Yemisi Dada
The Lagos State Special Correctional Center for Girls in Idi-Araba, Mushin now has new Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, WASH, facilities to increase sanitation behavior change campaign among the over one hundred girls in the center.
The WASH facilities provided by an NGO WaterAid Nigeria in collaboration with Cummins, include a solar powered water treatment plant with motorized twelve thousand liters tanks, and construction of five compartments girls friendly toilet.
At the inauguration and handover of the WASH facilities at Idi-Araba, WaterAid Nigeria Country Director Ms Evelyn Mere, said the development in partnership with the Lagos State government was to strengthen governance and institutional arrangements to deliver improved WASH services to the most vulnerable in the society.
Ms Mere expressed confidence that the facilities would ensure that no girl misses a day in school during her menstrual period while enhancing an atmosphere conducive for effective teaching, and learning that will promote good education outcomes.
“WaterAid is elated at the attainment
of this milestone under the Improving Access to Water, Hygiene and Sanitation
Project in Lagos State, with from Cummins.
The three-year project will reach 176,547 people in target locations of Ikorodu North, Onigbongbo, Orile-Agege and Mushin LCDAs with water, sanitation, and
hygiene, WASH, services. These consist of Water supply to 6,500 people, access
to sanitation for 4, 547 people while 165,500 people at selected schools and communities will be able to practice goof hygiene.
The commissioning and handover of these facilities today represents a major milestone and demonstrates the commitment of WaterAid and Cummins to
realizing of a world where everyone, everywhere has access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene”.
Representative of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youths and Social Development, Mrs Toyin Oke-Osanyintolu commended WaterAid and Cummins for investing hugely in Lagos to improve water and sanitation services with a promise to ensure the facilities are put to good use with adequate funding for maintenance.
“I want to assure you that Lagos State government remains committed to improving the well-being of all residents in the state and promised to continue to collaborate with willing Civil Society Organics, Non Governmental Organizations and other stakeholders’ to ensure that no one is left behind in getting access to portable and accessible water”
On his part, Managing Director Cummins Nigeria, Mr Mark Oni-Okeke who was represented by Mrs Belinda Okereke, said involvement in community project is part of Cummins Corporate Social Responsibility to give back to the society especially in area of sanitation and Hygiene to keep diseases at bay and improve the living conditions of the vulnerable in the country.
“This intervention not only contributes to the achievement of the goals of the Cummins Water Works, but also fulfils the rights of these pupils to education
and secures a future for them”.
The girls in the correctional center aged between ten and seventeen presented a drama emphasizing good menstrual hygiene with choreography to the delight of the audience.
Maintenance kits were also given to the correctional center while Memorandum of Understanding was signed between WaterAid Nigeria and the Center witnessed by the Lagos State government representative.
The girls in the correctional center displayed some of their vocational skills products for sales which included wigs, sitting room puffs, dresses, Kampala, turbans and bangles among others.