The WASH Foundation, an evolution of Clean the World Foundation has been serving four economically challenged schools in the Punta Cana-Bavaro region of the Dominican Republic as part of our WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) in Schools program since 2019. The program incorporates lessons on regular, thorough handwashing and personal hygiene practices into the existing school curriculum. The lessons stress the vital importance of good hygiene and sanitation habits to staying healthy and preventing the spread of diseases, such as diarrhea and pneumonia. Since the inception of the program, sixteen handwashing stations have been installed across all four schools to provide students and teachers access to water. Thousands of Clean the World recycled soap bars have been donated to the schools as well.
This month, in an effort to strengthen and expand our programming in the Dominican Republic, our CTWF team members paid a visit to other facilities in the Punta Cana-Bavaro region that stand to benefit from the implementation of our WASH programs.
We met with the Director of the Health Center in the district of Verón to discuss implementing our WASH hygiene education program and installing a handwashing station at the health center, which serves an estimated 3,500 people each month. We also visited the Nazareth Educational Center to assess their WASH facilities and identify how CTWF can help improve access to safe water and sanitation at the center.
CTWF is also making strides to expand our reach into other regions in the Dominican Republic, in particular the western province of Elías Piña near the Haitian border. Our team met with Dr. Mily Martinez, the governor of the province, to propose implementing our WASH programs, including Menstrual Health and Hygiene, in different education and health centers in that area. We visited El Guayabo Health Center and El Guayabo Educational Center to evaluate their current WASH services and facilities and consider the implementation of our WASH hygiene education program and the installation of handwashing stations there as well.
We look forward to strengthening and expanding our programs in the Dominican Republic, with the mission of bringing access to WASH services and supplies to vulnerable communities with limited or no access to safe water and sanitation.
Help us strengthen and expand our reach in the Dominican Republic by donating to our WASH for All initiative!
