Daniel Otera
The Create That Change Development Initiative (CCDI), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) based in Abuja, in partnership with the Swiss Embassy in Nigeria, has inaugurated two newly constructed eight-stall toilet facilities for pupils in public primary schools located in low-income communities in Abuja.
The intervention marks the first phase of the Public School Revival Initiative (PSRI), a flagship project aimed at improving learning environments in Nigeria’s public primary schools through critical infrastructure upgrades.
The new toilet facilities are located at LEA Nomadic Primary School, Apo Dutsen-Garki, and LEA Primary School, Kabusa.
During the unveiling ceremony, Sharon Ayeni, Executive Director of CCDI, expressed delight at the organisation’s achievement in providing functional sanitation for the pupils.
“In the LEA Nomadic School, they didn’t have electricity. So, we connected them to electricity,” Ayeni explained.
“We have agreed with the school and the PTA for them to ensure that the bills are paid. The school in Kabusa already had a borehole, but no running water. So, we reconnected them to the water supply before building this toilet facility.”
Ayeni further revealed that CCDI had discussed the maintenance of the facilities with the head teacher and the leadership of the Parent Teachers Association (PTA), who have promised to ensure proper upkeep.
“We will be visiting regularly just to check on the facilities and provide a little support if needed,” she added. “But we have handed the toilets over to the school and the community, and it’s now up to them to maintain these facilities.”
Patrick Egloff, the Swiss Ambassador to Nigeria, commended CCDI for its commitment to education and the future of Nigerian children.
“The future of Nigeria lies with the pupils, and the fact that they now have a proper environment to learn means a lot,” Egloff said.
“We are honoured to have partnered with Create That Change Development Initiative because they are close to the communities. We are pleased to contribute and make a small but important difference, because going to school without proper sanitation is not the way it should be. We are happy that this is changing now.
“This is a small step, but it’s an important one, especially for the girls and young women, so they can focus on studying and not have to hide somewhere.”
Bisala Rukkiyya, head teacher at LEA Primary School, Kabusa, recounted how dire the sanitation situation was before the intervention.
“I told them our immediate problem is the toilet because the pupils don’t have toilets. If they could give us a toilet, we would be very happy,” she said.
“I showed them the site, and they started construction. Believe me, before a month they had finished the toilet. I was very impressed. Words alone cannot express how happy I am. Now there won’t be open defecation again; at least we will have a good, standard toilet.”
At the nomadic primary school in Dutsen Garki, the ceremony was attended by the Chief Imam of the community and the Hakimi (community leader), who thanked Ayeni and CCDI while praying for more interventions in schools.
Mr. Jasper Ogbonna, a member of CCDI’s board, noted that the provision of the toilet facilities addresses health risks and aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“This helps the children concentrate on their education. This is also in line with Agenda 2030, and what we are doing here at the grassroots will resonate nationally,” he said.
Other dignitaries at the event included Tunde Ayeni, Senior Pastor of Graceville Christian Centre, and Nkechi Ilochi-Kanny, Director of Business Development and Innovation at ActionAid Nigeria, who represented Andrew Mamedu, Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria.