4.2 billion people around the world live without access to safely managed sanitation.
This World Toilet Day 2020, the call to action is centered on sustainable sanitation, along with clean water and handwashing facilities, to help protect and maintain health security and block the transmission of highly contagious diseases, including COVID-19.
GIZ, through its Regional Fit for School Programme and on behalf of the German Government [specifically the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development or BMZ], is a long-standing partner of Ministries of Education in the creation of policies and monitoring systems to guide the implementation of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) in Schools (WinS) program, which covers the availability, usability, and cleanliness of gender-segregated toilet facilities.
In order to ensure the functionality and sustainability of school sanitation facilities, proper use and maintenance is a crucial component of successful WASH implementation. This has inspired the development of the O&M – Calculate the cost mobile application, which is a product of the synergy between the Regional Fit for School Programme and Sector Programme for Sustainable Sanitation. This mobile application is geared toward helping schools calculate annual costs for WinS operation and maintenance in compliance with global recommendations on drinking water, sanitation, personal hygiene, and environmental/surface hygiene.
After years of development, we are happy to announce that the app is now available for download on both Android and iOS devices, through the following links:
- Android: www.bit.ly/OMappandroid
- iOS: www.bit.ly/OMappios
Being able to calculate and allocate sufficient budget for proper WinS operation and maintenance, and integrate pandemic preparedness and response measures, we envisage a future where schoolchildren can enjoy cleaner and safer toilets and other communal spaces within school grounds
An O&M Manual has also been developed to serve as a guideline and inspiration for the school management on how to improve the usability of school toilets and how to keep them clean. You may download the O&M Manual HERE.
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