Ginigolo Gunugau Primary School in Central Province is the latest school to launch an inclusive WaSH in School facility coinciding with World Menstrual Hygiene Day celebration recently
The ventilated improved pit (VIP) facility included nine standard toilets, four for boys and five for girls.
The facility also included, two 9000 liters reserve water tanks and two toilets specifically designed for Persons with Disabilities.
509 students stand to benefit from these facilities.
Ginigolo Gunugau Primary School is one of the selected schools under the WaterAid PNG Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Schools Projects funded through Aqua for Life project (Giorgi Armani) and Latter Day Saints Charity.
The WaSH facility is one of the ten facilities launched by WaterAid PNG in six schools in Central and four in Wewak District, East Sepik Province.
WaterAid PNG Director Operations, Jenny Mori, said access to decent sanitation in Papua New Guinea is an issue with fewer than three in ten people having access to a decent toilet.
“Without access to a toilet, students often have to leave school to use a toilet or miss school. The lack of access affects girls who without a space to safely manage menstruation, often miss many hours of school when during menstruation,” she added
The facility at Ginigolo has a menstruation hygiene management unit to cater for girls’ menstruation including for girls with disabilities.
Ms Mori said WaterAid PNG was privileged to officiate the commissioning of Ginigolo Gunugau Primary School WaSH in School Facility, a model for future WaSH in school projects.
The project is in line with PNG’s National WaSH in school’s policy guidelines.
National Department of Education Acting Director for WaSH Unit, Policy & Planning Division, Avea Avaroa applauded WaterAid PNG for the new facility.
He said the government didn’t have all the resources to implement the policy and it was through partnerships such as the one with WaterAid PNG that the government was able to achieve what was in the policy.
Among the guest present during the event was Queenpads Director and Founder, Anne-Shirley Korave, a local social enterprise focused on promoting Menstrual Health and Hygiene and production of reusable sanitary cloth pads.
Ms Korave donated more than 100 reusable pads to upper primary female students and female teachers at Ginigolo Gunugau Primary School.