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In partnership with AMREF, LANXESS has committed itself to cutting the high disease and mortality rate in Tanzania resulting from unclean water and inadequate hygiene. Between 2008 and 2010, 25 schools were equipped with rainwater treatment systems and sanitary facilities with funding from LANXESS. Since the project was completed, around 10,000 children have benefited from access to improved drinking water supplies and hygienic sanitation.
Among other improvements, each school has been given a rainwater treatment system for drinking water, cement sinks and extra toilets. The project also included improving traditional sources of water in each catchment area and repairing existing sources of water that are no longer operated.

Long-term hygiene and health education
Communicating know-how on appropriate water usage is just as important as providing facilities. A hygiene and health education program was therefore integrated into lessons as part of the project. Comprehensive basic materials on health and hygiene education in schools were developed in order to give teachers clear information material. These need to be easily understandable – particularly for people who cannot read or write – and must also encourage individuals to take concrete action. One example is in the use of an appropriate illustration to underline the need to wash fruit before eating it.

First aid training for teachers
The project also covered first aid training and first aid equipment for schools. The rationale for this is that injuries such as cuts and grazes frequently go untreated and become infected. What’s more, the symptoms of disease and risks of infection are frequently not detected early enough. In addition to being given practical know-how on the initial treatment needed, the teachers were also given the information necessary to determine when a student requires professional medical assistance.