Tubaki Shuleni Salama - Lets Stay Safe at School

Our Tubaki Shuleni Salama (TSS) programme aims to improve sanitation and hygiene in schools by ensuring that every child has access to hygienic and gender adapted toilets, access to improved handwashing facilities, and that they have the knowledge to stay healthy, stay in school and to reach their full potential.

Thanks to the amazing support of lots of people and organisations we were able to launch TSS in Babati in December 2020 and we are thrilled to share a further update with you now.

Training the Trainers - Ambassadors for Menstrual Hygiene

Working together with our in country partners we have delivered Menstrual Hygiene Management and Awareness Training for our WASH Ambassadors in Babati. This group of key influencers, including Local Authority officials, school leaders and parents from the 3 communities we are working with, have developed greater understanding of menstruation, menstrual hygiene management (MHM) and the impact that a lack of awareness and inaccurate information can have on young people as they grow up.

The Ambassadors discussed challenges within their own communities and strategies that could be used to raise awareness and ensure that young people, particularly girls, receive the knowledge and support they need to ensue that no girl is held back by her period.

Each group of Ambassadors is now working together to share their knowledge with School WASH clubs and raise awareness in the wider community.

Breaking the silence - an example of action

The WASH Ambassadors in one community decided to mark World Menstrual Hygiene Management Day in their community with the launch of their campaign - Break the Silence: Menstrual Health for the Girl Child. This community led campaign aims to break the silence surrounding menstruation by sparking conversations addressing the perception that menstruation is taboo. By providing education to the WASH clubs and raising awareness at community meetings the Ambassadors hope to promote openness and support for girls both at home and at school. What is particularly amazing about this action is that it's being led by a parent from the community who, prior to the training, would never have dreamed of standing up in front of people and talking about MHM. Now he is a Menstrual Hygiene Champion for his community.

Improving WASH facilities in school

Work has now finished on toilet improvements at all three schools. We have completed toilet blocks like the one pictured above, increasing the number of toilets available for students and ensuring that all three schools have accessible, usable and gender separated toilets. We have renovated existing toilets by plastering, painting and tilling them to make sure they can be easily cleaned and kept hygienic. These upgrades are important in ensuring that all students feel comfortable and confident using the toilets at their schools. We have also, where possible, added extensions to the girls' toilets creating a safe and private changing room for girls to change and dispose of sanitary pads/cloths and to wash clothes if necessary so that the toilet blocks can meet the specific needs of the girls.