Major School Health Initiative Trains 160 Teachers Across Turkana's Refugee and Host Communities
Kakuma, 19 May 2026
A groundbreaking hygiene promotion programme has trained over 160 teachers from 84 schools in Kenya’s Turkana County, targeting both refugee camps and local communities. The initiative addresses a critical sustainability challenge - teacher transfers disrupting health programmes - by training two patrons per school. Funded by Lego and Grundfos foundations through the TeachWell Project, the programme has already eliminated open defecation in participating schools and empowered students to become health advocates at home, particularly improving girls’ confidence in discussing menstrual health.
Strategic Training Distribution Across Sub-Counties
The training programme, which took place in Kakuma on 17 May 2026, brought together educators from across Turkana County’s most challenging educational environments [2]. The geographical distribution reveals the scope of the initiative: 32 teachers travelled from Lokichoggio, 74 from Turkana West, 42 from Kakuma Refugee Camp, and 20 from Turkana North sub-counties [2]. This comprehensive coverage ensures that hygiene promotion efforts reach both refugee populations and host community schools in one of Kenya’s most remote regions [GPT].
Addressing Teacher Transfer Challenges Through Dual Patron System
A critical innovation in the programme addresses the persistent challenge of teacher transfers disrupting health initiatives. Mercy Amdany, WASH Officer at the International Rescue Committee (IRC), explained that teacher transfers over the past three years have significantly affected the sustainability of the five-year project [2]. To counter this issue, organisers have implemented a strategic approach: “To ensure the project runs smoothly moving forward, two patrons were selected from each school for training so that if one teacher is transferred, the other remains behind to sustain the programme” [2].
Measurable Health and Educational Outcomes
The programme’s impact extends beyond basic hygiene training to achieve concrete health improvements in participating schools. Emmanuel Mfutu from Naduat DEB Integrated Primary and Junior School, who has participated in the programme for two years, reported that “through the provision of sanitation facilities and continuous sensitisation, we have eliminated open defecation in our school” [2]. This represents a fundamental public health achievement in a region where such facilities are often inadequate [GPT].
Regulatory Standards and Cross-Sector Collaboration
Medical officers reinforced the importance of maintaining public health standards during the 16 May 2026 training sessions. Joel Lochor, Medical Officer of Health for Turkana North, emphasised comprehensive hygiene requirements: “We must prioritise approved health standards in every school by ensuring litter is properly collected and disposed of, sanitary towels are discarded safely, and toilets, classrooms, dormitories, and school compounds remain clean at all times” [2]. Samuel Ipaso, Turkana West Director of Education, underscored the mandatory nature of these standards, stating that schools failing to meet required standards “should not be operational” [2].