A day in two parts, part 2

I'm not sure I can find the right superlatives to describe the time we had with the school children of Padli village today. It was an absolute pleasure and joy to talk to them, ask questions and be asked questions back. I think you'll get a sense of it from the photos.

Their village has recently achieved 100% sanitation coverage and this is thanks to the children and their teachers changing the attitudes of parents and elders. It proves what a force for change children can be and how educating the younger generation can also teach the older generations.

The area around the school was often used for open defecation as it was one of the few areas available to the villagers but this clearly meant that it was unclean for the children to play and they had to endure the stench that came with the waste.

So what did they do ? A group of children went to school extra early to play games outside to prevent people using the school grounds for open defecation. They also got whistles and blew them if someone tried and use the area. In addition to this they took what they had learnt at school home with them to teach their parents the benefits of sanitation.

Again, what have WaterAid done to help this, they have provided support to the local organisations that have worked with the village and in this case the school to change behaviours which in turn has created real changes in the community in question.

Thumbs up!

The Minister for Education from the school Parliament