Video: UAE's Sheikha Jawaher mandates The Big Heart Foundation to upgrade school facilities in Zanzibar
Sanitation and water supply on 12 campuses across four regions to benefit 21,000 students
Zanzibar: Sharjah-based The Big Heart Foundation (TBHF) will develop and upgrade water and sanitation facilities in 12 schools across four regions of Zanzibar.
The mandate came from Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and Chairperson of TBHF, Eminent Advocate for Refugee Children at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
School visit
This announcement follows Sheikha Jawaher’s recent visit to Zanzibar, where she met Leila Mohammed Musa, Minister of Education and Vocational Training, along with other officials from key development and education sectors. During her visit, Sheikha Jawaher toured one of the schools that serves around 1,000 students daily but is critically underserved in terms of water and sanitation facilities. With only four toilets (two for boys and two for girls), this equates to one toilet per 240 students, along with a severe lack of basic water hygiene resources.
Fully funded by TBHF and implemented by Save the Children, this project is designed to directly address the pressing infrastructure and educational challenges faced by schools in Zanzibar.
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Building facilities
The initiative includes the construction of 20 sanitation facilities across 12 of 28 primary schools, alongside significant improvements in water access and hygiene provisions in 10 schools. The project is tailored to meet age, gender, and special needs requirements. Furthermore, it features an educational component aimed at raising awareness among students and parents on global water and hygiene standards, while also supplying essential hygiene items to ease financial pressure on families. This initiative is expected to benefit more than 21,000 students across the regions of Unguja, Kaskazini A, Kati, Pemba, Micheweni, and Mkokoni.
Supportive environment
Sheikha Jawaher underscored that providing education in a healthy and supportive school environment is an essential right for all children.
She stated: “Humanitarian projects that contribute to the development of countries, both regionally and globally, reflect the core vision of the UAE under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, to support communities in their pursuit of progress. These initiatives also align with TBHF’s strategic focus on key sectors that drive societal transformation, including education, healthcare, housing, and stability. These are the critical pillars that enable disadvantaged communities to recover and overcome challenges at every level.”
During her visit to the classrooms, Sheikha Jawaher engaged with several students, listening to their aspirations, needs, and the primary obstacles they face in continuing their education. She also met with the families of some students, gaining insight into their experiences.
A 2016 assessment, conducted in accordance with international standards and guidelines, revealed that 20 per cent of primary school students, particularly those with special needs, do not have access to adequate public facilities. Furthermore, 74.7 per cent of schools suffer from severe shortages of water and essential sanitation supplies, adversely impacting the health of the entire school community and contributing to increased absenteeism.