The simple hygiene habits of handwashing with soap and toothbrushing significantly contribute to the health and well-being of children and should be part of their education. While the idea of teaching handwashing and toothbrushing in schools has been around for decades, the actual practice of these activities has been hindered by long queues around the washing station. The concept of building school washing facilities that could accommodate children in groups was first implemented at large scale under the Essential Health Care Program of the Philippines’ Department of Education, with the support of a local NGO, Fit for School. Using low-cost, locally available materials and voluntary labor from the community, the approach became a model for transforming schools into healthy places for children, where hygiene habits are not just being taught but can be practiced. The construction of group handwashing facilities paves the way for promoting health in schools. With support from the GIZ Regional Fit for School Program, government agencies in Indonesia, Lao PDR and Cambodia have also adopted the approach in several schools that today serve as models for scaling up. After several years of implementation, it became clear that there have been significant challenges in successfully constructing and maintaining washing facilities. Local efforts to construct facilities have been encouraging, but school communities raised issues regarding facilities that they were unable to maintain or which do not function properly. In response to these challenges, GIZ developed the WASHaLOT prefabricated group washing facility, which can be adapted to a variety of contexts whileensuring essential functionality and addressing most of the issues encountered so far. Only the vital core components of a group washing facility are prefabricated, leaving room for community involvement and ownership. The facility has been developed to function in conditions with erratic access to water and it can be easily maintained and repaired with minimal expertise found in any community. Its practical design allows individual hand washing and minimizes water consumption. The Field Guide showcases the key features of WASHaLOT and how it addresses practical issues with respect to the design, functionality, and durability of group washing facilities in schools.
Its purpose is to allow readers to thoughtfully consider these features when constructing group washing facilities in schools and benefit from this fund of experience.

Bibliographic information

Fit for School (2015). WASHaLOT Field Guide: Prefabricated Group Washing Facility for Schools GIZ

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