WASH Water, Sanitation & Hygiene
Empowering Schools & Communities for a Healthier Future
At Sewa International, the well-being of students lies at the core of our mission. Through our WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) initiatives, we work to ensure that every child has access to a safe, clean, and dignified learning environment.
Our programmes strengthen school infrastructure, promote healthy hygiene practices, and support communities in building sustainable sanitation systems.
From clean drinking water to reliable toilets and handwashing facilities, WASH lays the foundation for children to learn, grow, and thrive.
Why WASH in Schools Matters?
Access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) in Indian schools remains critical for children’s health, dignity, and learning. According to UNICEF under its “Clean India – Clean Schools” programme, nearly 50% of all schools in India across both rural and urban areas lack basic hand-washing facilities.
Many schools still do not have functioning, sex-segregated toilets or reliable drinking-water infrastructure. A significant number of toilets remain unusable due to lack of running water, poor maintenance, or absence of soap—undermining hygiene and safety, especially for girls.
These gaps disproportionately affect girls: inadequate sanitation and lack of menstrual-hygiene support remain major barriers to regular attendance. Studies from India have reported that a portion of schoolgirls miss school during menstruation due to absence of gender-sensitive sanitation facilities.
Globally and in India alike, lacking WASH services undermines children’s health, increases vulnerability to water-borne and hygiene-related illnesses, and negatively affects learning outcomes.
Ensuring proper WASH facilities—clean drinking water, usable toilets, hand-washing with soap, and menstrual hygiene support—is fundamental to enabling safe, healthy, and inclusive education for all children.
Our WASH Approach
- Conduct school WASH audits and surveys
- Identify gaps in drinking water, sanitation, hygiene, and menstrual health
- Build or renovate toilets and handwashing stations
- Install safe drinking water systems
- Provide maintenance support for long-term use
- Student workshops on handwashing, sanitation, and personal hygiene
- Awareness campaigns on menstrual hygiene
- Encourage daily hygiene practices
- Train teachers, staff, and parent-teacher committees
- Empower volunteers to monitor and maintain WASH facilities
- Reduce waterborne and hygiene-related illnesses
- Improve attendance, especially for girls
- Create safe, healthy learning environments
- Establish school and community ownership of WASH facilities
- Monitor usage and maintenance regularly
- Scale best practices to other schools and communities
Our Impact
Making Schools Safer, Cleaner & Healthier: Sewa International’s Impact
1,195+
Beneficiaries supported
11
schools upgraded with improved water, sanitation, and hygiene systems
