A safe school for Nadia
Improving learning environments with water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities
Just two years ago, 10-year-old Nadia’s school in Badghis province, western Afghanistan had no water. With 1,500 children enrolled at the school, the strain on the limited sanitation facilities, with no water, was enough to keep children away and missing critical learning hours. Nadia and her friends had a difficult time going hours without water to drink or wash their hands, and without proper sanitation facilities.
About 58 per cent of public schools in Afghanistan do not have drinking water and handwashing stations. On average, there is just one functioning toilet for 249 students. Children who cannot wash their hands face a greater risk of infection than those who can, putting them at risk of missing more school days because of illness.
With funding from the Government of Japan, UNICEF supported the drilling of an 85-metre well at Nadia’s school, installed a solar powered water supply system, two hand washing stations with 20 taps, and constructed 10 toilets.
Beyond getting new water and sanitation facilities, Nadia and her classmates also get information from their teacher about why it is important to wash hands with soap - which is now available at the school - as well as other good hygiene practices.
“Children spend a big part of their day at school, so it is important to have water and toilets. Before these new facilities were constructed, many parents were reluctant to let their children come to school,” explains Nadia’s teacher.
For girls like Nadia in particular, WASH services can impact learning, health, and dignity, and are a critical component of a safe, inclusive and effective learning environment.
Since 2020 the Government of Japan has supported the construction of water, sanitation and hygiene facilities in 69 schools across Afghanistan, helping to create a safe learning environment for thousands of children.
In 2023, UNICEF provided safe water to 2.1 million people communities, schools and health facilities. UNICEF also provided sanitation facilities to 1.1 million people as well as WASH supplies and hygiene information to 2 million people across all 34 provinces.
