By Martha Simchimba

Lilongwe, December 13: Mana. United Nations International Children Funds (UNICEF) has been commended for improving hygiene, sanitation and nutrition in primary school under Malembo Zone in Lilongwe which has assisted in reducing airborne diseases among learners.

Lilongwe District Director of Education, Youth and Sports Sofia Mtiko made the remarks Tuesday at Kataya primary school in the area of Traditional Authority (TA) Chiwawula during an open day of Living School Project.

Mtiko said the project has assisted many schools in Malembo Zone by among other things providing hand washing amenities and introducing back yard gardens where schools have planted different fruit trees which will in due course assist them in improving the nutrition of the learners.

"Good environment helps learners to concentrate on their studies since they are not disturbed with any unclean surrounding. As learners are practicing hygiene and sanitation at school, I am optimistic that they will also practice that at home," she said.

Mtiko then urged school management to maintain the standard that UNICEF through the project has brought in schools by among other things taking care of the back yard gardens and hand washing facilities.

Lilongwe District Director of Planning and Development, Willard Chirwa said apart from addressing nutrition issues among the learners, the project will also address climate change effects in schools by providing protective cover to the schools’ infrastructure during rainy season.

Chirwa said in recent years many schools have been experiencing disasters such as hailstorms that blew-off roofs of many classroom blocks simply because they do not have natural protective cover.

One of the learners at Kataya primary school Shira Malembo whose school got a trophy because of keeping the school surrounding tidy said they will keep on working tirelessly by sweeping the surroundings and maintain the standards that the project has imparted in them.

Among other things, Living School project is empowering community, stakeholders and learners to conserve the environment.

The project was implemented in Malembo Zone at Chilima, Kawalika, Kataya, Malembo and Mpondamwala schools with financial support from UNICEF to the tune of $300 (Approximately K500,000)