Guyanese Teens Learn Sanitation Skills

"Girl, not me, I ain't doing no plumbing. Plumbing is not for girls; that's for boys!" recalled Vanessa John, describing her friend's response to an invitation to sign up for a plumbing course. "Women do things like sewing, handicrafts, catering and things like that, but not plumbing! You could do it if you want, but not me. And by the way, who do you think is going to hire you as a plumber?"

But the Guyanese teenager was more open-minded than her friend: "I made up my mind I was going to do it even if other girls did not want to." She became one of 23 Guyanese girls ages 14 to 19 who took the eight-week course "Basic Plumbing, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene," offered at the Guyana Industrial Training Center (GITC) in Georgetown in March.

The course had three main objectives: to teach girls the importance of safe water for their own health and that of their families; to provide information and training on proper water, sanitation, and hygiene management at the household level; and to develop girls' technical skills in plumbing and potable water systems.

The Guyana Industrial Training Center, in conjunction with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and other partners, decided to offer the course because many households in Guyana today are headed by women, and women are the largest group of water users. Knowledge and skills in potable water management are critically important to family and community health.

Students in the course completed nine hours per week of written work and handson training in workstations that simulated baths, toilets, and kitchens in homes and public buildings. They learned how to repair leaks in toilets, sinks, and pipes that can allow waste to contaminate drinking water, and how to repair waste outlets and drains. Also included were sessions on youth development, gender, and public health.

Len Vyfhuis, GITC administrator, said the girls who took the course showed enthusiasm and adaptability. They "overcame the challenges of a man's job and worked competitively." At their graduation, the girls themselves expressed satisfaction and indicated they would put what they had learned to work for themselves and their communities.

"In my community, we get a lot of flooding," said Michelle Payne. "So I will go back and help to fix the broken pipes for my friends and neighbors so that the dirty water would not get in and make people sick."

"I learned a lot about plumbing, and I plan to go and seek employment with an organization that does plumbing, maybe with the water company," said Vanessa John.

The plumbing course was sponsored by PAHO; UNICEF; the U.N. Development Program (UNDP); Guyana's Ministry of Health; the Ministry of Labor, Human Services, and Social Security; and the Guyana Industrial Training Center.