The German International Cooperation (GIZ) has awarded five Schools out of 58 Schools in Lusaka district with Jumbo hand wash facilities, tanks of water, hand sanitizer, and liquid soap for being the best in adherence to the covid-19 guidelines.
Lusaka City Council has also given out 116 cases of chlorine to the 58 Schools to enable them win the fight against covid-19.
Lusaka District Commissioner (DC) David Silubanje who graced the handover and award giving ceremony of the safe back to School campaign at Kasamba Combine School in Matero said government has invested in the water, sanitation and hygiene as the sector is fundamental to human development.
Mr. Silubanje noted that the objective of the campaign is to support the 58 schools and their surrounding communities with water, sanitation and hygiene services as a response mechanism to covid-19 pandemic to safeguard leaners, teachers, and community members from infection transmission.
He noted that the safe back to school campaign has helped the 58 schools to respond to covid-19 through various interventions which include risk and communication training, sustainability trainings with regards to the hand wash facilities, education, and communication materials around the school environment.
“Government understands that when pupils have better access to water and sanitation they are healthier and able to work more productively as it contributes to attendance of Schools,” he said.
The DC stated that the Jumbo Hand Wash Facilities will create an enabling environment regarding hand washing as one of the golden rules of preventing the spread of covid-19 pandemic.
The Germany International cooperation in Zambia (GIZ) Country Coordinator for Natural Resources Stewardship Programme (NATURES) Gigi Goodhart said her organization embarked on a Green School campaign which is aimed at creating awareness to pupils and learners on the dangers of covid-19 pandemic.
Goodhart highlighted that GIZ came up with a programme which seeks to create a conducive environment for both the teachers and pupils to prevent themselves from covid-19 pandemic.
“GIZ is happy to partner with communities and school authorities so that the pupils are safe and protected from the covid-19 pandemic,” she said.
The GIZ also provided hand sanitizers , liquid soap, mops, brooms, facemasks, five water tanks, and hand washing soap to the five schools.
Ms Goodhart said the five Schools which benefited from the award included Chamba Valley, Ng’ombe Primary School, UTN Special School, Edwin Mulongoti Primary School, and Twalumba combined School.
LCC Public Health Director Christopher Mtonga said the donated items will help in promoting sanitation and awareness against covid-19 pandemic in Schools.
Mr Mtonga also thanked the five awarded Schools for adhering to the five golden rules of covid-19 preventive measures.
“As the local authorities we have a role to make sure that people in Lusaka are safe and it is for this reason that we want to see schools continue adhering to the covid-19 preventive measures,” he said.
Meanwhile the Lazy Lungu was busy dishing out money in the name of empowerment to voters