For immediate release: August 4, 2008

Media Contact:    Stephanie Kaleva

Bozeman, Mont., 04 Aug., 2008 - “Education is life,” a sign reads in the schoolyard of Ntinda Primary School in Kampala, Uganda.  In sub-Saharan Africa, where basic necessities, such as access to water, are difficult to obtain, education can empower people to develop healthful habits, to help control the spread of disease, to improve their health and well-being, and to ensure the future of their communities. 

In the fall of 2008, Project WET received funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to create and distribute educational resources addressing critical water topics, including hygiene and disease prevention materials. The USAID-Africa Education Initiative (AEI) is committed to improving educational opportunities for Africa’s children, especially girls and marginalized communities.

The Project WET Healthy Water, Healthy Habits, Healthy People resources include four water education components: a teacher module with 7 hands-on lesson plans, two Kids in Discovery (KIDs) series student activity booklets and an interactive poster. These colorful and fact-filled publications teach about water fundamentals, the connection between water and diseases, and what actions can be taken to stay healthy. The illustrations and text give instructions for effective hand washing, in addition to techniques for simple water purification.  They also promote the value of understanding and protecting water sources. The scarcity of water is a contributing factor for many of the health problems that face much of the population.  

Produced in French and English, the materials have reached over 830,000 students in 1,000 schools in 16 sub-Saharan countries.  Developed with participation from experts in education and water in Africa, the materials were distributed through partnerships with groups such as USAID, Ministries of Water and Education, WaterAid, Africare, Save the Children, the Centre Régional pour l'Eau Potable et l'Assainissement à faible coût (CREPA), Soft Power Education and others.

In the materials, basic health and hygiene skills are outlined, such as effective hand washing skills and identifying when hand washing should be practiced. This information is vital in reducing deaths caused by poor hygiene and inadequate preventative measures. Water’s connection to malaria is explained; along with steps people can take to protect themselves from the disease, such as covering up at night and sleeping under a mosquito net.  Knowledge of the connections between health issues and water usage prepares today’s students for a healthier tomorrow.  

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates diarrhea kills around 2.2 million people a year, worldwide. Basic hand washing could potentially reduce diarrhea episodes by 30% or 660,000 people each year. According to the 2008 WHO report, 91% of the estimated 881,000 deaths from malaria were in Africa, and 85% were children under 5 years of age. 

Education is vital to help reduce deaths from poor hygiene and insufficient preventative measures.  In Uganda alone, 76% of diseases are caused by poor hygiene and inadequate sanitation practices. 

“Project WET’s visionary initiative to help children gain an understanding of water and sanitation issues at an early age will go a long way in shaping future world leaders and water managers,”  Honorable Maria Mutagamba, Minister of Water and Environment, Uganda. 

About Project WET

Since 1984, Project WET, an award-winning 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, has dedicated itself to the mission of reaching children, parents, teachers and community members of the world with water education.  Project WET achieves its mission of worldwide water education by:

• publishing water resource materials in several languages.
  
• providing training workshops on diverse water topics (i.e., watersheds, water quality, water conservation).
  
• organizing community water events, such as Make a Splash with Project WET water festivals and the Global Water Education Village™.
  
• building a worldwide network of educators, water resource professionals and scientists.

On the web at www.projectwet.org.