UNICEF and LIXIL partner to donate 20,000 SATO toilets and handwashing taps for child development centers

KIGALI, RWANDA | In promoting the importance of sanitation and hygiene practices, UNICEF, LIXIL, and the National Child Development Agency (NCDA) will be launching the distribution of 20,000 SATO hygiene products to home-based Early Childhood Development (ECD) centers around the country.

In 2018, UNICEF and LIXIL created a bold, new partnership called ‘Make A Splash!’ It is UNICEF’s first global shared-value partnership in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and the first of its kind with a Japanese company. It combines UNICEF’s WASH sector leadership with LIXIL’s global expertise in toilet design and innovation.

UNICEF and LIXIL are working together to affordably and sustainably help achieve the sanitation target of Sustainable Development Goal 6 - access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and ending open defecation. SATO, LIXIL’s social brand that makes innovative, affordable, and aspirational toilets and handwashing solutions for communities that lack access to water and sewerage infrastructure,, has donated 10,000 taps and 10,000 toilet pans for UNICEF to distribute to ECDs 17 districts.

“The COVID-19 pandemic showed us that WASH needs are vital to our survival. Spread of deadly infections and diseases can be slowed or stopped by observing good hygiene practices that are known to be effective. Access to handwashing necessities and sanitary facilities for defecation makes a great impact on children’s health, and this partnership brings us one step closer to making full accessibility a reality.” says Julianna Lindsey, UNICEF Rwanda’s country representative.

The donation from LIXIL to UNICEF Rwanda will be delivered to 10,000 home-based ECDs to enhance regular Government programs in sanitation and hygiene behaviors and COVID-19 prevention through handwashing practices by children and caregivers.

The Director General of the NCDA, Ms. Nadine Umutoni Gatsinzi, said “Water, sanitation and hygiene is one of the pillars of early childhood development. Children have priority in benefiting from any innovations that have to do with water, sanitation and hygiene, since children are more vulnerable and at higher risk of succumbing to infections, stunting and other forms of malnutrition that arise from poor hygiene. With our partners, we shall continue to make efforts to discourage unsanitary practices and encourage hygiene practices like regular handwashing, especially in ECD settings and other child-focused spaces.”

SATO’s hygiene solutions that will be distributed are a water-preserving handwashing tap and a pit-sealing, water-saving toilet pan. These products can significantly decrease the exposure of children to disease-causing pathogens that can easily spread amongst children of a very young age. During the launch, demonstrations on the installation and function of the products will be made to key representatives and implementers of the project.

“We know that, when children have access to safe toilets and can wash their hands often, they live healthier lives, they stay in school, and they prosper,” said Samuel Langat, SATO’s Africa Leader “In fact, this is our core purpose at SATO – to empower people to live better lives every day. We aim to impact 100M people with improved sanitation and hygiene by 2025, and today’s donation gets us that much closer to this goal.”  

UNICEF is committed to supporting the Government of Rwanda’s plans and efforts being made to achieve the sustainable development goals, for the improvement of the lives and wellbeing of every child.