FOR over 40 years, the students of Bellas Gate All-Age School in St Catherine have been using pit latrines. In neighbouring Clarendon, the population of Thompson Town Primary have had to put up with an inadequate water supply which made flushing difficult.

But last month, thanks to US-based charity organisation Food For the Poor (FFP) and the Embassy of Japan, both institutions were treated to upgraded lavatory facilities.

“Once upon a time the idea of having proper bathrooms at Bellas Gate did not seem possible,” proud principal, Michael Watts said. “Today, this same school will be the envy of many other schools because we now have modern bathroom facilities.”

The new facilities now consist of two single units divided into male and female sections. They are equipped with seven flush toilets, four wash basins and a urinal.

Principal of Thompson Town Primary Evell Smith was equally delighted.

“Today, what seemed to have been a dream has become a reality,” she said, on behalf of her school population of over 400 students.

“The female section now boasts five flush toilets and one shower area, while the male section now has three flush toilets, a shower area and a urinal. The students will no longer complain about board toilet seats and the bad odour, and parents will feel more comfortable sending their children to school,” said Smith at the handing-over ceremony at her school.

The schools were among more than 200 others islandwide with unhygienic sanitation systems, but under the Islandwide School Sanitation Project, which leverages private sector partnerships to provide schools with modern facilities, FFP and the embassy intervened.

“These sanitation facilities will naturally open doors for better life and replace discomfort and inconvenience. The Government of Japan is committed to the future progress of Jamaica and is honoured to support any effort that will provide an effective, conducive teaching and learning environment for students and teachers,” Japanese ambassador to Jamaica Hiroshi Yamaguchi said at the January 18 handing-over.

“The success of the project is largely due to the generosity of our partners, such as the people and Government of Japan who are willing to help us provide a safe and healthy environment for the nation’s children,” FFP CEO Ryan Peralto told Career & Education.

“From investigations done, we discovered that about 235 schools islandwide were still using unhygienic and unsafe pit latrines. This gave birth to the Islandwide School Sanitation Project — a project which provides schools with proper bathrooms through partnerships with corporate Jamaica. Today, Bellas Gate and Thompson Town are benefiting from one such partnership,” he continued.

The sanitation project was launched in 2006. The Embassy of Japan joined forces with FFP in October 2009 and together they have donated approximately US$100,000 to replace pit latrines in 10 schools. Over 1,600 students are expected to benefit.

Already, five new sanitation facilities have already been handed over to Thompson Town Primary and Mt Carmel All-Age in Clarendon; Top Hill Primary and New Broughton Primary in Manchester; and Bellas Gate All-Age in St Catherine. Five more schools: Devon Pen Primary and Derry Primary in St Mary; Kentucky Primary and Junior High in Westmoreland; First Hill All-Age in Trelawny; and Gutters Basic in St James, are scheduled to have their official handing-over ceremonies in February.

Ambassador & girls

Girls from Thompson Town Primary School flock His Excellency Hiroshi Yamaguchi moments after the official handing over ceremony at their school.

Children cut

Two students of Bellas Gate All-Age School in St Catherine cut the ribbon, signalling the official opening of the school’s newly-constructed bathroom facility. Sharing in the moment are CEO of Food for the Poor Ryan Peralto (left), and Japanese ambassador to Jamaica His Excellency Hiroshi Yamaguchi.

(Photos: Food for the Poor)