Clean water and smiles: a life-changing difference for children 

Cayes, Haiti - Under the hot sun of Cavaillon in southern Haiti, laughter echoes through the courtyard of the  Gros Marin National School. Around the new handwashing station, students form a cheerful line. Each waits their turn to wash their hands with soap and water.   

For Angeline, a sixth-grade student, this simple gesture has changed everything.  

“Before, I often had stomachaches because we couldn't wash our hands at school. Now, I'm less worried of getting sick and I can concentrate in class without missing any lessons,” she says, her hands still wet.  

Just a few months ago, the Gros Marin National School did not have functional toilets, and water points were either non-existent or out of service. Without adequate water and WASH facilities, children were unable to wash their hands after using the toilet, exposing them to waterborne diseases such as diarrhea and cholera.   

Thanks to the construction of modern sanitary facilities and the installation of handwashing stations in the courtyard, the school has been transformed: students now grow up to have a healthier and cleaner educational environment.    

A transformed school environment  

“Before, our children were getting sick too often. This lack of hygiene was putting their health and education at risk,” explains Ms. Yolette, the school principal. “But today, we have regained peace of mind. This new infrastructure has made our school a healthier and safer place for our children.”  

Thanks to funding from the Inter-American Development Bank(IBD) and implementation by the National Directorate for Water and Sanitation (DINEPA) and UNICEF in partnership with GIRADEL, more than 200 students at the Gros Marin National School now have access to decent and safe facilities.  

At the school, UNICEF, through its partners, organizes practical and awareness-raising sessions. Behind each demonstration is a powerful message of prevention. Seeing children learn about hygiene practices means offering them concrete protection against disease and empowering them to take action for their own health.  

“Each handwashing session is a moment of joy and learning. The children understand that they can protect themselves and others,” says Olguy, a facilitator at GIRADEL.  

Simple actions, lasting impact  

But beyond the numbers, it is behaviors, habits, and mindsets that are changing the daily lives of children, teachers, and families.   

“What makes this project so powerful is its ripple effect it creates. Children don't just learn at school, they take these vital actions home with them and become true ambassadors for hygiene within their communities,” emphasizes Tintin, WASH officer at GIRADEL. 

At the Gros Marin National School, as in many schools affected by this project. Thanks to the support of the IDB and DINEPA, UNICEF continues to improve access to water, sanitation, and hygiene in rural schools in Haiti.   

In a context where the challenges are immense, each infrastructure, each training, each drop of clean water is a step towards a healthier, fairer, and more humane future.