Healthy Schools Project - Suriname

Activities for the Healthy Schools Project included surveying 10 schools in the three districts on water and sanitation, renovations at two selected schools of the water supply facilities, washrooms and toilet facilities, and playground drainage, newspaper articles, and poster displays. At the start of the new school year, PAHO organized and conducted training workshops for all teachers on school sanitation and hygiene education.

Children, Youth, Health.

The project was initiated upon the requests made from various schools asking for assistance in upgrading the sanitation facilities that resulted in poor hygiene amongst many of the students. Health education amongst staff of the schools also became an important component in maintaining the sanitation facilities and promoting healthy hygiene to the students.
The progress of the Healthy Schools Project has been highlighted at the annual World Water Day (WWD) and Inter American Water Day (IAWD, 1st Saturday in November). WWD and IAWD are celebrated by a wide cross section of the society, international organisations, the government, NGO's and the private sector and the handing over of the renovated schools occurred on IAWD 2000 and WWD 2001. Public awareness was increased in part because of the decentralized approach, and also because of the inter-sectoral mobilisation of the community, private sector and service groups.