By Benjamin Mensah
Accra, Feb 27, GNA – World Vision, Ghana (WVG), a Christian humanitarian organisation, and some partners, have launched the fourth edition of the Schools Sanitation Solutions (Triple S) Challenge in Accra to encourage pupils to identify and address sanitation problems.
Pupils from primary six to junior high two would identify, write and explain how sanitation problems are affecting teaching and learning in their schools and communities, based on a topic to be announced by the organisers.
The partners are Kings Hall Media, Zoomlion Foundation, the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, and Ghana Education Service, who, with the WVG, have jointly organised the competition since 2019.
Running from March to September 2023, the competition would address how sanitation challenges could be sustainably resolved.
Madam Esi Boni-Morklah, the Programmes Manager, Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, launched the competition on behalf of the Minister, Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah.
She said it was not only for children to be agents of change, but they also needed to live and thrive in safe environments.
Madam Boni-Morklah urged the children to cultivate interest in promoting good sanitation, while commending the organisers for the initiative.
She pledged the commitment of the Ministry to support projects that would improve sanitation, adding: “I’m very proud of this initiative.”
Mr Yaw Atta Arhin, the WASH Technical Coordinator, World Vision Ghana, said the objective for the challenge was to influence children to become sanitation conscious and agents of change.
It is also to challenge them to co-create sustainable solutions to local sanitation challenges, advocate the removal of barriers and improve access to safe water and sanitation in schools.
“Triple S will work with children as sanitation advocates and influence policy making and behaviour change in society,” Mr Arhin said.
“With coaching, children can articulate issues very well; provide solutions to sanitation challenges…influence and impact society when well equipped.”
He said some upcoming events of the Triple S Project are peer sensitisation in basic schools, more advocacy meetings with authorities and participation in the All Systems Connect Conference.
The conference, which comes off from May 2 to May 4, 2023, at the Hague, Netherlands, would have experts to share the latest real-world cases, evidence and experiences in strengthening and changing water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) systems.
Maame Akua Ohenewaa Gyimah, the reigning Child Sanitation Diplomat, expressed appreciation to the World Vision and its partners for the project, and promised to continue to raise awareness on sanitation and hygiene.
GNA