More than 160 teachers and school health club patrons drawn from 84 schools gathered in Kakuma for a training programme aimed at strengthening hygiene promotion and improving water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) standards in schools.
The participants included educators from Lokichoggio, Turkana West host community schools, Kakuma Refugee Camp, and Turkana North.
The training was organised by sub-county education and health teams together with the International Rescue Committee under the TeachWell Project, which is funded by the LEGO Foundation and Grundfos Foundation.
It followed a three-day WASH spot-check exercise conducted in 10 selected schools across the three sub-counties to assess existing gaps in school health systems.
The initiative seeks to institutionalise school health clubs, involve learners in hygiene promotion activities, create safe and conducive learning environments, and strengthen schools’ capacity to maintain and utilise donated WASH facilities.
Speaking during the training, County WASH Coordinator Reuben Kibiego urged teachers to make full use of the knowledge gained and become hygiene champions in their schools.
He noted that the programme equips teachers with skills to prevent waterborne and hygiene-related diseases through hygiene education while promoting gender-sensitive and inclusive WASH practices.
IRC WASH Officer Mercy Amdany said frequent teacher transfers over the past three years had affected continuity in implementing the five-year project.
“To ensure continuity, two patrons were selected from each school for training so that if one teacher is transferred, the other can continue sustaining the programme,” she said.
The training also offered educators an opportunity to share experiences, strengthen support systems, and adopt best practices through collaboration and peer learning.
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Ruth Kwamboka, a newly appointed health club patron at Unity Primary School in Kakuma Refugee Camp, said the sessions had equipped her with practical skills to revive the school’s health club activities.
Closing the event, Turkana West Director of Education Samuel Ipaso called on teachers to prioritise the safety and wellbeing of learners.
By Our Reporter
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