What day is it on 22nd March?

22nd  of March is the World Water day, which was decided by the UN General Assembly in 1992. This day is a good opportunity to think about the importance of water, water consumption and hygiene.
Water shortage is also a chronic issue in Jordan, as the country is known to be the fourth water poorest country. Water shortage is especially problematic this year because of the unprecedented low precipitation during the rainy season in the winter.
In Jordan, water is usually supplied through water tanks placed on rooftops of each schools and homes, which is filled by public water delivery several times a week. If we leave the tap open, water runs out very quickly! Water is the most important and the scarcest resource here.
JEN’s work in host community in Jordan is divided into two parts; renovation of water-related facilities and hygiene promotion in public schools. As a part of hygiene promotion, not only the waterborne disease prevention but also water saving are addressed.
On 20th of March, UNICEF and JEN held the World Water day joint event at the school where JEN had renovated water related facilities.

[Water is Life]

Through the students role playing, sing a song and dancing, all guests, students and teachers had a great time to think about the importance of water.

[ A drop of water is leading the dance]

[ Students wore ‘drop of water’, ‘hand’ and ‘soap’ costumes]

JEN’s hygiene promoters conduct hygiene promotion activities by going around the schools and training teachers through the training-of-trainers (TOT) model using their knowledge and method. So far, teachers have been trained at 142 schools and hygiene kits have been distributed in 124 schools. It is really difficult to raise hygiene awareness and make hygiene practice as a habit. Trained teachers are able to teach students about hygiene practice, such as washing hands and brushing teeth, to students every day and repeatedly. Both Syrian and Jordanian students can be benefit by these sessions led by trained teachers.

Using the TOT model allows JEN to provide sustainable hygiene education that not only focuses on this generation, but also benefits the next generation so that they continue to carry on the education without JEN’s direct participation.

[ Hygiene Promotion Team ]

World water day is not familiar in Japan. But it is also an important part of our work to raise awareness about the importance of water and remind the Japanese people that there are a lot of children who are still suffering from insufficient and unsafe water.

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