Access to Quality Education is one of the Fundamentals of Human Rights

By Yaser Khalaj.

 Do you know what lack of access to clean water and proper washroom facilities do to kids in some parts of the developing world? 

Overview of CAJPHR 

The Centre for African Justice, Peace and Human rights (otherwise called CAJPHR) is a Non-Profit Foundation that promotes justice, peace and human rights through education, awareness, campaign, training, outreach and capacity building in Africa.  The “Right to Quality Education” department, provides essential school facilities in developing parts of Africa. 

CAJPHR aims to offer students in the African continent the opportunity to learn in a safe and conducive environment, away from disease and other factors that might be obstacles to their development. 

The combined partnership, with Dutch organizations, has enabled us to work toward achieving this goal – providing aid to schools.

Our main acheivement: The provision of access to clean water and toilet facilities for 700 students and 25 teachers/staff members at a public school called “Independence Layout Primary School 2” in Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria.

Some of the challenges faced by the school as a result of lack of access to clean water and toilet facilities are demonstrated below;

• Missed classes
• Females faced extra strain and missed classes during their monthly menstruation.

A petri dish for diseases.

• The lack of/poor toilet facilities had led to the development of both chronic and acute diseases of the students and the staff. According to the statistics provided by the school board close to 80% of the students are affected by diarrhea, cholera, typhoid fever or dysentery. 

• Vulnerability. 
  • In search of water or toilet facilities children leave the premises, leading to late or no return to classes, road accidents or abductions by criminal organizations.

• An unsafe environment. 
• The continued depositing of human feces around the school premises creates a toxic environment for children to be or play in. 

Therefore, this project executed the follows: 

• First: equipped the school with clean water. Achieved through adding a water well/pump and digging a reservoir on school grounds.
• Second: to improve and increase toilet facilities. Achieved through the construction of two additional toilets and renovation of the existing four toilet rooms.

 Our Funding Parties and Contributors 

There were multiple funders for the project, both locally (in Enugu) and from the Netherlands. This project would not have been possible without them, so we extend our many thanks for their support throughout this project.

 A special thanks goes to the following:

1. The Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) of the school who funded 20% of the project. 
2. ETWA (The Europe Third World Association) was the main funder of the project. 
3. The School-Based Management (SBM) and the PTA who were responsible for the maintenance and sustainability of the project.
4. The school’s Head Teacher who led the supervision of the project during construction.

An additional thanks goes to: 

1. The male parents of the children worked as non-skilled laborers during the execution of the project. 
2. The PTA who helped on site at the school
3.  Dorona Enterprise Ltd who are the building contractors for the project. 

The impact of the project

The benefits post-completion of the project varies. However, some of the key achievements are the following described by the beneficiary themselves: 

1. Increased health
   1. The projects have been greatly appreciated by both students and staff, as they have improved the general and personal hygiene status of all in the school. The students and staff alike have testified that since the project establishment, they have experienced little or no contamination levels that have led to health issues. Omeje Vincent Chigbogu Chairman, School Based Management Committee 

1. Increased community health 
   1. The new construction has created a more peaceful non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environment, the pupils don’t urinate or pass faces in the ground. It has reduced the unpleasant smell in the compound. School Based Management Committee 

1. Increased Safety 
   1. The water project has reduced the risk of road accidents to children who go out to fetch water. 
   1. By not going to the bushes to use the toilet, the children are safe from the dangers of serpents and scorpions, and from kidnappings or rapes. Okpala Adaeze Stella, ~PTA Chairman

1. Increased attendance
2. “The number of our learners has increased drastically and more are still coming”. PTA Chairman

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Photography by Mrs Veronica Ugwu (MIHNR), Head Teacher of Independence Layout Primary School.