Sanitation is associated with measuring the necessities for improving and protecting health and well beings of the people. Access to sanitation is considered as one of the basic right of human. However, statistics of Water Aid shows only 27% of the total population in Nepal has access to sanitation. Further, each day 40 children die due to diarrhea and water borne diseases, UNICEF.Such issues have emerged as the result of unhygienic habits, inadequate facilities and lack of awareness.

Speaking of the number of facilities, the standard number of toilet in school recommended by government during emergency period like disasters is 1:50, i.e., 1 toilet can only be used by 50 students. But, Viswa Niketan Higher Secondary School (VNHSS) is able to provide only 1 toilet for boys and 3 for girls. Beside, inadequate toilets, students have to tolerate the foul smell coming from the toilet and scattered sanitary pads. We can easily analyze that the school lack sanitation. Inappropriate sanitation and hygiene in schools can invite many diseases. Transmission of diseases among the students might result in increased absentees and increase the rate of child dropouts.

Keeping in mind, the importance of sanitation, an awareness session was conducted out at VNHSS in the month of March. In the month, 4 sessions were carried out with a total of 201 beneficiaries. Students from different classes actively participated in the session. The objective of the session was to aware the students about the importance of sanitation and several factors that need to be considered for quality sanitation. Bimala Gurung, program associate of GUTHI focused on importance of awareness to students. She said, “After we came to know that the main school building in which Rainwater Harvesting System was installed has collapsed, our major concern was its water supply. We regularly visited the school and interacted with the staff, school and teachers. Majority of them had water and sanitation issues. The school did not have enough water to clean the toilets so stain and foul smell is too common to our eye sight.”

The session was divided into presentation on sanitation and hygiene followed by group discussion. During the discussion, students shared the status of sanitation in their school. They further raised questions and highlighted the role of an individual for maintaining quality sanitation in their school, family and community. “We students should be sincere towards our sanitation and works towards effective improvement. Before pointing towards teachers and collage authority we should understand our own responsibilities towards maintaining health and sanitation. Theoretical knowledge should be implemented practically. We can carry awareness session and teach our juniors about it” said BishalKharel, a grade 11 student. Soon after the discussion, participants were involved in group activities. The students demonstrated their knowledge from the session through drawings and writings. RupeshShreatha, a grade 11 students said, “The session was fruitful to me. I learned that we should be self- conscious about our own activities. Firstly we should manage the waste generated by us. After that we can move towards our class, our college and ultimately to a community.”