Faraj Timtoni Wumbei is Child Sanitation Diplomat 2024

A 14-year-old pupil of the Grace Holy Child Academy in Tamale, Abdul Yazid Faraj Timtoni Wumbei, was adjudged the Child Sanitation Diplomat at the grand finale of the fifth School Sanitation Solution Challenge (Triple S) in Accra last Monday.

The junior high school (JHS) form two pupil, who became the first male to win the award, beat three female contestants to win the contest.

Master Wumbei beat the closest contender by just one point after he obtained 55 points to come ahead of Esi Abakah Owusu, a 14-year-old JHS two student from the University Junior High School in Cape Coast, who scored 54 points to emerge the first runner-up.

Candy Nana Adwoa Okwan, a 14-year-old JHS two pupil from the Achimota Basic School in Accra polled 41.5 points to take the second runner-up position.

Christiana Sefakor Sedenkor, a 13-year-old JHS two pupil of the Presbyterian “E” Basic School in Koforidua in the Eastern Region, had 38.5 points to take third runner-up position.

As part of his award prize, Master Wumbei took home an amount of GH¢ 6,000, a certificate, a plaque, a Samsung Galaxy Tablet A9, an HP desktop for his school, as well as sanitary equipment, including waste bins, for waste segregation in his school and at home.

He will also be supported by World Vision Ghana, the key organiser of the competition, to implement a one-year sanitation project fully funded in all the regions throughout the country.

Master Wumbei, based on future opportunities and availability of resources, will be supported to travel abroad for a study tour or attend a fully paid water, sanitation and hygiene conference.  

Esi also took home a certificate, a plaque, a Samsung Galaxy tablet A9, a cash prize of GH¢ 4,000, an HP desktop for the school, as well as sanitary equipment, including waste bins, for waste segregation in her school.

Candy was given a certificate, a plaque, a Samsung Galaxy tablet A9, a cash prize of GH¢ 3,000, an HP desktop for her school and sanitary equipment, including waste bins, for waste segregation at home and the school.

Christiana was given a certificate, a plaque, a Samsung Galaxy tablet A9, a cash prize of GH¢ 2,000, an HP desktop for her school and sanitary equipment, including waste bins, for waste segregation at home and the school.

The Triple S challenge is a competition organised annually since 2020 for basic school pupils, from Class six to JHS two, on sanitation.

It seeks to influence children to become sanitation-conscious and agents of change, challenging them to co-create sustainable solutions to sanitation challenges around them.

Following the official launch of the 5th edition on May 22, 2024, the challenge, which started with thousands of contestants in the common contest (round one) and 20 in the Masters’ Encounter (round two), saw the four finalists demonstrating their advocacy and problem-solving skills, general knowledge and understanding of environmental sanitation.

Prioritising WASH

In an address ahead of the competition, the National Director of World Vision Ghana, Laura Cristina Del Valle, said the lack of access to safe water and toilet facilities in schools was not only regrettable but very worrying, especially when many of the available toilet facilities in schools did not have changing rooms for girls.

“This does not make the school environment conducive or friendly to the girl child, particularly those who have reached the age of puberty,” she said.

As an organisation whose vision for every child was life in all its fulness, Ms Del Valle said World Vision believed that nothing could be more important to a child’s well-being than access to safe water, improved sanitation and hygiene.