UNICEF and USAID bring clean water and better sanitation to schools in Upper Egypt

"Better hygiene and sanitation is the corner-stone of the healthy life of a child" Education Minister Dr. Youssri El Gamal at the signing ceremony in Cairo.

Cairo, April 12, 2006 More than 300 primary schools in Upper Egypt will benefit from clean water, sanitation and better hygiene education thanks to a new partnership between the Ministry of Education, USAID and UNICEF.

Over the next three years, the US$ 2 million School Sanitation Project will work with the communities and the government to help children in six districts of Assiut, Sohag and Qena governorates to have healthier toilet facilities at schools and better hygiene education.

"The promotion of hygiene practices will create a demand for safe water and sanitary facilities within the communities, and thereby provide healthier living conditions for both students and their families" said Minister of Education, Dr. Youssri El Gamal at a signing ceremony in Cairo.

USAID Egypt Deputy Representative, Dr. Mary Ott pointed out that USAID’s investment throughout the past five years in the area of water and sanitation exceeded $2.5 billion.

"This agreement falls within USAID and UNICEF’s strategy for education and training which aims at improving lives through learning, and utilizing education as a powerful tool for development," said Ms Ott.

UNICEF Egypt Representative, Dr. Erma Manoncourt, said the project would provide an enabling learning environment and serve as a model to be replicated nationwide. “The project will have direct substantial results, providing a safe and child-friendly environment that will support children’s physical, mental, and emotional development,” she said.

The USAID and UNICEF partnership with the Ministry of Education aims at improving the school sanitation and environmental conditions for children, through repairing water taps and bathrooms and training teachers to help children learn about hygiene.

The School Sanitation initiative will also promote community responsibility and involvement. Children will actively take part in clean-up campaigns that raise the awareness of their neighbourhood on sanitation, hygiene and environmental issues.

It is expected that communities will also benefit from the project; some of the funding available will support community activities that will bring safe water, sanitation, and better hygiene practices to homes.

This new project builds on a continuing partnership among UNICEF, USAID and the government of Egypt in the area of water, sanitation and environment. 2005 marked the completion of a five year project, which provided water and sanitation facilities, as well as hygiene education to more than 500,000 people in some of the most deprived rural villages of Upper Egypt.

For Further Information Please Contact

Simon Ingram, Communication Officer- UNICEF Egypt
singram@unicef.org
+(202) 526083 through 9 x 210
Fax: (202) 526 4218

Manal Alfred, Communication Officer - USAID
malfred@usaid.gov