Foundation Urges Governments to Provide Hygiene Facilities in Public Schools

The Safe Hands Foundation has called on governments and other stakeholders to provide functional water supplies and hygiene facilities in public schools across Rivers State to improve sanitation and protect pupils from preventable diseases.

The founder of the foundation, Dr Okolie Okechukwu, made the appeal at a workshop held in Port Harcourt on Thursday to commemorate the 2026 Global Handwashing Day, themed “Be a Handwashing Hero”.

He said the absence of running water in some public schools had made it difficult for pupils and teachers to practise proper handwashing and maintain basic hygiene.

Okechukwu also announced the launch of the foundation’s water access project, which seeks to improve access to running water for handwashing and other hygiene needs in schools in Port Harcourt and other parts of the state.

He said the organisation planned to collaborate with government agencies, private individuals and corporate bodies to provide potable water and promote proper hygiene practices in educational institutions.

According to him, some schools could restore their water supply with relatively modest repairs, including fixing leaking storage tanks, replacing faulty pumping equipment and addressing power supply problems affecting water systems.

He estimated that between ₦200,000 and ₦500,000 could be sufficient to resolve water supply problems in some schools, depending on the nature of the faults.

The foundation’s founder said improving access to water was essential to protecting children’s health and ensuring that pupils could practise handwashing consistently.

He urged government agencies, educational institutions, civil society organisations, corporate bodies and community leaders to work together to prioritise hygiene infrastructure and education.

Okechukwu also encouraged pupils and young people to share the lessons learnt at the workshop with their families, classmates and communities, stressing that sustained public participation was necessary to make handwashing a daily habit.

He described proper handwashing as a practical measure for preventing infections and reducing the frequency of hospital visits.

Also speaking at the event, community leader Sir Ben Ike urged participants to take personal hygiene seriously, particularly by washing their hands thoroughly before eating.

He said regular handwashing could reduce exposure to germs and help prevent illnesses.

A guest lecturer, Professor Golda Ekenedo, delivered a presentation titled “Skills-Based Advocacy for Handwashing”, highlighting the importance of effective advocacy in encouraging proper hygiene practices.

The workshop formed part of activities marking Global Handwashing Day, observed annually to raise awareness of hand hygiene and its role in preventing disease.

The foundation said it hoped its water access project and partnerships with public and private stakeholders would help address infrastructure gaps and improve hygiene conditions for schoolchildren across Rivers State.