Kwara: Foundation provides wash stations for 320 public schools

…26,550 students trained on hygiene in six months

 Stakeholders in education and health sectors in Kwara state have emphasized hand washing as a key component in ensuring hygiene and prevention of illnesses in public schools and communities.

Speaking at a stakeholders engagement on WBFA-Dettol Hygiene Quest programme among public school students in Ilorin, participants who include public health experts, officials of state ministries of Education, Health, Women Development, SUBEB, as well as local government officials among others, called for collaborative efforts to achieve healthy living among students, saying that government alone cannot shoulder the task.

In his contribution, the chief programme manager of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WBFA), Kehinde Akinsola, said that hand hygiene is a vital step toward healthy living, adding that hand washing is the first form of prevention.

“Everywhere you go, germs follow you. So, the best way to stay safe is to wash your hands, which is why we take this message to schools, communities, and healthcare facilities”, he said.

Akinsola said that a total of 26,550 students were reached in first and second quarters of the year in the programme’s engagement with students to promote proper hygiene practices within the targeted schools in Asa, Ilorin East and Ilorin South local government areas of the state.

He also said that 13,082 mothers (pregnant and lactating mothers of under-5 children) were educated during antenatal and post natal classes, adding that 2,779 community members were visited in 31 communities of the state in the efforts at promoting hygiene among local population.

The WBFA programme manager said that good hygiene reduces medical expenses, keeps children in school, and improves their academic performance, ultimately securing a better future for them.

Speaking on government involvement, Akinsola, charged authorities to build on existing efforts by supporting the 320 Kwara schools already equipped with hygiene wash stations.

“We want the government to adopt those schools as pilots, include them in the state budget, and provide consumables like soap to keep the Hygiene Quest Clubs sustainable”, he said.

On her part, the executive director and Country Director of Operations for the Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WBFA), Dr. Adebukola Shittu, said that, “When organisations, individuals and institutions come together, we can ensure total well-being of everybody”.

Dr. Shittu described the programme as a mission-driven initiative that places the wellbeing of children and families at its core.

She said that through the initiative, schools were reached, educators engaged, and young learners empowered with knowledge and practical skills to serve them for a lifetime. “These are the early lessons that shape not only individual habits but also national health systems”.

“At WBFA, we hold firm to the principle that good health starts with prevention, and prevention starts with hygiene. This programme aligns seamlessly with our broader commitment to enhancing Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) practices as a cornerstone of maternal, newborn, and child health”, she said.

Also speaking, the UNESCO desk officer in the ministry of Education, Mr. Taye Odedeji, rated impact of WBFA and Reckitt high in school hygiene and healthy living.

“For instance, awareness on hygiene quest among students, schools and communities has been raised very high.

“You see, it’s very high because the awareness has increased, not only among students and teachers, but these practices are what people do not really take seriously before. And having WBFA coming to intervene has encouraged that.

Odedeji, however, advised that parents, school based management committees and communities should be involved the more, especially, in areas of feedback on the activities already executed.

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