GIRLS LEADING SLTS APPROACH AT GONGATAREY SCHOOL(DEPARTEMENT OF DOSSO)
Before the advent of the CLTS project in the interventionareaof Plan Niger, students were going right behind the classes or in the bush rather than in the latrinesto defecate
Despite the existence of latrines in certain schools, students were still defecating at the open air by lack of sufficient adaptation of the concept of hygiene and sanitation, exposing them henceforth to different diseases. To alleviate this situation, Plan Niger has extended the activities of the CLTS project to the schools in its areasof intervention.
It is the case of Gongatareyschool, which isexperimenting School-Led Total Sanitation (SLTS) approach since 2011to improve the life framework of the school through the use and maintenance of the school latrines, sessions of healthiness and sensitization of their peers are led by the students.
Gongatarey, a Communitylocated at 35 kilometers from the chief-town of the Department of Dosso.
In thisareaof intervention of Plan Niger, the practices of open air defecation are very common, especially for children. This is the first causesof water-borne and of fecal origindiseases.
Role of the students in the sensitization of their peers for the use of the latrines
Through this process, the objective aimed at tensuring the empowerment and the full participation of the students in the transmission of the useful skills to their peers for the improvement of their well-being. Thus, the members of the school government of Gongatareyschool are carrying out sessions of raising awareness twice a week under the supervision of the President.
Hand washing sensitizing session by girl
Atikatou, the President of the school Government of Gongatarey,a 13-year old girl in grade 6 is hereby witnessing:
«Weorganize sessions of sensitization every Monday and Friday from 11:30am during the hours of Practical and Productive Activities (APP).
During the sessions of sensitization, we carry messages towards children who defecate inthe open air and those who do not use the school latrines properly.The objective is to sensitize them on the diseases caused by the excreta and the related risks that they may run. We also advise them to wash their hands with water and soap or ash, right after having used the latrines.It is meant henceforth to bring them to adopt good practices in order to preserve our health.We are being supported by our teachers.
School latrine maintaining by school government members
The maintenance of the school latrines is carried out twice a week by group of four students (2 girls, 2 boys).The boys bring water in buckets and assist the girls to clean the latrines. This has very much improved the neatness of our school »