SANITATION, HYIGINE AND ENVIRONMENT
Close to 48 million Ethiopians lack access to basic sanitation and 28 million practice open defecation. (WHO/UNICEF)
In Ethiopia, only 52% of the population has access to sanitation facilities. Poor sanitation and hygiene is one of the major causes of diseases and infections in Ethiopia, especially in the remote rural parts of the country. But, SHAPEthiopia believes that sanitation and hygiene impact more than just health. A lack of sanitation takes dignity away and can keep people locked in the cycle of poverty. And, for millions of females in many parts of the country this is the hardest social challenge ever.
Most girls in the country side attend schools without toilets and due to lack of privacy and comfort these girls are forced to dropout from schools when they reach age of puberty. And, a large number of girls who do not access to menstrual sanitary pads will also drop out classes.
SHAPEthiopia is strongly committed to improve the sanitation and hygiene facilities to people in its program implementation areas through the program named Sanitation Hygiene and Environmental Improvement Initiative (SHE-II).
Our Sanitation, Hygiene and Environmental Improvement Initiative (SHE-II) program aims at improving access to clean and safe sanitation facilities and the personal hygiene of women and children as well as the hygiene of their living environment. SHAPEthiopia has also given greater emphasis on awareness creation on menstrual hygiene management and carries on the following activities:
- Distribution of hygiene care materials (soap, sanitary pads, body lotion and hair oil)
- Constructing Sanitation Facilities (Dry Toilet, VIP Toilet, and Public Toilet)
- Hygiene (MHM Awareness Creation and Capacity Building)
- Environmental Protection (Awareness creation, Wildlife protection, Conservation)