14 May 2021.

As a result of your amazing response to our Safe Hands appeal, we have reached our target of building 40 hand wash stations in schools in Zambia.

These are helping to protect over 27,000 children across 26 schools from the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

The majority of the hand wash stations have space for 18 children. Five of the stations are doubles, with space for 36 children like this one at Zambezi Sawmills Community School:

Clean hands are safe hands for the children at Zambezi Sawmills

Most of the stations have been built in schools in the Chilanga and Chibombo Districts of Lusaka. The last six were built in five schools down in Livingstone. We are already working in this area through our projects at Light of Hope Community School, Katombora Reform School and Libuyu Health Clinic.

All forty hand wash stations have been built by a team of our young graduates, including 24-year old William Mulela Kahale.

Left to right: Graduates William, Elliot and Justine – part of the team who have built 40 hand wash stations

William has been working in construction since completing our Brick and Blocklaying course in 2019. William explained what his new skills mean to him:

“The skills have received through my training are steadily improving my financial status. I’m now respected in my family, because I’m now able to support my brothers and sisters, and to contribute to the buying of groceries in the home”

William, Elliot, Justine and the rest of the team have done a great job, with minimal supervision required from our Site Agent Bongani. These new facilities are helping schools to integrate hand washing more frequently into the school day.

The need for better hand washing facilities in schools across Zambia remains very high. As a result we are looking at how we can extend the Safe Hands project in 2021 to help more schools.

Thank you for your continued support.