“We do not need any extra workforce for cleaning toilets. We are sufficient for that. It is one of our duties and we feel proud to clean our own toilet and maintain it well,” students of Mitrata Secondary School, Tanahun District say in one voice. The students are aware of the negative consequences of keeping the school area dirty and also drinking polluted water. The teachers are happy that students regularly attend classes and they pay enough attention to their health and sanitation.

“Although we cannot give the exact data, we can confidently say that the overall education level of the students, both quantitatively and qualitatively, especially of girls, has increased," teachers of Surkhet district say. They add, "Because of the lack of sanitation facilities school dropouts of secondary level girls were common but now it has reduced significantly. In fact, there has been increase in enrollment of girl students.”

This all is the result of the Junior/ Youth Drinking Water and Sanitation Programme implemented by the Nepal Red Cross Society through its Junior/ Youth members. The Junior/ Youth Red Cross members organized at school, colleges and communities are supporting not only schools in providing safe drinking water and sanitary kits and education but also making the nearby communities aware of the necessity of keeping the environment clean and healthy. They support in constructing drinking water schemes, and sanitary units like toilet, drainage, soak-pit, garbage-pit, and disseminating knowledge for developing their habit of washing hands with soap or ash after defecation and before eating.

Most of the schools in the villages of Nepal have very nominal sanitation facilities except in some private schools where the sanitation is given necessary attention. Nepal is one of the countries in the world with poor health and sanitation indicators. Majority of the people live in poor sanitation and unhygienic conditions, which lead to multiple air and water-borne diseases. Out of 100 persons, only 27 have adequate sanitation facilities. School children are the most vulnerable to health hazards and subsequently are also affected the most. If the children cannot have an access to these basic needs, there is a higher possibility that there is a lower enrolment rate and higher drop out. Children cannot learn under the circumstances where there is no minimum health and hygiene.

A recent UNICEF report states, "Each year, the unhealthy situation contributes to 10 million episodes of diarrhea among children under five and the death of approximately 28,000 children." Likewise, a separate report by WHO and WFP indicates that three out of four school-aged children in Nepal are infected with parasites such as hookworm, round worm and whipworm. Available research has shown extensive linkage between poor personal and home hygiene and the incidence of preventable diseases, such as diarrhea, dysentery, skin and eye infections and acute respiratory infections (ARI).

Nepal Red Cross Society started the Junior Red Cross Drinking Water Supply Programme with support from the Japanese Red Cross in 1984. Started with the objective of improving the health condition of children, their families and the communities, the programme has provided safe drinking water and sanitation facilities in 43 districts by now. 180 thousand people have benefited from this programme so far. After this programme phased out in March 2003, one-year follow-up/maintenance activities were launched in April 2003. These activities were carried out in 16 JRC/RCY circles in 9 districts. Junior / Youths are also working to improve the health condition of the children, their families and the communities under School Sanitation Programme. Under this Programme International Friendship Project is being implemented in Chitawan, Nawalparasi and Tanahun districts. The programmes are expected to provide safe drinking water and toilet facility to children in school and nearby communities and also raise awareness on basic health and sanitation issues. The juniors and youths are supporting the whole communities as change agents. "They have played a significant role in raising health awareness in the communities," says Mukti Pokharel, Head of the programme. "Drastic changes have occurred in programme implemented areas and communities. Awareness on sanitation at the community level is very high. The child-to-child approach for disseminating knowledge has been very effective," he further adds. This programme that has considerably boosted up morale of Junior Red Cross members instills the spirit of working together.

"This initiative of students not only shows they are aware but also gives them a sense of responsibility for disseminating the knowledge they acquire amongst their friends, family as well as entire community," says Tirtha N. Manandhar, headmaster of a school.

Regular operation and maintenance system has been established in programme completed JRC/RCY circles with the help of school management committees and users committees of the communities. Despite the nominal support for maintenance programme, JRC/RCY circles and users committees are sustaining the programmes in the school and the communities on their own efforts. Students have become models for community people to maintain and update their schemes.

"The programme has been a very successful one. We hope to reach more schools and communities with similar programmes in future," concludes Mr. Pokherel.

By Khem Aryal