october 2017

Benefits of the Restroom Project

The restroom helps students from all levels practice proper hygiene through hand washing and restroom sanitation.

“We are grateful for this facility,” says Salvacion B. Peralta, a parent. “Students use the clean water from the faucets to wash their hands before and after meals.

This helps them practice proper hygiene practices. Parents like me also use this facility when we pick up our children from school.”

Parents who manage the school’s daily feeding program also use water from the facility to cook meals for the students.

This is more convenient than buying potable water from outside sources which has been their practice before the project.

“I am personally happy with this project,” says Fernando E. Murillo, Principal of Pinit Elementary School. “We are grateful for IHHELPP, EDUCO and Trekking for Kids for providing us a restroom and a safe water source.

This has been a huge benefit for the students and even the community.

In fact, our feeding programs became possible and effective because of the water from the facility.”

Building Worthwhile Habits
The restroom ultimately benefits students by building habits of cleanliness and hygiene.

“I am grateful for this project,” says Izzy B. Peralta, a 6th grade student and president of the Supreme Pupil Government.

“It has helped us develop habits like saving water and proper sanitation. I’m just glad we have a restroom that is accessible and has clean water.

IHHELPP made a follow-up visit to the now-completed restroom in Pinit Elementary School. This project is a joint effort of IHHELPP, EDUCO and Trekking for Kids led by Max Moncur with construction headed by IHHELPP’s Compressed Earth Blocks trained team from Camiling, Tarlac.

The restroom features a boys’ toilet with a urinal and a bowl, a girl’s toilet with two cubicles with bowls, and a drinking/washing faucet installed outside the toilets.

Construction started mid-April of 2017 and was turned over to the school last June.

Students and community alike have benefitted from this project since then.
Health and Sanitation Concerns Solved
Many health and sanitation concerns were addressed and solved by this restroom project.

“Before we had this facility, students would do their business by the irrigation system under the bridge,” says Juliet P. Tejada, Teacher II and EDUCO Reading Coordinator.

“This practice was unsanitary. However, most of them did not have a choice given the lack of facilities in school and the distance of their houses.

Now, students don’t need to go outside the school to take care of their business.This restroom solves their needs within the school premises.”

Another concern addressed was the lack of safe drinking water. Before the project, students would purchase small plastic bags of water from a store outside the school for one peso per bag.

Some drank water from questionable sources. This practice often led to sickness like diarrhea and stomach flu. Some students missed class because of unsafe drinking water.

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“I am the Student Pupil Government president and I lead a group of officers in making sure that the restrooms are clean and well-maintained.

We organized a set of rules for the proper use restrooms. I am happy that students abide to these rules and they help us keep the restroom clean.