By: KALD | Voltaonlinegh.com |
Two primary six pupils of Mawuli E.P Basic ‘A’ school in Ho have won a competition on campaign against Open Defecation organized by World Vision International, Ghana.
The two, Jessica Akwebea and Prosper Diapim, were among 36 selected winners nationwide, who excelled in the contest, which tested their knowledge on good sanitation and hygiene practices.
The competition dubbed, ‘Cartoon Campaign Against Open Defecation,’ was a 12-episode weekly series, featured in the Junior Graphic newspaper for pupils to read and answer questions on it through a telephone call.
For their prizes, they both received a cash amount of GHS 300.00 each, a set of World Vision branded note and exercise books, as well assorted learning materials on sanitation and Hygiene.
The children who expressed excitement about their feat, encouraged their colleagues to participate in subsequent edition of the competition.
Mr. Yaw Atta Arhin, Water and Sanition Technical Coordinator at World Vision, who presented the prizes to the winners last Friday, said the competition was aimed at getting school children to be agents of change and champion the campaign against Open defecation, which he described as a ‘killer’.
According to him, 22 per cent of the country’s population practice open defecation on daily basis, a situation which resulted in the contamination water sources and the spreed of cholera and other diseases among the populace.
‘Open Defecation is a killer because a gram of faeces contains a million bacteria, which causes cholera,’ he stated urged the children to lead a behaviourial change campaign in their homes and communities.
Mr. Arhin indicated that, the next edition of the competition would see an expanded scope, which will entail a more rigorous assessment and an essay on how to end Open Defecation in Ghana.
Madam Stella Kumedzro, Deputy Volta Regional Environmental Health Officer, charged the pupils to be champions of good sanitation practices and compel their parents and community leaders to provide decent toilets in their homes and localities to help end the open defecation menace.
Mr. John Fansey,  headmaster of Mawuli E.P Basic ‘A’ school, declared teachers in the school as worthy ambassadors of the campaign and assured that, they will continue imbibe the culture of good sanitation and hygience practices in the pupils.
The brief presentation ceremony was witnessed by parents of the two awards.
Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com
