Gadaisu primary school builds new ablution block under WinS program

A remote border school in Milne Bay Province was a proud recipient of a toilet and shower facility, under the Wash in School Program.

Gadaisu Primary School received the facility this week from a collaborative effort by partners of Education including NGO Group Cool Earth and implementers the United Church Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project.

The Wash in School Program is associated with the bigger Water, Sanitation and Hygiene/ WASH Program, encouraged by the Department of Education to drive safe, healthy, and quality education for children.

In Milne Bay, under a rollout by partners in Uniting Church Water Supply and Sanitation Hygiene Program/ RWSSP, there has been three previous installations with Gadaisu Primary School recently being the fourth.

“Under our activity, we have the water supply and sanitation activities. We also have the behavioral change component, which is part of the hygiene, and we promote hygiene,” program manager for Milne Bay RWSSP Jack Purai said.

“We're trying to change the behaviors of our communities.”

Purai said changing the mindset for many local through such programs is a mammoth task in the community.

Gadaisu primary which hosts up to 85 students from grades 2 to 8 was identified as a beneficiary target area of conservation NGO Group Cool Earth who are financial sponsors of such programs.

“All Cool Earth projects are locally led, meaning it's what the community needs that we have to meet,” Country Manager for Cool Earth Regina Kewe said.

“In terms of the worst project that we are doing, water sanitation and hygiene project that we are doing is what the community needed, and they requested for it.”

The partnership of the communities in the WinS program includes Gadaisu, Sololo, Wadauda and Kondu in the Alotau District, whose forests Cool Earth is working with to preserve.

The WinS Program is a government policy, but funding gaps mean it is of a lesser priority and such help from partner groups as such is welcomed for more reasons than one.

“I'm very thankful to the sponsors of this because here we live in the zone of this poisonous snake and children going to the bush, going into the bush, using the bush for toilet,” head teacher of Gadaisu primary Justin Tokuluwaga said.

The ablution block consists of two toilets and a shower each for both boys and girls.