Students get hand-washing supplies

 MORE than 2400 school children in Eastern Highlands have been issued hand-washing kits.

The kits were given out under Oxfam International’s Water and improved Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme during Global Hand-Washing Day. 

It followed an awareness on health and hygiene.

Programme coordinator John Nokue said the theme of the programme, Raise a Hand for Hygiene, focused on proper hand-washing with soap.

“Children in primary schools were targeted by the Oxfam WASH team to increase awareness and understanding of the importance of proper hand-washing with soap as an effective and affordable way to prevent diseases,” Nokua said.

“Children were targeted to relay the messages to their homes and communities.” 

He said the current drought prompted Oxfam to merge the programme to deliver preventative health messages and deliver WASH kits to schools.

The schools involved were Mapemo Early Learning School (168 children), Iufiufa Primary School (565), Okiyufa Primary School (1258 children), Faniufa Primary School (360) and Koningi Primary School (98).

The kits include soap, water storage buckets, aqua tablets, toiletries, detergents and toilet brushes.

The programme will start to reach other schools in Eastern Highland.