Pupils of Agodo Alara Community Primary School in Ikorodu now have access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, WASH, facilities to improve teaching and learning environment.
Similarly, residents of Agbede Ebuwawa and traders of Ebuwawa Market all in Ikorodu North LCDA, also benefited solar powered WASH facilities courtesy of an NGO, WaterAid Nigeria with the support of PepsiCo foundation, under its WASH Improvement Project, WASHIP.
At the Handover and inauguration of the three projects in Ikorodu, Country Director WaterAid Nigeria, Ms Evelyn Mere, said the initiative was to provide sustainable, reliable and affordable WASH service to people in hard to reach communities in Lagos.
The Country Director represented by Head of Lagos Office WaterAid Nigeria, Dr. Adebayo Alao, stated that the three years project which targets four hundred and thirty thousand residents directly and over one hundred thousand indirectly was to promote hygiene behavioral changes to keep diseases away and ensure a cleaner and healthier environment, with a call on beneficiaries to maintain the facilities.
“Water Aid is committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure that the community benefit and as we handed over the equipment needed to Agodo Alara primary school, make sure they are well maintained with the equipment so that future generation can benefit from it, if these facilities are well maintained it would serve for more than twenty, thirty years, what we want to be hearing is the water is flowing, even if there are challenges fix it using the mechanics we have trained”
Appreciating WaterAid Nigeria for its many WASH interventions, the Vice Chairman Ikorodu North LCDA, Mr Matthew Aliu-Adesanya, promised that the Council will ensure good maintenance of the WASH facilities to prolong its longevity, noting that the long time challenges of potable and safe water in benefitting communities and school are now in the past.
“This school has challenges of access to safe drinking water for long but thank God that WaterAid Nigeria came to the rescue and we are happy that all the challenges are now history, access to safe water is a fundamental human right and we are grateful to WaterAid for the opportunity, we will protect and maintain it”
The Vice Chairman of Ikorodu North LCDA urged traders of Ebuwawa Market and Agbede Ebuwawa residents to take ownership of the projects by ensuring cleanliness for improved business environment and healthy lifestyle.
Speaking on behalf of the pupils of Agodo Alara Community Primary School, Miss Sophia Omotade, expressed delight that pupils can now practice good hygiene without fear especially girls during their monthly flow.
Similarly the Head Teacher of Agodo Alara Community Primary School, Mrs Julian Oni Olaide, commended the great job done by Water Aid Nigeria and promised that the facilities would be used properly because it is a Multimillionaire project.
Reporting byYemisi Dada