Many of the infections that school-age children are prone to are preventable through better sanitation and improved hygiene practices Key Elements of the WASH-in-Schools Program. Since 2019 The WASH Foundation’s WASH-in-Schools program trains teachers to sustainably incorporate WASH education into annual curriculums, improving the health of students through improved hygiene and sanitation behavior. In this way, we can help:
- Improve school attendance
- Reduce absences related to illness
- Create student change-makers who learn improved water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) habits in school, take these messages home, and promote healthy habits and lifestyles to their communities
The WASH-in-Schools program is designed to bring improved WASH infrastructure, better behavioral habits, and improved health to each new generation of students by providing educators with the skills and materials to incorporate WASH education into their annual curricula. Our lessons and activities also focus on keeping girls in school through menstrual hygiene management training.
The WASH Foundation teams train, support, and monitor teachers as they implement the nine-month program in the partner schools. Our program is scaled and replicated in schools throughout the community through annual teacher training, student/teacher peer-to-peer education programs, and friendly competitions.
We are currently implementing our WASH-in-Schools program in the Dominican Republic and Uganda, but we plan to expand our reach. In the Dominican Republic, we partner with 10 schools within the Altagracia Province to provide handwashing stations, education, and soap to students and staff. In 2024, five additional schools are joining the program. In Uganda, we have provided the WASH-in-Schools program to six schools, as well as improved water access and upgraded sanitation facilities. We have also offered menstrual hygiene management training and pad manufacturing workshops to increase economic empowerment opportunities for women and girls in the area. Together, we can ensure that all children and families have the tools they need to live a healthy, full life.
To learn more about how you can support our mission, please contact The WASH Foundation at info@thewashfoundation.org
