Thursday, October 28, 2010
Irondale High School Global Hand Washing Day
To recognize Global Hand Washing Day on October 15th, students from Irondale High School in Minnesota planned an event to raise awareness about the need to wash hands around the world- including before lunch at Irondale! The following report was submitted to H2O for Life from student Hannah Eschenauer. You too can let us know what your school is doing! Send photos and a word document. We'll feature you on our blogsite.
For Global Hand Washing Day, Irondale decided to cooperate with the Minnesota Department of Health. Members of the Irondale volunteer club helped with running the hand washing station. The station had a box with a hole on top, a hole on one of the sides, and with two black lights inside the box. The students would get some special lotion that glowed in the black light and spread it all over their hands. This lotion would be their pretend “germs.” After putting on the lotion, they would put their hands through the side hole of the box, look through the top hole of the box, gaze in and see their hands and the pretend “germs” on them. After this, we would ask them to go wash their hands. Next they would come back and see how well they washed their hands. They would put their hands back into the box and see that the parts that were still glowing on their hands are the places that they didn’t wash well enough.
This was done at lunch because first of all, it was the best time during the day and second, the students don’t wash their hands before lunch because they want to get in line right away to get their food. Many of the students were surprised at how there were still germs on their hands after washing with both soap and water. We told them that it wasn’t just soap and water, but it was also the amount of time that they washed that mattered. Most of the time, it was in between the fingers and the nails that still had lotion/germs on it. The Minnesota Department of Health provided free nail scrubbers for the people that tried it. The teachers even tried it and that was fun to watch. The science teachers loved it and thought it was very interesting. In all it went really well because it was an interesting idea and also a fun way to see how well you washed your hands. A lot of people tried it out.
Thanks Hannah and Irondale for sharing your story. Irondale was entered in the contest drawing to win a free "Flip" video camera- but- they weren't the winners. Try again during our next contest!
Irondale High School Global Hand Washing Day Report
For Global Hand Washing Day, Irondale decided to cooperate with the Minnesota Department of Health. Members of the Irondale volunteer club helped with running the hand washing station. The station had a box with a hole on top, a hole on one of the sides, and with two black lights inside the box. The students would get some special lotion that glowed in the black light and spread it all over their hands. This lotion would be their pretend “germs.” After putting on the lotion, they would put their hands through the side hole of the box, look through the top hole of the box, gaze in and see their hands and the pretend “germs” on them. After this, we would ask them to go wash their hands. Next they would come back and see how well they washed their hands. They would put their hands back into the box and see that the parts that were still glowing on their hands are the places that they didn’t wash well enough.
This was done at lunch because first of all, it was the best time during the day and second, the students don’t wash their hands before lunch because they want to get in line right away to get their food. Many of the students were surprised at how there were still germs on their hands after washing with both soap and water. We told them that it wasn’t just soap and water, but it was also the amount of time that they washed that mattered. Most of the time, it was in between the fingers and the nails that still had lotion/germs on it. The Minnesota Department of Health provided free nail scrubbers for the people that tried it. The teachers even tried it and that was fun to watch. The science teachers loved it and thought it was very interesting. In all it went really well because it was an interesting idea and also a fun way to see how well you washed your hands. A lot of people tried it out.
Thanks Hannah and Irondale for sharing your story. Irondale was entered in the contest drawing to win a free "Flip" video camera- but- they weren't the winners. Try again during our next contest!
Monday, October 18, 2010
World Record for Global Handwashing Day!
Last Friday, our partner in Nairobi, IkoToilets worked to gather huge numbers of students to participate in Global Handwashing Day. Over 19,000 students came together to wash their hands. Handwashing is essential to combat disease for all of us. In developing countries there is a provide to supply handwashing stations at schools with soap and water. Schools also are educating youth about the need to wash hands and hopefully the lesson will go home with children to their families. Education can change behavior! Take a look at the youtube video celebrating the day in Nairobi.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Bathroom Pass
Access to sanitation is a huge problem around the world. Over 2 billion people lack access to adequate sanitation and handwashing facilities. The millenium development goals are targeting sanitation, but sadly, we are far behind in reaching the set goal to provide sanitation to areas of need around the world by 2015.
H2O for Life and many other organizations are working hard to raise awareness of the need for clean water, sanitation and hygiene education- and our focus is SCHOOLS! We truly believe that if we can help provide these necessary facilities, and the education to teach students essential hygiene skills, communities will change for the better. Studies show that children bring lessons home to their families. Students are great teachers and can change their families and communities over time. Changing lives at ONE school does make a difference and you can help.
Last week, WASH in Schools was the focus of many meetings in Washington DC. Global Handwashing Day was celebrated on Friday. At the Academy for Educationl Development in DC, there was a wonderful photo display called the "Bathroom Pass". The photo and video display documented facilities available in 4 typical schools around the world. One school highlighted was Abington High School located in Abington, PA.
