The school children in the village of Hpar Lin Kyaut Tan, in Kayin (Karen) State, Myanmar, got to celebrate World Water Week this year in their brand new school. The school was recently built by Malteser International as part of a wider program in the region to improve health, education, access to water and sanitation and disaster preparedness.
The day was celebrated with educational sessions on the connection between water and health and hygiene. Malteser International staff explained to the children the importance of this year’s World Water Day theme, “Water Cooperation”. Photos displayed examples of water use from various countries, and the students participated in an art competition by drawing about the role of water in daily life.
“World Water Day is a great occasion to teach our children about the importance of water and hygienic water use to our health,” says Bijay Shresta, Malteser International’s programme coordinator in Kayin. “It is even more exciting to be able to do it in a brand new school, in an environment which is conducive to learning.”
The school was built with financial support from the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Malteser International is committed to improving access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene in many countries around the world. According to the United Nations, almost 800 million people continue to lack access to clean drinking water, and 3.5 million people die each year as a result of poor water conditions. More than a billion people have no access to sanitary facilities.