Dubai Cares yesterday joined communities around the globe in marking World Water Day by highlighting the organisation's Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in schools programmes in developing countries.
The organisation's WASH-in-Schools programmes have helped schools in Mali, Sierra Leone, Indonesia and Haiti amongst others to develop a system that promotes health and hygiene amongst students, boosting school attendance and learning outcomes. The programmes also educate children about efficient usage of water and build a respectful stance towards natural resources.
Talking about the importance of the organisation's WASH programmes, Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Cares said, "Dubai Cares runs WASH-in-Schools programmes in several countries with the objective of improving children's access to quality primary education. The organisation's WASH interventions provide basic low-cost water and sanitation infrastructure to ensure a healthy and adequate learning environment for children. It also focuses on hygiene promotion in both the school and the community to ensure behaviour change over the long term. On the other hand, we also need to be smart about how we manage our natural resources and part of that is educating the next generation to be mindful of limited resources like water. Water scarcity and contamination lead to a number of developmental issues that have a direct impact on children. By incorporating elements like water management through WASH programs, we aim to instil a respectful attitude towards the environment."
Dubai Cares aims to provide children in developing countries - regardless of their gender, nationality, creed or religion – access to quality primary education. To date, Dubai Cares has reached more than 13 million children in 38 developing countries.
Source: WAM