Youth empowerment: Baby Soft and Domestos join forces to tackle the need for toilet maintenance and better hygiene in Eastern Cape schools

The water and sanitation crisis in South African schools has been well documented, with a large component of the crises revolving around the lack of availability and access to proper toilet facilities.

However, there is another dimension to the problem – a challenge referred to as “toilet loss” or the inadequate cleaning and maintenance of toilets. In line with the spirit of Youth Month, Baby Soft has partnered with Domestos and the Department of Basic Education (DBE) in a bid to help prevent school toilets from becoming dirty, unsafe and unusable.

According to the 2021 School Toilet Report, nine out of 10 children in South Africa face issues relating to the condition of toilets at their schools. These issues have been linked to heightened anxiety, poor health and higher levels of absenteeism. While much of the focus has been placed on building the necessary infrastructure to support proper sanitation and hygiene, there is also a clear need for the ongoing maintenance and upkeep of these facilities.

There is no better time to address this problem than in the lead up to Youth Day – one of the most pivotal observances on the South African calendar. The Youth Day message intersects with issues relating to equality of access - and speaks directly to the national imperative to support and empower young people, at every level of society. This commitment begins with establishing a healthy and hygienic environment in schools, which plays a key role in providing children with a solid foundation for a sustainable future.

“Not only do hygiene concerns affect learners, they are also a source of anxiety for parents who worry about their children’s emotional and physical well-being while they’re at school. We have therefore recognised that the problem cannot be isolated to schools alone – it is a broader challenge that impacts families and communities,” says Baby Soft brand manager, Siyolise Shinga.

“These challenges are particularly prevalent in outlying and rural areas such as the Eastern Cape. As a brand, we’ve set out to support initiatives that address this issue. Since 2017, Baby Soft has been tackling the sanitation crisis in the country by providing school children with access to clean water, decent toilets and hand washing facilities. This year, we have renewed this commitment and in partnership with Domestos and the DBE, we will work collaboratively to drive positive change.

“We also urge the South African public to make informed decisions about the products they use and the brands they back – every purchase has the potential to make an impact. We hope that by aligning with Youth Day, we can give this important message the impetus it needs to reach all South Africans to better the lives of our youth – one school at a time”.

In 2017, Domestos launched its dedicated schools programme “Cleaner Toilets, Brighter Futures”. In partnership with the DBE, the initiative aims to empower cleaners, teachers and schools to manage their toilet facilities more productively and sustainably to prevent toilet loss. This is one of the three initiatives undertaken by the Unilever sanitation brand.

For the past few years, Baby Soft has also been hard at work on its own “TOGETHER” campaign, which is aimed at building infrastructure to ensure that water and proper sanitation reach communities in need. As a continuation of this campaign, Baby Soft will join forces with Domestos to help schools maintain their toilets, train cleaning staff and provide education on good hygiene practices.

Through this partnership, Baby Soft hopes to extend its impact to 300 schools in the Eastern Cape in 2024.

“This partnership will provide a powerful means to affect change, by dealing with the issue in a holistic way that empowers cleaning teams and schools to build a better future – for children of the present generation and future generations,” added Shinga.

Ntsikelelo Ntwanambi, chief education specialist at Infrastructure Planning in the Eastern Cape Department of Education, expressed confidence that the first phase of this partnership will set a benchmark for ongoing efforts to solve the school sanitation crisis.

“Addressing this issue is more than just an ethical objective – it also touches on the basic human rights of our learners as enshrined in the South African Bill of Rights. It contributes to changing behaviour and promoting good hygiene habits. In the Eastern Cape, there are 1.7 million learners and this programme specifically aids 101 471 of them, including 2 427 learners from special schools. This restores human dignity to educators. The programme needs to be sustained and expanded to other districts, as it promotes daily school attendance and enhances the quality of teaching and learning.

“We understand that without proper sanitation, no child can fully enjoy their right to education or the right to basic nutrition, shelter, health care and social services. As we set out to rectify this, we call on the broader South African society to support the brands that are backing this important cause. We should never underestimate the ability of our single-minded and unified focus on making the difference our children need.”