Coca-Cola and JSCD partner to provide water and sanitation facilities to Government schools in Muzaffargarh

Lahore, 18 July, 2011: The 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 Raashid, President JSCD and Mr. 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 & 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 Mr. 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. Coca-Cola realizes the need to support children studying at schools in flood stricken areas and will provide complete support to JSCD to help lighten their suffering.”

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, characterized 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 enrollment rates, increased absenteeism, poor classroom performance and early school dropout rates.

ENDS

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