Press Releases 2008

USAID and UNICEF Disseminate Best Practices From Successful School Sanitation Program

April 4, 2008

NEW DELHI - The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) celebrated the success of their partnership to enhance environment safety and hygiene conditions in thousands of schools across Jharkhand and Karnataka.  The close-of-project dissemination meeting was held at the UNDP headquarters on April 4, 2008.

Over the five year period from 2003 - 2008, the School Water and Sanitation Towards Hygiene and Health - Putting Lessons Learned to use (SWASTHH-PLUS) program, worked in partnership with the Government of India and state governments to improve school facilities, providing sanitary school conditions and hygiene lessons for almost a million children in more than 5500 public schools.

SWASTHH-PLUS has led to greater attendance of students in schools, particularly girls, by making the school environment safe and hygienic.  The program also incorporated practical aspects of health, hygiene and environment into classroom and extra curricular activities.
For more information on the program, please contact Heather Sullivan, USAID Communications Officer, at hsullivan@usaid.gov or 9811054890.