More than 1,000 secondary school students in Omu-Aran, Kwara State, have benefited from a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) campaign aimed at promoting proper hygiene and preventing waterborne diseases.

Tagged Project WASH, the initiative was organised by a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Precious Kosomolate, as part of her personal Community Development Service (CDS) project.

The campaign reached 1,035 students across seven secondary schools in Omu-Aran, where participants were educated on proper handwashing, environmental sanitation and ways to prevent diseases such as typhoid, cholera and diarrhoea.

The programme also featured practical demonstrations to show students how germs can spread through direct contact and contaminated surfaces.

Students were taught proper handwashing techniques using soap and clean water, while they were encouraged to adopt and promote good hygiene practices within their schools, homes and communities.

Speaking on the initiative, Kosomolate said the project was conceived after a community needs assessment identified sanitation challenges in the area.

She explained that the campaign was designed to equip students with practical hygiene knowledge that could be applied in their daily lives.

"Many health problems affecting school children are preventable through improved hygiene practices. We wanted to provide young people with practical knowledge that they can apply daily while also becoming advocates in their schools and communities," she said.

Kosomolate added that the project would go beyond awareness, with plans underway to improve sanitation facilities in one of the participating schools.

The proposed infrastructure includes a two-compartment toilet, handwashing stations and waste bins, although fundraising for the project is still ongoing.

The organisers said the campaign is expected to contribute to healthier school environments, strengthen hygiene practices among students and encourage young people to become advocates for sanitation and disease prevention in their communities.