8-year-old Esther has become a role model for her friends as she now practices handwashing regularly

Nomadic Primary School, Tudun Fulani is a mixed-gender school located in Bwari Area Council of Abuja. The school during the 2023/2024 session had a population of 643 students including teachers. Before WaterAid’s intervention, the school lacked decent toilets which made learning difficult for children and unconducive for teachers to effectively carry out their jobs.  

Esther Danjuma, an 8-year-old who wants to become a Nurse in the future is excited about the newly constructed toilets and water in her school as she now enjoys learning. She says that her friends want to enrol in her school so that they too can benefit from the facilities.

“Before now, we went to the bush to defecate because the old toilet was small and not sufficient for both the primary and secondary sections. It was not a good experience, I frown when I manage to use the toilets but they are always not in a good condition.  

Now with the toilet and water, I love coming to school to learn. We no longer struggle for water, we get water at the appointed break time and go back to our classes immediately after break time. I practice handwashing regularly just as we are taught. Our friends are gradually learning from us and some want to even come to our school.”

She says that she is now a happy child as she no longer has to leave school in search of water to drink.

“At home, we go to buy from water vendors, although my brothers help out but I know it is not easy because sometimes, it delays me from going to school early. These days I just know that I am a happy child in school now because I have access to water and toilet which motivates me to come to school every day, it was not really easy going up and down during lessons in the past.”

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WaterAid Nigeria, with funding from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, implemented a one-year project to strengthen water, sanitation and hygiene delivery in selected communities within Abuja and Lagos State. The project focused on increasing access to WASH services by constructing and rehabilitating water facilities in selected communities, gender-inclusive public sanitation facilities and improving hygiene behaviours. The project was designed to complement the efforts of the government in addressing access to WASH services and throughout the project.