Lack of safe water affects childrens learning Community Leader
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they are expected not only to assist their mothers to fetch water but also to help with household chores that are made more time-intensive because of the lack of readily available water1 furthermore the lack of clean water means the absence of sanitary facilities and latrines in schools and so once puberty hits this has a more serious impact on female children1 according to him inadequate safe water sanitation and hygiene facilities affect the education health safety and quality of life of children as children under the age of five die each year from diarrhoea1 mohammed stressed that providing quality water sanitation and hygiene wash services in schools would reduce hygiene-related diseases and could help curb the schools days missed daily due to fatigue occasioned by search for water1 according to him girls are reluctant to continue their schooling when toilets and washing facilities are not private safe clean or simply not available1 the community leader therefore urged government policy makers school administrators communities and parents to ensure that all children go to a school with child-friendly water sanitation and hygiene facilities1 he also urged decision-makers and key stakeholders to increase investment for wash in schools with the participation of communities civil society the media students and children themselves1 he said providing wash facilities in schools would improve access to primary education reduce child mortality and halve the proportion of people without access to safe water and basic sanitation1 mohammed commended the network for civil society organisations in water and sanitation newsan and wateraid nigeria for launching the vote4wash campaign adding that it would go a long way in the quest for the provision of wash facilities in the communities. nan1