The Science and Technology Sector and the General Secretariat of the National Commissions at Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization held a meeting with the Ugandan National Commission for UNESCO and ICESCO, and several partners to discuss the implementation plan of the first phase of ICESCO’s Program for Improving Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Services (WASH) in 1,000 rural schools in several countries of the Islamic World, including Uganda, Senegal, Morocco, and Mali.

The videoconference meeting, held on Tuesday, September 14, 2021, with the participation of the representatives of the Ugandan Ministry of Education and Sports, the Islamic University in Uganda, and the Action for Social Development and Environmental Protection Organization (ASDEPO), reviewed the results of the field study that the Ugandan National Commission conducted for UNESCO and ICESCO. They include proposals on the implementation stages of the program in the thirty rural schools that have been selected based on their needs.

The meeting also touched on the potential budget for the project, financing mechanisms, and the solutions to overcome the challenges facing rural schools, such as poor water and sanitation facilities. The meeting explored the inclusion of new partners to support the implementation of the program.

For her part, the Secretary-General of the Ugandan National Commission, Ms. Rosie Agoi, expressed her appreciation for ICESCO’s support for projects aimed at improving water and sanitation services, noting the outstanding program that the Organization supported at the Islamic University in Uganda during the COVID-19 pandemic, to promote hygiene and provide water for handwashing as part of the preventive measures against the pandemic.

Ms. Zainab Iraqi, Supervisor of the General Secretariat of National Commissions and Conferences at ICESCO, Dr. Foued El Ayni, Expert and Project Manager at Science and Technology Sector at ICESCO, and Ms. Jihane El Assimi, from the Financial Affairs Department, pointed out that the success of the first phase of the program, in Uganda and the beneficiary countries, would give impetus to the program in the rest of the Muslim world. They also reaffirmed the Organization’s willingness to support the efforts of its partners in improving water and sanitation services by providing assistance and advice in financial and technical aspects.