As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to mark this year’s World Toilet Day (WTD), a group, Power Forward said 900 direct beneficiaries of their project would embark on washing of toilets in schools and conduct public awareness in 30 secondary schools in Abuja.
World Toilet Day (WTD) is a World Health Organization Public Health recognized Day celebrated annually on November 19 to raise awareness of the role that toilets play in reducing diseases and creating healthier communities.
Power Forward is a youth life skills and public health development project that use basketball as a convening platform to train students on life skills such as effective communication, conflict resolution, embracing diversity, and gender equality.
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The project also seeks to increase knowledge of public health issues such as malaria and its prevention, water sanitation, personal hygiene and develop leadership in beneficiaries of the project.
Power Forward is a partnership between three organizations- ExxonMobil, the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Africare that has reached over 70,000 senior secondary students in 30 secondary schools Abuja with public health messages.
The group in a statement issued in Abuja said, “on 2019 World Toilet Day, 900 direct beneficiaries of the Power Forward project will wash toilets in their various schools and conduct public awareness campaigns in 30 secondary schools in Abuja.
“Because of these activities some Government Schools engaged on the project have been encouraged to renovate toilets that are available to students thereby improving toilet hygiene. The project has also erected 14 handwash stations in 14 schools to increase hand wash and toilet hygiene among students.
“These campaigns are expected to encourage healthy toilet management among in-school-youth, and enlighten them on the need for cleaner and better sanitation options. The youths are also expected to take this message to their various homes and communities at large, in order not to “leave anyone behind”.
The theme of this year’s WTD is “Leaving No One Behind” which emphasizes the importance providing toilets for every person in every community in efforts to reduce open defecation, provide access to clean water, availability of public toilets and proper disposal of faecal waste.
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