Around 230 students from Tetupa Primary will benefit from a WASH facility funded by the New Zealand Government through UNICEF and implemented by the World Vision Solomon Islands.
Speaking during the handing over ceremony yesterday, Country Director Jimmy Nadapdap thanked UNICEF for the support given to World Vision Solomon through the the Solomon Islands Better Learning Environment-WASH in Schools Project (SIBLE.
He said World Vision as a child focused organization is always grateful for working with schools and communities because through their work, children are benefiting.
“I wish to highlight that the SIBLE Project key activity includes the construction of student friendly WASH facility and Teachers WASH facility.
“I believe the facilities handed over today, especially the students’ WASH facility and that of teachers address the issues the school has experienced in the past.
“As we are aware, most schools in the country do not have proper WASH facilities, Tetupa you are lucky and today you are one step ahead of those other schools. Congratulations to Tetupa”, Mr Nadapdap said.
He also said the facilities are a timely gift to Tetupa as the whole world is grappling with the deadly virus-COVID 19, and hand washing or proper hygiene practices are measures apart from the vaccine.
“I believe Tetupa is ready in its preparedness and I encourage students to practice the hygiene knowledge that you also learnt from the project.
“In addition, I wish to encourage teachers and the surrounding communities to also take the Covid 19 vaccine as that is the only solution for us to go back to our normal life.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Tetupa Primary School Bartholomew Vavanga thanked the stakeholders for their support and said it was a milestone for the school.
He said the school has been struggling in terms of development but such support has lifted the face of the school where children will and enjoy the health benefits of the facility.
UNICEF WASH specialist Abigail Tevera also reminded students and teachers to take ownership and maintain the facilities.
She said Tetupa is one of the schools that benefit from such projects.
She said that water sanitation and hygiene in schools are an important pre-requisites for ensuring the right to basic education.
The Covid-19 pandemic has reaffirmed the criticality of the WASH facilities for hand washing, as one of the most cost-effective and relevant strategy to contain the spread of the contamination risks, Ms Tevera said.
Source. Island Sun newspaper,
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
