HELSINKI, Sept 7: Kemira, a global over two billion euro water
chemistry company, headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, has launched a unique public utility project at Garsain in Uttarakhand, India for construction of toilets in schools, especially for the girls.
The project WASH, launched by Kemira in collaboration with Plan
India, a public service organisation, focuses on maintaining and expanding water and sanitation facilities in 30 target area schools of the hill state region, Ms Aija Jantumen, General Manager, Municipal and Industrial of Kemira told a group of visiting journalists from India.
She said their initiative which came into being recently after the Plan India reported that more than half of the schools in Garsain area were without toilet facilities and there was no drinking water for children in every school. The Kemira-Plan partnership aspires to support children rights to water, health and development, she added.
Ms Jantumen said the cooperation was launched from Kemira’s will to support social causes in developing countries and
support strategic decision to focus on water priority. As part of their porgramme, the small children were being informed about better hygiene practices and the use of toilets, she said.
Student Health Clubs are established in schools with students as leaders and with leadership opportunities for girls while cooperation between school management committees, teachers and officials is strengthened. Teachers work together and share techniques and every school has its own water and sanitation action plan.
Garsain happens to be the mid-point in Uttarakhand state between Kumaon and Garhwal divisions of the state. Incidentally, this is the place which was once suggested as the capital of hill state which was carved out from Uttar Pradesh over a decade back. (UNI)
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