UNICEF and IDBI Bank have entered into a partnership to provide safe drinking water and sanitation to 80,000 children in 400 schools and Anganwadi centres in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.
The Rs 2.7 crore partnership entered into by the bank is part of its corporate social responsibility programme. The partnership was signed by IDBI Bank Chief General Manager RV Iyer and UNICEF India Representative Louis-Georges Arsenault.
"The programme will provide improved access to safe- drinking water, sanitation and hygiene for school-going children under the 'Model WASH in Schools' initiative in the two states," said a release issued by the bank and UNICEF.
WASH stands for (drinking) water, sanitation and hygiene.
"'Model WASH in Schools' demonstrates the effectiveness of integrating critical behaviours, such as hand-washing, into the world's largest mid-day meal programme. Evidence shows that access to functional and separate toilets for girls and boys can contribute to a better learning environment, reducing absenteeism and drop-out rates in schools, especially for girls," Arsenault said.
Commenting on the initiative, MS Raghavan, Chairman and Managing Director, IDBI Bank, said they have "entered into this partnership with UNICEF and the Government of India to support their vision of ensuring that the 110 million children enrolled in 1.4 million elementary schools across India have access to safe drinking water and functional toilets (and imbibe) hygienic practices with special emphasis on hand washing."
He said that the initiative is also in keeping with the goals of the 'Swachh Bharat Mission', launched recently by the Centre, under which "we are further supporting the construction of 300 gender-segregated toilets in schools across India, primarily in rural areas."
Highlighting the role of corporates in supporting child- friendly education in schools, Sue Coates, Chief of WASH, UNICEF India, said, "The partnership is of special significance against the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent appeal to corporates to focus on building toilets in schools, especially for girls.
