There is excitement already as can be witnessed from the groups of girls entering and leaving the urinal area of a new toilet. The existing two toilet buildings have been completely abandoned.
Until two months ago, Ariet Primary School in Kumi district was one of the primary schools where the girl learners dreaded short calls. “Girls and boys were sharing the same toilets and given our population of 919 learners, there were always lines during lesson breaks. The competition for using the toilets was so much”, says Amulen Jennifer, a senior woman teacher at the school.
The school’s girl toilet area collapsed hardly three years after being built. This created a gap as the 429 female learners had no alternative space but share with the boys; whose toilets were easily overwhelmed.
“Girls had no privacy especially those in their menstrual cycle. Those who come from a little distance from school used to run home to change and return back to class. Others whose homes were far, came to my house or simply stayed away from school during such times”, says Amulen.
Sanitation facility handover
Sixteen-year-old Tino Joy, remembers how she used to walk over four kilometres round-trip just to go back home and change. “It was not easy walking back home under the hot sun just to change and come back. There was a temptation not to return after reaching home”, says Joy.
With support from the Foster Family Foundation in partnership with Habitat for Humanity Uganda, Ariet Primary School has received a modern toilet with a water tank. The toilet has provision for a bathing area as well.
Ms Amulen says the girls no longer have to go home for changing since they can do that at school adding, “Overall, there is reduced absenteeism as the girls now have their safe space”.
“I am very excited to have such a toilet”, says Alupo Irene Peace who attends primary seven. “I am able to be at school and even bath now that we have water and the buckets”. Much as there is no enough water in their toilet tank owing to the dry spell, the school ensures that there is water collected from the community borehole so that the girl toilets have water available.
Tino Joy says she feels happy because they have a place for girls and they no longer fight for the toilets with the boys.
“We are very grateful”, says Amulen