H2O for Life student "Nathan" was asked to photograph and provide a video about facilities located in their school. Nathan was surprised and thrilled to see a "bigger than life" photo of himself in his H2O for Life shirt. Nathan has been a member of Abington's H2O for Life club for the past several years. He and others at Abington have raised funds to bring water, sanitation and hygiene education to schools in Mali, India, Nicaragua, and are currently focusing on a school in South Africa. Thanks Abington!
The display in DC will be open to the public through November 19th. If you have the opportunity to visit the Academy of Educational Development, please visit the display. It is wonderful and informative. H2O for Life then hopes to be able to post the photos and videos from the display online for all to see.
We are posting photos of students from HB Woodlawn School from Arlington Virginia, and Abington High School as they visited the "Bathroom Pass" on Global Handwashing Day. Students learned several engaging educational lessons provided by "Project Wet" and H2O for Life that they will bring back to their schools and communities.
We welcome photos and stories from you! Let us know what your school is doing to help support the global water crisis. We'll post photos and comments. Also be sure to visit our facebook page and become a fan.
As always, everything you do affects the world. Do something GREAT!
H2O for Life and many other organizations are working hard to raise awareness of the need for clean water, sanitation and hygiene education- and our focus is SCHOOLS! We truly believe that if we can help provide these necessary facilities, and the education to teach students essential hygiene skills, communities will change for the better. Studies show that children bring lessons home to their families. Students are great teachers and can change their families and communities over time. Changing lives at ONE school does make a difference and you can help.
Last week, WASH in Schools was the focus of many meetings in Washington DC. Global Handwashing Day was celebrated on Friday. At the Academy for Educationl Development in DC, there was a wonderful photo display called the "Bathroom Pass". The photo and video display documented facilities available in 4 typical schools around the world. One school highlighted was Abington High School located in Abington, PA.
H2O for Life student "Nathan" was asked to photograph and provide a video about facilities located in their school. Nathan was surprised and thrilled to see a "bigger than life" photo of himself in his H2O for Life shirt. Nathan has been a member of Abington's H2O for Life club for the past several years. He and others at Abington have raised funds to bring water, sanitation and hygiene education to schools in Mali, India, Nicaragua, and are currently focusing on a school in South Africa. Thanks Abington!
The display in DC will be open to the public through November 19th. If you have the opportunity to visit the Academy of Educational Development, please visit the display. It is wonderful and informative. H2O for Life then hopes to be able to post the photos and videos from the display online for all to see.
We are posting photos of students from HB Woodlawn School from Arlington Virginia, and Abington High School as they visited the "Bathroom Pass" on Global Handwashing Day. Students learned several engaging educational lessons provided by "Project Wet" and H2O for Life that they will bring back to their schools and communities.
We welcome photos and stories from you! Let us know what your school is doing to help support the global water crisis. We'll post photos and comments. Also be sure to visit our facebook page and become a fan.
As always, everything you do affects the world. Do something GREAT!
Friday, October 15, 2010
"Raising Clean Hands" Our mission- Wash in Schools
Today is Global Handwashing Day. We have challenged schools across America to plan an event to raise awareness about handwashing, and the lack of facilities in schools around the world. H2O for Life Schools support WASH in Schools programs by partnering with a school in a developing country that desperately needs water, sanitation and hygiene education. Students learn about the global water crisis while TAKING ACTION to do something- raise funds- to support their partner school. We are teaching a generation of students to "think" about water and how we must all work to keep this precious resource protected.
Support for WASH in Schools is growing daily. Join the movement today!
Read part of the speech delivered at the Academy for Educational Development on Wednesday, Oct. 13.
As Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs, I have worked over the past year to elevate two initiatives at Secretary Clinton’s request: water and youth.
Fortunately, today gives me an opportunity to talk about both: the importance of providing water, sanitation, and hygiene education – and the significance of starting early. We must teach our children—our future—to be better stewards of our world’s water and better caretakers of their own health.
No matter where you live—be it Boston or Bamako—schools are the foundation of strong communities. They are, of course, a place where teachers teach and children learn. But they are also a place where community health workers deliver life-saving messages and medicines. They are a place where adults gather in the evening for continuing education and town hall meetings. And they are a place where people come to vote and young democracies flourish.
It is a tragic irony that those who go to schools to learn, congregate, and protect their health, are often put at risk from the school environment itself.
The problem is clear. More than half of all primary schools in developing countries do not have adequate water facilities and nearly two-thirds lack adequate sanitation. Even where facilities exist, they are often in poor condition.
The consequences are threefold. First, health suffers. Schools can—and often do—become a breeding ground for diarrhea, parasitic worms, and other water-borne ailments. The World Health Organization estimates that diarrhea causes 1.5 million deaths per year; many resulting from transmission in schools.
