Project Prajwala -Swachh Balika, Swachh Vidyalaya: Validating Scalable Models for WASH in Schools

The project, 'Prajwala' is a model project on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs). This comprehensive WASH intervention in KGBVs is a joint initiative of Rajasthan Elementary Education Council and National Stock Exchange Foundation. Centre for Environment Education (CEE) is the knowledge and implementation partner and UNICEF supports the initiative as technical partner. The project is being run in KGBVs which are residential schools set up by Government of India for girls from marginalised communities belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, minority communities and families below the poverty line and residing in difficult remote areas of Rajasthan. Primary objective of the project is to improve knowledge, attitude and practices among students and teachers in 200 KGBVs across Rajasthan on various aspects of WASH and to initiate development of a WASH operation and maintenance (O&M) guidelines. The project aims to impact around 40,000 students, around 2000 school staff and 500 government officials. The project intends to support the Government's efforts under the KGBVs scheme by strengthening the existing government mechanism and reinforcing the importance of improved WASH in these institutions. The project contain both the technical and human development components that are necessary for sustainable WASH practices in KGBVs. Technical components includes augmentation of hand washing facilities, toilets/urinals and soap facilities in the KGBVs campus for use by children and teachers and the human development components are the activities that promote hygienic conditions within the KGBVs and the healthy practices of children that help to prevent water, hygiene and sanitation-related diseases. Phase wise roll out has been adopted for the field level implementation with 72 schools in first phase and 128 schools in second phase. The programme is being run by two approaches: self-implementation in 29 schools by CEE and implementation by local partners in 171 schools, where CEE provides technical and supervisory support to local partners for ensuring the uniformity of process as well as quality in output. The project looks into three major components: (1) Retrofitting of WASH infrastructure in KGBVs (2) Enhanced awareness, knowledge and behaviour change on the aspects of WASH by students, teachers, government officials and sanitation workers (3) Build or improve systems around operations and maintenance. The accepted WASH standards available such as that of UNICEF three star approach and Swacch Vidyalaya guidelines etc. has been referred during the process.

Currently, the project is in its second year and around 22000 students have been benefitted through various WASH interventions, such as retrofitting, renovation and repair of water, sanitation, kitchen and other related facilities as well as the software sessions for behaviour change which include thematic sessions on WASH like hand washing sessions and group sessions on Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) with adolescent girls. Child Cabinets have been trained on leadership and peer learning strategies. In addition, capacity building exercises for key stakeholders has been organised via training programmes of teachers, non-teaching staff and SMC members on WASH for participatory management, visualizing and strengthening institutional mechanisms for WASH in schools and government officials have been sensitized about the importance of WASH in schools and the project objectives.,/p>

Under the project intervention, participatory WASH appraisal has been done with KAP test for assessment of WASH system, practices, baseline survey for infrastructure and school specific detail project report (DPR) has been prepared depicting current scenario, gaps in practices and infrastructure, proposed designs and visuals with specification of child friendly WASH infrastructure with due concern of child with special needs (CWSN), activities for inculcating adequate WASH behavior among students and other users with proper upkeep and O&M and school level action plan. Regular thematic sessions in 200 schools have been conducted on various themes around WASH for promoting their understanding and inculcating adequate WASH behaviour through monthly visit in 141 schools and quarterly visit in 59 schools with overnight stay for observation of practices and enhancing reflection among stakeholders. Child cabinet has been constituted as WASH committee, a student led mechanism in all 200 schools and around 3000 girls has been oriented for participatory management of WASH in schools. Formation of adolescent girl groups has been done in all 200 schools for focused interventions on MHM (Menstrual Hygiene Management) and orientation of 4000 adolescent girls has been undertaken on issues around menstrual hygiene management, health and nutrition, etc. WASH kit for schools containing educational material for capacity building of various stakeholders like teachers, non- teaching staff, students, adolescent girls, etc. have been developed and distributed in 200 schools. This kit includes cognitive reminders, posters, observation booklets, progress registers, activity kits like water testing kit, accessories for improving practices like gloves, apron scarf, etc. for cooks. 386 teachers have been trained on WASH in schools, 1000 non-teaching staff trained on their role and support for facilitating WASH and 950 SMC members have been trained on participatory management and O&M of WASH facilities and 189 SMCs strengthened. A total of 43 units of group hand washing station and dish washing unit has been constructed. Additionally, school management has undertaken retrofitting of existing infrastructure and augmentation at their own through their school grants after capacity building via project for prioritising WASH in school development plan. Various platforms has been used for promoting and sharing of best practices like celebration of global hand washing day in 159 KGBVs and showcasing of learnings and project activities at Kishori Bal Mela, an annual event of KGBVs has been done in 94 KGBVs for. The event was attended by district and block level functionaries of Education Department, MPs/MLAs, district collectors, teachers and students from other schools of the block. Around 150 government officers including officials at district, block and level has been oriented for project activities and concept of WASH in schools for lateral replications in other schools. Regular interaction is being done with key partners like education department at every level and UNICEF for aligning project activities with the state level plan and building synergy for effective implementation of the project.