Students enjoy new pit toilets in rural school

 Papalealea Primary and Elementary School pupils have set up their water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) committee to take care of a project from Anglicare PNG through funding help from Water Aid Australia.

Anglicare’s WASH project programme manager Issabella Warre said Papalealea was the second school in Kairuku-Hiri district, Central, that the organisation had provided modern pit toilets and hand-washing facilities to.

She said through a partnership with the school, the student WASH committee was set up to look after the six modern pit toilets, two for elementary and four for primary students, a female shower room and 11 hand-washing facilities.

Yesterday the four committee members made up of Grades 7 and 8 pupils – Esther Gata, Koari Heni, Maria Dere and Rova Maha – and two teachers were happy to have a team from an Australian non-government organisation  visit. 

The team visited the school to see the effectiveness and benefit of the project in terms of improving sanitation and hygiene for students .

Health teacher Wapu James thanked Anglicare and Water Aid Australia for the facilities provided. 

“Students took the responsibility to make sure the toilets are cleaned everyday, as well as the drinking water and hand-washing areas,” she said. Research and evaluation manager Ben Ward, who visited the school, was impressed with students’ outstanding work in monitoring and keeping the  facilities clean.