chain and improve the local environment.
Lack of sanitation services has a dramatic impact on girls completing school. In the Eastern Cape this has been particularly problematic as much as 50% of the population use ordinary pit latrines. One in ten school girls miss four days out of every four weeks of school due to the onset of menstrual cycles.
The Water Research Commission will be the grant recipient and executing agency and will collaborate with the Eastern Cape Department of Education on the project.