Furthermore, schools without WASH facilities represent a lost opportunity to promote good hygiene behavior in the larger community. Data suggests that students who practice good hygiene in schools also help teach good hygiene practices to their parents, siblings, and friends.
Second, education suffers. Worm infestations can lower children’s IQ scores. Studies show that students are more prone to missing lessons in schools without WASH facilities. Such trends can have devastating long-term costs for students, communities and nations, virtually closing doors to opportunity.
Third, women and girls suffer disproportionately. Female school staff and girls who have reached puberty are less likely to attend schools that lack gender specific sanitation facilities. As we increasingly recognize the contribution of women to household income, health, education, and nutritional outcomes, nations simply cannot afford a lag in women’s education and literacy.
The bottom line is this: If we are serious about improving child health, achieving universal primary education, ensuring gender equity, and stimulating economic development, we need to be serious about providing safe water, sanitation, and hygiene education in schools.
Schools, organizations, churches and individuals can join us in our mission to bring water to schools. Help raise awareness of the issues in your community, and make a donation today to a group that is working to bring water to schools.
We must ensure that WASH is incorporated in school curriculum and teacher training to complement the infrastructure with appropriate hygiene and sanitation messages and skill-building.
I would just close by pointing out that this Friday, October 15, the world will commemorate Global Handwashing Day. On this day, educators in countries around the globe will be showing their students how to wash their hands. It sounds simple to an audience that is accustomed to automatic faucets. But sadly, hundreds of millions of children will not be able to practice their handwashing lessons at school.
This is where we all can make a difference".
You can make a difference today! Schools, organizations, churches and individuals must talk about the water crisis to make people aware of the issues, and TAKE ACTION. Partner with a school in need and donate to an organization that is working to bring WASH programs to schools. Working together will solve the global water crisis.
Support for WASH in Schools is growing daily. Join the movement today!
Read part of the speech delivered at the Academy for Educational Development on Wednesday, Oct. 13.
As Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs, I have worked over the past year to elevate two initiatives at Secretary Clinton’s request: water and youth.
Fortunately, today gives me an opportunity to talk about both: the importance of providing water, sanitation, and hygiene education – and the significance of starting early. We must teach our children—our future—to be better stewards of our world’s water and better caretakers of their own health.
No matter where you live—be it Boston or Bamako—schools are the foundation of strong communities. They are, of course, a place where teachers teach and children learn. But they are also a place where community health workers deliver life-saving messages and medicines. They are a place where adults gather in the evening for continuing education and town hall meetings. And they are a place where people come to vote and young democracies flourish.
It is a tragic irony that those who go to schools to learn, congregate, and protect their health, are often put at risk from the school environment itself.
The problem is clear. More than half of all primary schools in developing countries do not have adequate water facilities and nearly two-thirds lack adequate sanitation. Even where facilities exist, they are often in poor condition.
The consequences are threefold. First, health suffers. Schools can—and often do—become a breeding ground for diarrhea, parasitic worms, and other water-borne ailments. The World Health Organization estimates that diarrhea causes 1.5 million deaths per year; many resulting from transmission in schools.
Furthermore, schools without WASH facilities represent a lost opportunity to promote good hygiene behavior in the larger community. Data suggests that students who practice good hygiene in schools also help teach good hygiene practices to their parents, siblings, and friends.
Second, education suffers. Worm infestations can lower children’s IQ scores. Studies show that students are more prone to missing lessons in schools without WASH facilities. Such trends can have devastating long-term costs for students, communities and nations, virtually closing doors to opportunity.
Third, women and girls suffer disproportionately. Female school staff and girls who have reached puberty are less likely to attend schools that lack gender specific sanitation facilities. As we increasingly recognize the contribution of women to household income, health, education, and nutritional outcomes, nations simply cannot afford a lag in women’s education and literacy.
The bottom line is this: If we are serious about improving child health, achieving universal primary education, ensuring gender equity, and stimulating economic development, we need to be serious about providing safe water, sanitation, and hygiene education in schools.
Schools, organizations, churches and individuals can join us in our mission to bring water to schools. Help raise awareness of the issues in your community, and make a donation today to a group that is working to bring water to schools.
We must ensure that WASH is incorporated in school curriculum and teacher training to complement the infrastructure with appropriate hygiene and sanitation messages and skill-building.
I would just close by pointing out that this Friday, October 15, the world will commemorate Global Handwashing Day. On this day, educators in countries around the globe will be showing their students how to wash their hands. It sounds simple to an audience that is accustomed to automatic faucets. But sadly, hundreds of millions of children will not be able to practice their handwashing lessons at school.
This is where we all can make a difference".
You can make a difference today! Schools, organizations, churches and individuals must talk about the water crisis to make people aware of the issues, and TAKE ACTION. Partner with a school in need and donate to an organization that is working to bring WASH programs to schools. Working together will solve the global water crisis.
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