The water and sanitation crisis in South African schools has been well-documented. A large component of the crisis centres around the lack of availability and access to proper toilet facilities. There is however another dimension to the problem – a challenge referred to as ‘toilet loss,’ or the inadequate cleaning and maintenance of toilets. In line with the spirit of Youth Month, Baby Soft®has partnered with Domestos and the Department of Basic Education in a bid to help prevent school toilets from becoming dirty, unsafe, and unusable.
According to 2021 The School Toilet Report, as many as 9 in 10 children in South Africa face issues relating to the condition of toilets at their schools. These issues have been linked to heightened anxiety, poor health, and higher levels of absenteeism. So, while much of the focus has been placed on building the necessary infrastructure to support proper sanitation and hygiene, there is also a clear need for the ongoing maintenance and upkeep of these facilities.
There is no better time to address this problem than in the lead-up to Youth Day – one of the most pivotal observances on the South African calendar. The Youth Day message intersects with issues relating to equality of access and speaks directly to the national imperative to support and empower young people at every level of society. This commitment begins with establishing a healthy, hygienic environment in schools, which plays a key role in providing children with a solid foundation for a sustainable future.
As Baby Soft® Brand Manager, Siyolise Shinga explains: “Not only do hygiene concerns affect learners, but they are also a source of anxiety for parents, who worry about their children’s emotional and physical wellbeing while they’re at school. We have therefore recognised that the problem cannot be isolated to schools alone – it is a broader challenge that impacts families and communities.
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These challenges are particularly prevalent in outlying and rural areas such as the Eastern Cape. As a brand, we’ve set out to support initiatives that address this issue and Baby Soft has been tackling the sanitation crisis in the country since 2018 by providing school children with access to clean water, decent toilets, and hand washing facilities. This year, we have renewed this commitment, and in partnership with Domestos and the Department of Basic Education, we will work collaboratively to drive positive change.
We also urge the South African public to make informed decisions about the products they use and the brands they back – every purchase has the potential to make an impact. We hope that by aligning with Youth Day, we can give this important message the impetus it needs to reach all South Africans to better the lives of our youth one school at a time.”
In 2017, Domestos launched its dedicated schools programme, called ‘Cleaner Toilets Brighter Futures.’ Rolled out in partnership with the Department of Basic Education, the initiative aims to empower cleaners, teachers, and schools to manage their toilet facilities more productively and sustainably to prevent toilet loss. This is one of the three initiatives undertaken by the Unilever sanitation brand.
For the last few years, Baby Soft® has also been hard at work on its own TOGETHER campaign, aimed at building infrastructure to ensure that water and proper sanitation reach communities in need. As a continuation of this campaign, Baby Soft® will join forces with Domestos to help schools maintain their toilets, train cleaning staff, and provide education on good hygiene practices.
Through this partnership, Baby Soft® hopes to extend its impact to 300 schools in the Eastern Cape in 2024. As Siyolise explains, this partnership will provide a powerful means by which to affect change, by dealing with the issue in a holistic way that empowers cleaning teams and schools to build a better future for children both now and in the long run.
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Adding to this is Mr. Ntsikelelo Ntwanambi, the Chief Education Specialist at Infrastructure Planning in the Eastern Cape Department of Education, who expresses confidence that the first phase of this partnership will set an important benchmark for ongoing efforts and advocacy to solve the sanitation crisis in schools for good.
“Addressing this issue is more than just an ethical objective – it also touches on the basic human rights of our learners as enshrined in the South African Bill of Rights. It contributes to changing behavior and promoting good hygiene habits. In the Eastern Cape, there are 1.7 million learners, and this program specifically aids 101,471 of them, including 2,427 learners from special schools, thereby restoring human dignity to educators. The programme needs to be sustained and expanded to other districts as it promotes daily school attendance and enhances the quality of teaching and learning.
Of these learners, we understand that without proper sanitation, no child can fully enjoy their right to education or the right to basic nutrition, shelter, health care, and social services. As we set out to rectify this, we call on broader South African society to support the brands that are backing this important cause – we should never underestimate the ability of our single-minded, unified focus on making the difference our children need.”
This post and content is sponsored, written and produced by Baby Soft.
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