The Cabaret National High School - A Model For Water And Sanitation Management

Jn Butleer George is a one of the teachers at the National High School in Cabaret. This high school serves approximately 1000 people. Mr. George is a devoted husband and father to 6 children, 2 daughters and 4 sons. 

He also serves as one of the janitorial staff and shared, “sometimes I was overwhelmed with stress and discouragement by the time it took to keep the school interior and yard clean. Most students have no concern for the principles of hygiene at school.” Often, he would return home late because he was staying behind to clean up his classroom, and other areas around the school. His tardy return home put a great deal of stress on his wife who worried about his whereabouts. 

A few months ago, a group of parents proposed the idea to ensure the children would have a clean school to attend. They came together to plan an initiative with the support of Haiti Outreach to undergo a WASH training. This initiative helps the staff and students learn about proper sanitation and hygiene to help prevent the spread of germs and prospective illnesses. They focus on teaching students how to wash their hands, brush their teeth, for the girls how to use a sanitary napkin, and how to ensure the trash in the courtyards is disposed of properly. 

To ensure this initiative is maintained, each parent pays 200 Haitian Gourdes annually,  to the “Friends of Hygiene Committee”. This ensures that their child will have access to use hygienic materials, such as: toilet paper, soap, sanitary napkins, supplies to clean the bathrooms, and trash can for waste management.  Today, they have a designated hand washing station with treated water and soap. Mr. George serves as the Chairman of the committee. He shared, “I have the responsibility to keep the school clean and to ensure that all the handwashing stations have clean water to enable all students to wash their hands.”

Thanks to the WASH in the Schools program that is advocated by Haiti Outreach, all students understand and follow the regulations for water management, sanitation and hygiene. Mr. George shared, “I feel proud to be treasurer of this  committee. I will never stop continuing to work so that our National High School of Cabaret will always be the example in water management and sanitation among the other schools in this town.” From time to time, he still returns home late, but not nearly as often as before and for that his wife is grateful!