The practice of handwashing with soap is a vital habit; it prevents diseases and saves lives.
In the cities where WSUP works, it is not uncommon to have just one functioning toilet for every 300 children. And cramped urban schools can be a focal point of disease. Handwashing with soap is therefore a key way to combat the spread of diseases such as diarrhoea.
In Bangladesh, thousands of schools lack even the most basic of handwashing facilities. WSUP has focused on improving facilities in schools and increasing the number of working handwashing stations, as well as working with the education system and communities to create lasting change.
We have worked with Unilever’s soap brand Lifebuoy to teach good hygiene habits to over 4 million primary school children in 14,120 schools in 32 districts.
Watch our new film and see how we’ve been working with schools to enable children to lead healthier lives, as part of the South Asia WASH Results (SAWR) programme. The SAWR programme is led by Plan International UK and funded by the UK government’s Department for International Development.