A school that distributes towels but provides no latrine with a door that locks, no water for washing, and no bin for disposal is
a school where a girl must still choose between attending class and managing her period with dignity. The distribution of supplies
and the provision of facilities are two halves of the same work. Without the facilities, the supplies cannot be used. Without the
supplies, the facilities serve no purpose. School WASH programmes are what make the two fit together.
We work with schools to build and maintain water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities that girls can actually use. The facilities
include latrines with doors that lock, separate facilities for girls and boys, water and soap for washing, and a bin for disposal.
The design of each facility is informed by what the girls in the school need, and by what the school can maintain over time. A
latrine that is designed without considering how it will be maintained is a latrine that will fall into disrepair within a year. A
facility that is designed with the girls' needs in mind, and with the school's capacity to maintain it, is a facility that can
serve the school for years.
The purpose of school WASH programmes is that every child — and every girl in particular — has what she needs to attend school
without difficulty. A girl who has a clean, private place to manage her period is a girl who does not miss school during her
period. A child who has clean water and functioning latrines is a child who is less likely to become ill, and who is more likely
to attend school consistently. A school where the facilities work is a school where children can learn without the distractions
that failing infrastructure creates. The WASH programme is not separate from the work of keeping children in school. It is part of
what makes the school a place where children can stay.
School WASH programmes provide the facilities that girls need to manage their periods at school, and the water and sanitation
that keep children healthy and in class.
