THE Tumurora primary school in North Guadalcanal on Friday has taken delivery of the new toilet facility worth $210,000 funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).
The sanitation facilities that we handed over today were the result of a small-scale project of our KOICA volunteer,” the program coordinator Mr. Jong Yong Park said.
The project was launched in April 15, 2017.
He said the project composed of provision of sanitation facilities and basic health education.
“This project has been undertaken through the active collaboration of KOICA and the Health Division of Guadalcanal Province,” Mr. Park revealed.
“I am grateful and proud to say that the Health Division of Guadalcanal Province is the first partner government institution in Solomon Islands where KOICA first dispatched its volunteers who specialized in nursing,” he added.
“I am fully aware that public health and education are the priority sectors of Solomon Islands, KOICA has forged this partnership to strengthen mutual cooperation between the two governments and help achieve the third sustainable development goal (or SDG 3), which is centered on good health and wellbeing,” Mr. Park explained.
Mr Park said that through KOICA, the Korean Government was determined to fund this project with the total budget of nineteen thousand three hundred ninety one (19,391) US dollars.
“Despite some unforeseen challenges during the construction process, we are here today celebrating the successful completion of the sanitation facilities, which include two toilets and one shower room, solar panel and water pump and development of bore water source,” applauded Mr. Park.
He also said to intensify the use of these sanitation facilities, KOICA has also provided health education to both the school teachers and students through Ms. Suji Kim.
Further stating that “KOICA believes that these facilities will not only help improve the sanitation environment of Tumurora Primary School but also the basic health condition of the teachers and students in this school as well as the members of the Tumurora community.”
“With this belief comes KOICA’s commitment to continue doing its best efforts by sending more volunteers who are not only nurses but include teachers for the primary and community high schools in the province,” he went on.
Mr. Park said even though the project we are witnessing today is not such a big scale, he hope that everybody find the occasion very meaningful as the project marks the first successful outcome of the strong commitment and cooperation between KOICA and the Health Division of Guadalcanal Province.
“Let us all wish for the effective use of the facilities and successful operation of this project,” he urged.
He finally stated that everybody must actively participate in the programs relating to the improvement of health care and sanitation in Tumurora Primary.
By LESLEY SANGA
