When beginning teacher training within the framework of the "water and sanitation educational proposal," my colleagues and I had little knowledge about the importance of these issues. The training helped us understand how vital our role is in caring for water and sanitation (Sonia Jauregui)
Since 2013, kindergarten teachers "My Cocoon" – Cascas, have incorporated topics on hand washing, water care, safe water consumption, correct separation of solid waste, environmental care, among others. Likewise, they began educational campaigns to reach the Casquina community, transcending teaching in the classrooms, to the Casquina community.
"Teachers, students, parents, health personnel, authorities and municipal officials, we put on the t-shirt for the care of water by carrying out activities such as installing demonstration stands for hand washing, parades with posters that contained messages about not wasting water ", not throwing garbage in the streets, drinking boiled water, among other topics about care and protection" Sonia points out.
The teacher also relates some anecdotal events that occurred during these activities: "We were in the Cascas market area, with a group of children between 3 and 5 years old. We had prepared our kit of materials for the demonstration of hand washing and the adults were delighted to be taught by the little ones about the practice. correct way of washing their hands. Everyone congratulated the little ones for these actions and some others wanted to pay the children a sol, as a thank you for the teachings.
The kindergarten "My Cocoon" and five other educational institutions in Cascas, were the pioneers in incorporating topics related to water care and sanitation into the school curriculum. This was achieved through a tripartite alliance between Water For People, UGEL Gran Chimú and the municipal water technical area. and sanitation of Cascas. The incorporation of these topics awakened the teachers' curiosity to know how the drinking water system was built and they went so far as to organize visits to the city's drinking water system, in the company of teachers, students and parents.
"The result of the visits to the drinking water system was impressive, we managed to raise awareness among parents about the care and not waste of water at home, the importance of boiling water for drinking and thus we achieved that in the school lunch box they send a bottle of boiled water so that the boy or girl can drink during recess time. With this simple action of boiling the water we have managed to ensure that children no longer get sick from diarrhea and parasitosis decreases." says Professor Sonia Jauregui.
Finally, Sonia adds that the entire experience was very valuable, the learning awakened the desire to delve deeper and learn more about water and sanitation, to the point that she and her teachers, in 2014, developed the project "Knowing my Drinking Water System" for the regional and national competition on "Good Educational Practices", promoted by the Ministry of Education, obtaining an important award for the educational institution and positively impacting the interest of children and teachers in generating environmental awareness and valuable learning for life.
Source: interview with Sonia Jáuregui, director of the "Mi Capullo" Kindergarten (Cascas), 2015.