Schools will partly determine children's health and well-being by providing a healthy or unhealthy environment and by developing useful life skills on health and hygiene. The quality of sanitation and hygiene promotion in schools can be quite poor in developing countries. Although water and sanitation facilities are being recognised as fundamental for hygiene behaviour and children's well-being, in practice, many schools are confronted with extremely bad sanitary conditions. Conditions vary from inappropriate and inadequate sanitary facilities to the outright lack of latrines and safe water for drinking and hygiene. This may even contribute to absenteeism and the drop-out rates of girls.
Schools can be a key factor for initiating change.
Children are often eager to learn and willing to absorb new ideas. New hygiene behaviour learned at school can lead to life-long positive habits. Teachers can function as role models, not only for the children but also within the community. This has resulted in the development of Manual on School Sanitation and Hygiene Education . The project focuses on the testing at country level of the guidelines established in the Manual on School Sanitation and Hygiene and on advocacy and awareness building activities at national, regional and global level.