Nestlé Provides Water, Sanitation Facilities in Community Schools

Learners and educators at LG Primary School, Adie Owe, Ado-Odo-Ota Local Government of Ogun State, were jubilant at the inauguration of Water and Sanitation Facilities provided by Nestlé Nigeria PLC. The facilities will serve over 500

LG Primary School Adie Owe is a beneficiary of Nestlé for Healthier Kids (N4HK), a school-based nutrition and health education program built on four pillars: Healthy Nutrition, Healthy Hydration, Physical Activity and Hygiene.

Recognizing hygiene as a crucial component of the N4HK program and affirming the difficulty of hygiene practice and education in the absence of basic water and sanitation facilities, Nestlé’s investment in water and sanitation facilities for beneficiary schools underscores its commitment to comprehensive health education, enhancing quality of life and building thriving communities.

Speaking at the event, Nestlé Nigeria’s Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Victoria Uwadoka, said, “At Nestlé, we recognize that maintaining appropriate hygiene standards and practices which is one of the pillars of N4HK is very difficult in the absence of basic water and sanitation facilities. Therefore, we have invested in providing access to water and sanitation facilities in the N4HK beneficiary schools. In Ogun State alone, we have completed and commissioned facilities in ten schools, serving 4,000 learners and educators as well as members of the immediate communities.”

“The commissioning today is very significant as it is one more achievement towards our resolve to make access to water a reality in every school within the individuals including educators, learners in the school and several families within the community. N4HK program, in alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG-6), – ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.” she added.

“The absence, inadequacy, or mismanagement of water and sanitation services pose significant health risks, impeding human well-being and hindering social and economic development. Recurrent instances of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) related illnesses among children contribute to school absenteeism and malnutrition. As outlined in Goal 6 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ensuring universal access to safe and affordable drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene remains a global imperative. The World Bank estimates that 70 million Nigerians lack access to safe drinking water, and 114 million lack access to basic sanitation facilities, “she said.