Pader school gets sh800m water, sanitation project
The project, launched by Tekworo Foundation in partnership with Te-Tekworo Federation in Australia, the project will provide: improved water supply, sanitation facilities and waste management systems.
A student of Kworo High School inspects one of the facilities under the WASH project. (Credit: Christopher Nyeko)
____________________ Launch of the sh800m WASH project. (Photo by Christopher Nyeko)
A school in Pader District is set to benefit from an estimated sh800 million water, sanitation and hygiene project aimed at improving learners’ welfare.
The project, launched by Tekworo Foundation in partnership with Te-Tekworo Federation in Australia, the project will provide: improved water supply, sanitation facilities and waste management systems.
Alice Acan, the executive director of Tekworo Foundation, said the Australian partner's support reflected a shared commitment to the welfare and safety of schoolgirls.
The school, she added, had more than 800 learners and required approximately 40,000 litres of water daily for bathing and other activities, making reliable water access critical to their welfare.
The project has two major components: improving water access for students’ personal hygiene and domestic use, and strengthening sanitation and solid waste management.
Under the sanitation component, the initiative will provide additional toilet facilities, while the waste management system is expected to support the collection and recycling of solid waste into manure for agricultural use and other productive purposes.
The waste recycling component could also help the school promote environmental awareness among learners by demonstrating how properly managed waste can be converted into useful resources.
Focus on girls’ welfare
Where facilities are inadequate, girls may face additional difficulties managing personal hygiene, particularly during menstruation. Improved sanitation and reliable water supplies can help schools provide a more supportive environment for adolescent learners.
Acan said the project was intended to improve the welfare of girls and create conditions that support their participation in education.
Education officials welcome intervention
Pader District Education Officer Francis Olwoch described the initiative as the first of its kind in the district and pledged support from the district education department for programmes aimed at improving education standards and learners’ welfare.
Representing the Pader District Chairperson, Alfred Akena, Councillor Ojok Samule Okwera, who also serves as secretary for social services in Pader District Local Government, said the initiative demonstrated how cooperation between development partners and local communities could help address essential social service needs, particularly in education and public health.
For Pader District, the initiative provides an opportunity to demonstrate how investment in school water and sanitation infrastructure can complement efforts to improve education and protect learners’ well-being.