Sulabh Sanitation Club Launches WASH Programme in Sri Lanka

Access to sanitation infrastructure alone is not enough; accurate knowledge, awareness, and advocacy are equally essential to ensure its effective and sustainable use.

 

Building on this belief, Sulabh Sanitation Club, in association with the India-Sri Lanka Foundation, conducted a comprehensive WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) Sensitization Programme at Parackrama National School, Gampaha, Sri Lanka. The programme engaged approximately 200 students and 10 teachers from Parackrama National School and Senarath National School.

 

This pioneering initiative marks Sulabh's first step into Sri Lanka and represents one of the first dedicated efforts in the region to address the often-overlooked issues of school sanitation and menstrual hygiene management. Through a series of interactive activities, educational games, music, and dance, participants explored the importance of clean and well-maintained washrooms, personal hygiene, proper handwashing practices, effective waste management, menstrual hygiene management, and community leadership.

 

Special sessions on adolescent health were conducted for both boys and girls, with a particular focus on breaking taboos and fostering awareness around menstrual hygiene. These discussions encouraged open dialogue and promoted a more inclusive understanding of health and hygiene among students.

 

The programme transformed learning into action by providing students with practical knowledge and skills to maintain sanitation facilities and contribute to a cleaner, healthier school environment.

 

Participants demonstrated enthusiasm and commitment towards adopting positive hygiene practices and becoming active agents of change within their communities.

 

A key highlight of the initiative was the formation of School Sanitation Clubs in both schools. Student leaders were selected to spearhead sanitation and hygiene efforts, promoting responsibility, teamwork, leadership, and peer-to-peer learning. By nurturing these young WASH champions, the programme aims to create a lasting culture of cleanliness and health that extends beyond the classroom.

 

Beyond student engagement, Sulabh's capacity-building approach also focused on empowering teachers. Educators were equipped with the knowledge, resources, and tools needed to reinforce positive hygiene behaviours, mentor sanitation club leaders, and ensure the long-term sustainability of the programme's impact.

 

Through this landmark initiative, Sulabh continues its mission of promoting sanitation, hygiene, and dignity, while fostering a generation of informed and responsible young leaders committed to creating healthier and more sustainable communities.