WASH in Schools

“Making WASH services available in academic environments”

Many schools and/or learning institutions lack safe drinking water, toilets and soap for hand-washing, making learning and teaching difficult for children and teachers respectively – with devastating consequences for the future of children most especially.

Children who cannot wash their hands face a greater risk of infection and diarrhoeal disease than those who can, putting them at risk of missing more school days.

EPDA is developing and building a huge resource base in order to support learning institutions in rural and urban settings. We also focus on establishing and rehabilitating WASH facilities in schools.

Along with our partners, we advocate to governments, donors and the private sector to improve WASH services in schools, and to facilitate knowledge exchange and learning.

WASH in emergencies

“SSafing and serving vulnerable people and their communities in times of crisis”

During humanitarian emergencies, the risk of human rights violations, violence and displacement to the affected individuals is extreme. Above all, water and sanitation systems are often vulnerable to attack. With no potable water or adequate sanitation and hygiene facilities, individuals especially those already suffering from malnutrition and weakened immune systems — become even more susceptible to water-borne diseases.

To prevent the outbreak of public health emergency, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services needs to be tailored to support communities in times of crisis – including during armed conflict and other fragile contexts.

EPDA’s response

EPDA’s approach to WASH interventions during emergencies focuses on preparedness in conflict and natural disaster risks.

EPDA aims at securing lives in fragile and vulnerable contexts by first providing water in containers, treating piped water, repairing damaged water supply and sanitation systems, digging wells, constructing temporary latrines, providing essential hygiene items and promoting hygiene practices.

Peace preservation

By intervening in both humanitarian and development related work, we mainstream peace education and encourage spirit of social cohesion especially in conflicted affected localities. EPDA support vulnerable people with water and sanitation services to IDPs, host families and host communities.

After a disaster

EPDA conducts rapid assessments of the needs of populations affected as well as recovering from disasters to facilitate the process of defining support streams. We work to assess physical damages, economic loss, and the cost of recovery in the wake of natural disasters and humanitarian emergencies, and partner with international organizations to assist those in critical need.