On 06 September 2017, CFSI signed the Memorandum of Understanding for a project entitled, “Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) in Schools (No School is Left Behind: Enabling Incremental Progress of WASH in Schools in Cotabato City).” This project is in line with the Philippine Government’s Sustainable Development Goal for Education, and aims to support the establishment of an enabling environment, carried out by the Government through the Department of Education (DepEd) Order Number 10 Series of 2016: Policy and Guidelines for the Comprehensive Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene in Schools (WinS) Program.
CFSI’s initiative, which is supported by UNICEF and carried out in cooperation with DepEd , the City Government of Cotabato, and other community stakeholders is brought about by the current hygiene and sanitation challenges in public schools where many children are exposed to various infections, such as intestinal parasites, abdominal pain, and diarrhea due to the lack of efficient sanitation facilities. Oftentimes, these lead to anemia, stunted growth, and higher incidence of absenteeism, which consequently impedes a child’s learning ability as well as their stay in school. In effect, this contributes to low completion rate among elementary students.
In line with its goal of enhancing the effectiveness of hygiene behavioural change, and making certain that healthy habits are taught, practiced, and integrated into daily school routines, CFSI through its WinS project, participated in the 2017 Global Handwashing Day held in Cotabato City, Philippines. The event, entitled “Our Hands, Our Future,” was led by City Vice Mayor Graham Dumama and City Admin Dandan Juanday, and attended by representatives from the City Government, DepEd, and various non-government organisations. Students from schools around the city also participated in the simultaneous hand washing activity.
To watch highlights from this event, please click on the video below: