Nestlé Donates Water Facility For School In Ogun State
L-R: Mr. Oluwatosin Sofoluwe, Deputy Zonal Education Officer for Obafemi Owode, representing the Ogun State Honorable Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu; Mr. Sola Ogunbo, Program Manager, Ogun State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency; Dr Femi Majekodunmi, Executive Chairman, Ogun State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB); Victoria Uwadoka, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Nestlé Nigeria PLC; Shakiru Lawal, Country HR Manager, Nestlé Nigeria PLC and Gbenga Oladunjoye, Factory Manager, Nestlé Flowergate Factory.
Learners and Educators of the All Saints Primary School Owode now have access to water and sanitation as Nestlé recently commissioned wash facilities in the school.
The facilities which will serve over 500 individuals including educators, learners and families within the community further demonstrates the company’s commitment to enhancing the quality of life and building thriving communities closest to her operations.
Speaking at the event, Nestlé Nigeria’s Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Victoria Uwadoka, said, “We recognize the fact that water and sanitation are essential to life and wellbeing. They are, therefore, at the core of improving livelihood in any community. 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. We will continue to work with our partners, especially the Ogun State Universal Education Board, SUBEB to increase availability.”
Pupils of All Saints Primary School Owode in Ogun State, using the newly commissioned facility
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. Victoria explained that Hygiene, being one of the pillars of N4HK, cannot be taught or practised without basic water and sanitation facilities on site.
In his remarks at the commissioning, 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.”
Dr. 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.
On his part, the Honorable Commissioner of Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, ably represented by Mr Oluwatosin Sofoluwe, Deputy Zonal Education Officer for Obafemi Owode, while commending Nestlé for partnering with the Ogun State Government on the provision of facilities for public schools, stated that children’s ability to learn can be affected by inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene conditions.
Also speaking at the event, the Program Manager, Ogun State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, Mr Sola Ogumbo commended Nestlé’s support and investments in building thriving communities, particularly in the WASH sector of the state. He stated that this aligns with the commitment of the Ogun State Government to meet SDG goal 6, ensuring water and sanitation for all by 2030.
On their part, the primary 5 students of the school expressed their appreciation of the provision of WASH facilities within the school premises.
Nestlé is the Good Food, Good Life company that has been a force for good since its inception over 150 years ago. In line with her creating shared value principles, Nestlé Nigeria touches thousands of lives across her value chain daily.
The Company invests in various projects to improve livelihoods within the communities closest to its operations.
An estimated 100 million Nigerians are said to still lack basic sanitation facilities and 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 FCT.
In 2021 alone, the company commissioned four water and sanitation facilities in schools around her operations, reaching over 1,600 learners and educators.
