MARY’S STORY

Mary is a 15-year-old student at Lupaso School. She shared the difference that new school toilets have made:

‘A while back, the toilets at school were not adequate, and it was impacting our learning. We could travel home to use the toilet, but this meant we would miss class to do so. My village is quite far from school. With support from The Salvation Army, things have changed completely. The school now has private rooms that we can use during our period. This means we don’t have to waste time going home to get clean, and we don’t miss classes anymore. Before, we would often get sick from different illnesses. Now, we wash our hands regularly and follow personal hygiene measures. We students are agents of change at school and at home!’ work on income-generating activities and girls can spend more time in school. Each borehole, however, serves a lot of people. The provision of a single clean water source has been transformative, but it remains a long distance away for many. Additional boreholes are needed to reduce the strain on the single borehole and reduce journey times for those living further away.

This is a truly integrated project, not only because of the variety of activities involved, but also because of the way it impacts all aspects of people’s lives.

Alongside communities, schools are a central component. Without handwashing or drinking water facilities, children easily became sick – schools are an opportune environment for illnesses to thrive and spread. A lack of toilet facilities added to the poor hygiene practices – children and other community members had no choice but to defecate outside.

Furthermore, without safe and private toilet facilities, girls were forced to go home when they got their period. This meant they regularly missed classes and ultimately fell behind in their education.

In response to these challenges, the schools and communities partnered The Salvation Army to construct toilet facilities – separate blocks for boys and girls – with private cubicles, handwashing facilities and a room in which girls can manage their menstrual hygiene –essentially a space where they can

HOW CAN I HELP?

£15 could give a person clean water for life through access to a sand dam £45 could provide training in the maintenance of boreholes

£470 could construct a toilet in a school

£1,450 could install a shallow well alongside a sand dam Donate at salvationist.org.uk/helpinghand

WHAT CAN I DO?

During 2023, Salvation Army corps and groups across the UK and Ireland will raise money for international clean water projects through the Helping-Hand Appeal. Order a free fundraising pack by calling 020 7367 4777 or download all the resources from salvationist.org. uk/helpinghand

SPEND A PENNY, GIVE A POUND

One way to support Helping-Hand 2023 is by taking on the Spend a Penny, Give a Pound challenge. It’s simple: over the course of one day – or longer, if you choose – donate £1 for each time you use the loo!

clean themselves before returning to class.

Providing facilities is just part of the process. Attitude shifts and behavioural changes take time. Awareness-raising initiatives such as dance and drama presentations are helping to highlight the importance of hygiene and sanitation in a fun and engaging way.

Young people are at the heart of this project. As Mary says, students are agents of change, not only at school but at home too. They are transforming attitudes and behaviours to keep themselves, their friends and their families safe, and to ensure that all people can reach their potential.

SELF-DENIAL AND HELPING-HAND EXPLAINED

International Projects Office Team Leader Benjamin Gilbert explains the differences and links between the Army’s two major international appeals

When was the Helping-Hand Appeal started?

The Helping-Hand Appeal was the inspiration of Colonel Olive Booth during the Second World War. Shortly afterwards, the worldwide home league began donating money to a variety of Salvation Army projects, particularly those reaching community needs. In the UK, the Helping-Hand Appeal is run annually in collaboration between the Family Ministries Department and International Development UK.

How are the funds used?

The Helping-Hand Appeal funding is used internationally for community-based projects, such as work involving anti-trafficking, clean water, food security and gender justice. The money is used specifically for things such as drilling boreholes, agricultural training, awareness raising and vocational skills training. The Helping-Hand Appeal rotates around these community-based themes each year. During 2023, the focus is on clean water.

How are the two appeals linked?

HAYLEY STILL UK Engagement Co-ordinator International Development

In many territories, The Salvation Army uses a church-based model when implementing its community programmes. A clean water or food security project will often closely involve a corps officer and corps volunteers. For example, a corps building might be used to conduct training or facilitate the distribution of seeds in a project. This ensures that relationships between a corps and its wider community can be built and sustained well after the project has ended. The Self-Denial Appeal helps to keep the physical infrastructure of The Salvation Army going and the Helping-Hand Appeal enables corps to engage in community needs far beyond what their own resources would allow. Both appeals are mutually dependent on each other – so please give generously to both!

Read the full article online at salvationist.org.uk/appealsexplained