‘Oxfam’s WASH Program continues to contribute towards prevention of COVID-19 infection in schools and health facilities’

Since the pandemic affected Oxfam programs in Tajikistan, the organization continues its humanitarian mission to support the country to fight against COVID 19.

Oxfam’s coronavirus response activities have been carried out since July 2020, first, commenced in Zarafshon valley and now ongoing in the Eastern Khatlon region and Rudaki district.

In the Eastern Khatlon and Roudaki district, the COVID -19 response campaign covers 9 villages in Rudaki district, 9 villages in Muminabad district and 2 villages in Kulob district. This includes 20 schools and 16 health points with approximately 18,000 schoolchildren and 1,321 teachers and 1, 027 health workers.

In addition, these targeted educational institutions and health facilities received water tanks to store drinking water, hand washing utilities, and overhaul rehabilitation of safe latrines.

Table I: Hygiene kits (HKs) for all educational institutions

Table II: HKs for all medical facilities

The COVID -19 response campaign was supported by the provision of health and hygiene lessons in educational institutions with the use of visual aids, encouraging children to follow all precaution measures, including physical distancing and health response measures within the communities. Oxfam health specialists will work with school administrations and health workers in facilities to plan the intervention that will help ensure children, teachers, and other staff are safe when they are in the schools and or when attend health points.

‘Having disinfectants, water tanks and safer latrines, I feel schoolchildren are much more protected in the school, as parents trust them to us. We have to combat against the spread of the COVID -19 together’ says Ms. Kosimova Mavjuda, school director #85 in Oli Somon village, Roudaki district.

The COVID-19 response campaign is funded by Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation in Tajikistan under the ‘Tajikistan Water Supply and Sanitation Project’ (TajWSS, Phase 3, 2018-2022) and implemented by Oxfam in partnership with UNDP.  The project advocates clean, reliable and sustainable water and sanitation services in rural areas and policies in Tajikistan and supported with hygiene education for behaviour change. 

Oxfam Global COVID -19 response sectors at a glance:

Oxfam is responding to water, sanitation and hygiene needs in 51 countries.

Oxfam is responding to food insecurity and livelihood needs in 39 countries.

In 23 countries, we are advancing social protection through direct work with vulnerable people or influencing governments.

Oxfam is working with communities to monitor protection threats and respond to specific needs in 25 countries.

While all our work is gender-sensitive, Oxfam supports specific influencing or programmes for gendered needs in 43 countries.

In 34 countries, Oxfam is working on opportunities to advance local humanitarian leadership.

For more details, please contact Gulchehra Boboeva, Deputy WASH Program Manager, Oxfam at:  [email protected]     

Oxfam in Tajikistan:  Oxfam works to provide equitable access to safe drinking water and sanitation, promote and support fair economic development, and addresses gender issues. The cross-cutting themes of Oxfam's programmes are good governance, adaptation to climate change and disaster preparedness of the population in rural areas. Oxfam also operates at the national and local levels and engages with a number of local organizations and institutions working towards increasing capacity of local state and non-state actors.