By Chris Onuoha

In its continuous bid to enhance the quality of life especially among host communities, Nestlé Nigeria has provided yet another access to potable water and scaled up sanitation facilities at All Saints Primary School, Owode, Ogun State as part of its WASH project.

The facilities which will serve over 500 individuals including educators, learners
and families within the community is further evidence of the company’s
commitment to enhancing quality of life and building thriving communities closest to her operations as stated by the management.

According to the statement, Nestlé invests in various projects to improve livelihoods within the communities closest to its operations, noting that an estimated 100 million Nigerians are said to lack basic sanitation facilities while about 63 million do not have access to improved sources of drinking-water,
underscoring the need for consistent multi-stakeholder action to increase access.

“Over the past 3 years, Nestlé Nigeria has delivered projects aimed at providing
clean and safe drinking water as well as WASH facilities for individuals, families
and communities where the company operates. In this period, 11 WASH projects have been donated in Ogun State and Abaji within the Federal capital territory, Abuja. In 2021 alone, the company commissioned four water and sanitation facilities in schools around her operations, reaching over 1,600 learners and educators,” it stated.

Speaking at the event, Nestlé Nigeria’s Corporate Communications and Public
Affairs Manager, Victoria Uwadoka, disclosed that it is one of Nestlé’s core objectives to improve life and wellbeing of people living close to their area of operation and beyond.

“This is why Nestlé Nigeria has been at the forefront of actions to increase access to water and sanitation facilities in the communities closest to its operations, especially in the Nestlé for Healthier Kids (N4HK) beneficiary schools.

“The project we are commissioning today brings the total number of Nestlé
donated Community WASH facilities in Ogun State to 14. This is one more step
towards attaining our objective of making access to water a reality in every school within the N4HK program in support of Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG-6), which is ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all,” she said.

Uwadoka noted that it is Nestlé’s commitment to continue to work with its partners, especially the Ogun State
Universal Education Board, SUBEB to increase availability of potable water and hygienic environment within schools.

“Nestlé for Healthier Kids is a school-based nutrition and health education program built on four pillars: Healthy Nutrition, Healthy Hydration, Physical Activity and Hygiene. Hygiene, being one of the pillars of N4HK, cannot
be taught or practiced without basic water and sanitation facilities on site,” she added.

In his remarks, the Board Chairperson of Ogun State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Femi Majekodunmi, said: “It is gratifying to note that this worthwhile project which is one of many embarked upon by Nestlé in continuation of the company’s commitment to ensure that all the 20 schools within the Nestlé for Healthier Kids program are provided with water and sanitation facilities to promote healthier lives among the children.”

Majekodunmi then called on the PTA as well as the school authorities to
judiciously utilize and ensure that the facilities are well secured and preserved for continuous use.

Ogun State Honorable Commissioner of Education, Science and Technology,
Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, represented by Mr Oluwatosin Sofoluwe, Deputy
Zonal Education Officer for Obafemi Owode, commended Nestlé for
partnering with the Ogun State Government on the provision of facilities for public schools. He noted that children’s ability to learn can be affected by inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene conditions.

The Program Manager, Ogun State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, Mr Sola Ogumbo also commended Nestlé’s support and investments in building thriving communities, particularly in the WASH sector of the state.

Reactions from the beneficiaries were impressive as some of the students of the school expressed their appreciation to Nestlé Nigeria for the provision of WASH facilities within the school premises.