In developing countries, water and hygiene facilities are not only critical for community health, but also a surprising and significant driver of academic success. Students with access to clean water and hygiene facilities demonstrate better attendance and higher graduation rates. Unclean water and lack of toilets result in significant increases in absence from school due to illness, time spent gathering unclean water for households, or avoidance due to fear of not having access to facilities. Recent studies show that providing these kinds of facilities can decrease absenteeism by an impressive 33%.
Improving attendance is vital. In Ethiopia, graduation from secondary school more than doubles a student’s expected lifetime earnings, and girls who stay in school see a 20% increase in expected earnings for every year they complete. In other words, improved facilities can keep students on track to break cycles of poverty and realize a bright future.
In Ethiopia, the Barzilai Foundation is partnering with Project Waterfall to solve this problem and bring WASH (water, sanitation, hygiene) facilities to two schools. Project Waterfall addresses water inequity in coffee-growing countries such as Ethiopia where areas suffer impaired access to clean water.
In Addis Ababa, Tsehay Chora School and Atse Tewoderos School combine to host 4,000 students each year but lack sufficient WASH facilities. For example, water storage tanks are available, but without filtration systems, which leads to unclean water. In addition, the current water facilities only function for three days per week, and the schools lack proper toilets and any kind of handwashing facilities.
“In addition to these barriers, these two schools are located in underprivileged parts of the city,” said Brandon Sosa, CEO of the Barzilai Foundation. “Knowing how much WASH facilities can drive student health and then academic results; we are thrilled to be partnering with Project Waterfall to do something that can empower future generations to break out of poverty.”
The solution is two-pronged. First, we will implement a comprehensive WASH solution at each school, featuring a commercial-grade water purification system and storage solution that will provide a consistent supply of safe water. We will also build age-appropriate toilet blocks, ensuring each school has sufficient child-friendly sanitation facilities. The Ethiopian government has committed ongoing funds to maintain water and hygiene facilities at these schools.
In addition to these physical facilities, Project Waterfall is providing students much-needed instruction on critical hygiene topics, such as handwashing practices and menstrual education. Project Waterfall will also be training local teachers to engage students on hygiene through a fun activity-based curriculum that helps WASH behaviors spread throughout the student population.
“This work is going to remove a significant barrier students face to academic success,” added Sosa. “We want them focused on succeeding in the classroom, and through this work with Project Waterfall, we’re getting one more obstacle out of their way. We are excited to see more students progressing through their education and building a better future.”
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