WaterAid Nigeria has handed over a state-of-the-art water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facility to Ojodu Junior High School in Lagos State, as part of its efforts to improve access to clean water and sanitation for thousands of people in the state.
The facility, which includes a 6,000-liter solar-powered borehole and a rehabilitated sanitation facility with 15 cubicles, is expected to benefit over 700 school pupils and staff. This is part of WaterAid’s broader project to improve the lives of approximately 173,000 people, including men, women, and children, with sustainable access to adequate water, sanitation, and hygiene.
According to Evelyn Mere, Country Director of WaterAid Nigeria, “Women and girls are largely affected by the lack of access to these life-saving services as they are compelled to expend huge amounts of time and money in search of these services particularly water, to the detriment of their businesses and education.”
Mere also applauded partners who contributed efforts to achieve the milestone stating, “We appreciate PepsiCo for their support and call on the school management to maximize the use of these facilities and ensure their maintenance. This will ensure that it serves pupils and staff in the long term and justify the investments put into it.”
WaterAid has been working with stakeholders to achieve its objectives, which includes the completion and handover of a 10,000-liter capacity, solar-powered borehole, rehabilitated toilets, and a newly constructed inclusive, female-friendly toilet at Agidingbi Junior Grammar School.
WaterAid in Nigeria has focused on addressing the country’s significant WASH challenges since 1995, as over 60 million people lack access to clean water and over 120 million lack access to decent toilets. In 2023, it launched a new five-year strategy to accelerate progress towards universal access to WASH services in Nigeria
