Journey for clean water and school sanitation: Joining hands to care for health of Da Nang’s girls
Da Nang, October 10, 2025: The Da Nang Center for Disease Control (CDC Da Nang), in collaboration with UNICEF Viet Nam, successfully organized the Conference on Reviewing School-Based Interventions to Improve Access to Clean Water, Sanitation, and Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) and proposed a plan for citywide scaling-up in Da Nang.
The conference was held within the framework of the “Child-Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI) – Da Nang, 2023–2026” and the “Healthy Cities for Adolescents (HCA-II)” project, funded by Fondation Botnar and managed by Ecorys.
The conference gathered 69 participants, including representatives from the Department of Health, the Department of Education and Training, district People’s Committees, health centers, and school health officers from seven project wards and districts (i.e. Hai Chau, Thanh Khe, Cam Le, Hoa Vang, Son Tra, Lien Chieu, and Ngu Hanh Son), experts and consultants from UNICEF Viet Nam and the social enterprise Tò He.
View More: Da Nang spreads the message “Clean hand – Confident – Healthy”
Conference Objectives
In her opening remarks, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hien Minh, UNICEF Viet Nam’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Specialist, emphasized the objectives of the event:
- To review the results and lessons learned from implementing the clean water–sanitation–personal hygiene component across 20 schools under the project (2024–2025).
- To share challenges and solutions toward more innovative and sustainable approaches;
- To introduce MHM education models integrated into lessons, extracurricular activities, and creative communication initiatives.
- To discuss and agree on a roadmap for scaling up clean water, sanitation, and hygiene education across Da Nang City, with a view to nationwide replication with UNICEF’s technical support.
Key Highlights
According to Ms. Vo Thi Duy Le, Head of the Environmental Health and School Health Division, CDC Da Nang, the project achieved several concrete results over the past two years:
- 20 schools developed and implemented action plans on clean water, sanitation, and MHM for the 2024–2025 academic year, accompanied by comprehensive training for teachers and staff.
- Developed and distributed handbooks, extracurricular learning materials, conversation card sets, and communication videos to raise students’ awareness.
- Delivered MHM-themed lessons and interactive extracurricular sessions through plays, dances, wall newspapers, songs, and drawings.
- Conducted creative communication campaigns in schools that combined learning and fun, helping students remember key messages on handwashing with soap, personal hygiene, and health protection.
It is estimated that approximately 21,488 students (including 11,051 boys and 10,437 girls) were indirectly reached through communication and awareness-raising activities conducted across the 20 participating schools.
A notable presentation came from the “Leaders of Change” Club at Nguyen Phu Huong Secondary School, which shared its peer-to-peer communication model to enhance students’ knowledge and correct practices on menstrual hygiene.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Hien Minh commended:
“The creativity of teachers and students through communication activities has transformed a sensitive topic into relatable stories, helping raise awareness and change behaviors among students. However, challenges remain — particularly regional disparities and limited resources — to ensure the safety and sustainability of centralized water supply and sanitation facilities in schools.”
On the sidelines of the event, delegates visited an exhibition of communication products and practical models developed by 20 participating schools, recognizing the efforts and creativity of teachers and students in building ‘Clean Schools – Healthy Students – Bright Futures.’
Acting Together for a Healthy, Equal, and Sustainable Future
The conference took place during the Global Handwashing Week (October 15) and International Day of the Girl Child (October 11) — a meaningful occasion to spread messages of gender equality, school health, and girls’ right to care and protection.
The activity reaffirmed Da Nang City’s commitment to building a child-friendly, healthy, and equal city for every child, aiming toward:
- Ensuring that every school has access to clean water and safe sanitation facilities.
- Enhancing personal hygiene education, especially for girls, while encouraging the involvement of boys and fathers.
- Strengthening collaboration among schools, families, local authorities, and the private sector to promote good hygiene practices in the community.
- Investing in sustainable solutions to guarantee every girl’s right to health, safety, and dignity — particularly in access to clean water and appropriate sanitation.
Let’s act together for a healthier, more confident, and well-rounded generation in Da Nang!
