Schools are the heart of a community where children spend half of their day. They play a unique role in creating healthy learning environments. The social norms and habits developed in children will stay with them all their lives. Thus, by providing a healthy learning environment and promoting healthy practices, schools act as an equalizer for all children from varied economic backgrounds.

The Fit for School program is a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Schools (WinS) program of the Ministry of Education and Sports of Lao PDR, supported by the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Center for Educational Innovation and Technology (SEAMEO INNOTECH) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. The Fit for School program interventions are simple and evidence based: daily supervised group handwashing with soap, daily supervised group toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste and bi-annual deworming. The Fit for School approach is based on four principles: simple, scalable, sustainable and systems thinking. It promotes a step-wise approach in transforming schools into healthy learning environments where skills-based hygiene practices are part of the daily school routines to form long-term habits.

While financial resources may be limited, small and simple solutions can be adapted for building functional, low cost facilities or for improving existing group washing facilities. As schools throughout Southeast Asia have demonstrated, small measures can have big impacts. Over time or with adequate support, schools can move on to facilities that require more investments. Join us in exploring the different possibilities! The following pages will show you group handwashing facilities in detail including their design, materials, cost and key features. They showcase options, starting from inexpensive versions to mid-range solutions and some more costly examples from different schools in Lao PDR.

Bibliographic information

GIZ Fit for School (2016). Lao PDR Group Handwashing Facilities - Low, Medium and High Cost Solutions Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH Fit for School

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