FREETOWN: Water, Sanitation & Hygiene at school

WASH in Schools: Advancing SDG Targets

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in schools is included in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs, targets 4.a, 6.1 and 6.2). An acknowledgement that quality education and access to water and sanitation go hand in hand. 

Access to clean drinking water, safe toilets and hand washing facilities help students stay healthy, focus on learning and attend school with dignity.

Under the SDG standards, a school is considered to have basic WASH services when students can drink safe water, use clean and functioning toilets that are separated for boys and girls, and wash their hands with water and soap.

Water infrastructure is not enough

Organisations such as UNICEF, World Health Organization and many WASH practitioners emphasise that water infrastructure alone is not enough to guarantee long-term health benefits or sustainable use. Lasting impact comes when students understand the importance of hygiene and safe water practices. 

Since children spend a large part of their day at school, this makes schools one of the most important places to promote health, hygiene and wellbeing, turning them into lifelong habits. 

That is why many schools involved in water infrastructure projects establish WASH Clubs alongside the improved water and sanitation facilities.

What Is a WASH Club?

A WASH Club is a student-led group that promotes good water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) practices at school. Its purpose is to help students develop healthy habits so that new drinking water facilities are used to their full potential. Students learn about topics such as:

• Washing their hands at the right moments
• Safe drinking water practices
• Good toilet and personal hygiene
• Menstrual health
• The importance of a clean environment

When these water, sanitation and hygiene practices become part of everyday life, they help reduce the spread of disease and create healthier schools and communities.

Creating the Next Generation of WASH Champions

The combination of safe water infrastructure and student-led education is what makes programmes like this extra powerful.

The borehole and water facilities at school provide the foundation. The WASH Club helps ensure that students understand the importance of hygiene, sanitation and safe water use, and gives them the confidence to share that knowledge with others.

As a result, the impact extends far beyond access to water alone. It helps create a new generation of young people who are equipped to improve health, dignity and wellbeing in their communities.