R16m boost for East Cape schools sanitation project

More than R16-million has been allocated by the African Development Bank to boost water supply and sanitation for schools around East London.

The project is a joint initiative by Amanz’Abantu, the Water Research Commission (WRC) and franchisor Impilo Yabantu.

The three-year project aims to improve hygiene practices and the use of sanitation facilities at 302 schools in the Amathole district.

A further undisclosed amount will be co-funded by the department of education.

Zezethu Fulanisi, East London district school sanitation programme manager for African Water Facility, a division of the African Development Bank, said they had already had an existing operation and maintenance project funded by the department of education.

“The current DoE project is operating and maintenance of existing school sanitation facilities and the work includes periodic industrial cleaning of toilets and the desludging of full pits and basic health and hygiene education.”

Fulanisi said a portion of the AfDB fund would be allocated towards work done in the programme for conducting minor repairs on existing sanitation facilities.

“Most of the funds will be used for the establishment of sanitation clubs with the aim of raising the level of sanitation in schools and to strengthen the health and hygiene education provided in schools.”

Education district director Sihle Mnguni said the initiative was appreciated by the department.

“We do have challenges in our schools, especially those that are not in the urban areas. Anything that seeks to uplift and support our schools is welcome and applauded.”

Franchisee Nocawe Luphuwana, one of 22 franchisees trained and subcontracted by Impilo Yabantu, said she had been involved in the project since 2009 when it was piloted in Butterworth.

“In 2012 it was launched and now it is merely being expanded. We clean school toilets and we interact with the school to establish whether or not the numbers of toilets at the school are adequate for the number of learners at the school.

“We also examine the condition of the toilets and find out how they can be improved and educate the learners and teachers on how to keep the toilets clean.”

Amanz’Abantu chairwoman Ethne Davey said the initiative aimed to give children a clean learning environment.

“Girl children in schools are already being discriminated against when teachers don’t consider their privacy in schools. They need to relieve themselves in their own space, behind closed doors.”

WRC research manager Sudhir Pillay said girls were losing out on their education because they were staying away from school. “Research has shown that when girls don’t have the privacy to change their tampons in a private environment, they stay away from school.”

Amanz’Abantu managing director Oliver Ive said they wanted to change the perception that sanitation was a dirty job. He said the programme was the ideal business model for stakeholders to replicate elsewhere.

“This is a big solution for the Eastern Cape. We are moving forward and stretching boundaries.

“Hygiene is essential and it is best put to effect in schools to allow learners to practise it at home where the scholars can influence the parents, therefore replicating throughout the community.”

The initiative aims to demonstrate faecal sludge management through mobile treatment technology and to establish and implement an efficient, long-term menstrual health management plan which will be implemented in 10 selected schools.