Government schools in Muzaffargarh: Coca-Cola, JSCD to provide water, sanitation facilities

Coca-Cola Export Corporation, Pakistan has collaborated with the Jahandad Society of Community Development (JSCD) to initiate a project, which will provide water, sanitation and hygiene facilities to government schools in the Muzaffargarh district.
The project was launched with the signing of a memorandum of understanding by Dr Yasmin Rashid, President JSCD and Rizwan U Khan, General Manager, Coca Cola Pakistan. This project titled 'Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Facilities in Schools in District Muzaffargh', being implemented in collaboration with the Coca-Cola Export Corporation, Pakistan Branch and JSCD will contribute towards "child protection and development" by provision of adequate water and sanitation facilities in target two primary schools of district Muzaffargarh namely, Government Girls Primary School, Basti Surhani and Government Primray School, Wigh.
Through the project, latrines with water and sanitation services will be constructed and safe drinking water will be provided to the pupils and faculty at the government schools. Moreover, the students, teachers and the community will also be empowered and trained to adopt safe hygienic practices. The project is expected to be completed by July.
Speaking on occasion Rizwan U Khan said, "The ravaging floods of 2010 wreaked devastation on an epic scale. The catastrophe took a severe toll on the people of Pakistan and despite considerable rehabilitative efforts a lot of work is still to be done. The Coca-Cola realises the need to support children studying at schools in flood stricken areas and will provide complete support to JSCD to help lighten their suffering."
The JSCD is working closely with the Government and Unicef to establish Temporary Learning Centers (TLCs) in Muzaffargarh. Providing quality education also implies the provision of a healthy learning environment in which children can perform to the best of their ability. In Pakistan the sanitary and hygienic conditions at schools are appalling, characterised by the absence of properly functioning water supply, sanitation, and hand washing facilities. The floods destroyed the school buildings along with the water and sanitation facilities.
In such a dismal environment, children often resort to open defecation around or even at the school compound, putting their mental and physical health at risk and adversely affecting their participation. This results in lower enrolment rates, increased absenteeism, poor classroom performance and early school dropout rates.-PR