The Latest at Connecting Countries:

1. March 13, 2016, 9:34 p.m. | By: kowalej | In: Announcements

   New Latrines at Jacaranda Primary

   Jacaranda Primary School is located in Ol Joro Orok Kenya. CCAAS has already built latrines at this school in 2009. However with the ever changing needs of the school, it was requested by the School Management Committee that more latrines be built. During CCAAS' trip to the schools in May and June o...

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2. March 13, 2016, 9:55 a.m. | By: Rex | In: Announcements

   Local Students Receive Pen Pal Letters from Kenya

   Since the start of the 2015-2016 school year, CCAAS has found itself in numerous local classrooms. Each visit was an invited request by a classroom teacher to show their students how to make a difference in a fellow student's life by using a piece of paper and a pencil or pen. At present CCAAS has 8...

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3. Nov. 25, 2014, 5:26 p.m. | By: Rex | In: Announcements

   Tackles for Toilets Thank You

   Connecting Countries would like to extend a large thank you to the participants of the 2014 Tackles for Toilets fundraiser that took place on Friday, November 7th, 2014.  Special apprecation goes out to those who donated tickets so that youth in the Toronto District School Board's Boys 2 Men program...

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Sanitation Has Been Called "The Silent Emergency"

It has earned this unlikely title because even though diseases related to unsanitary conditions kill more children than HIV and Malaria combined, few people want to talk about the subject.

Connecting Countries Adopt-a-School became focused on the inadequate sanitation facilities in Kenyan primary schools simply by chance. In 2005 a Kenyan runner visiting Hamilton, Ontario Canada struck up a conversation with a local teacher that resulted in addresses being exchanged. During the 2005-2006 school year letters arrived at Glen Brae Middle School in Hamilton Ontario hand written by primary students attending schools in Ol Joro Orok, Central Kenya; the home area of the runner.

The Kenyan students surprisingly did not ask for new shoes, computers or clothing. Instead they asked for new toilets:

“We use latrines which even made us to have different kinds of diseases… we lost one of our school pupils who was ill because of going to such bad latrines.”

- Student, Kirima-Ngai Primary School, Ol Joro'orok, Kenya

“Our school has over 600 students we need about 16 more toilets.”

- Student, Madaraka Primary School, Ol Joro'orok, Kenya

Our Vision: CCAAS envisions- Quality Education for Kenyan Students

Our Mission: CCAAS is dedicated to Achieving Quality Education Through 3 Core Programs

• Pen Pal Letter Writing - Linking Canadian & Kenyan students
• WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) - Improving Kenyan school facilities and student health program
• Continuing Support - Providing classroom instructional supplies & teaching aids

Four ways a toilet can change a child's life….

1. They can stay in school! When no separate sanitation facilities exist for boys and especially for maturing girls, embarrassment and anxiety result; school can be seen as a place to avoid – a safe and private toilet can change this!
2. They'll have better health! Withholding defecation or urination causes extreme discomfort, urinary tract infections and other gastro-intestinal problems – a safe and private toilet can change this!
3. They won't have to worry about their safety! When their only option is to relieve themselves in the open or under the cover of darkness they are more vulnerable to wild animal attack, poisonous insects and bodily assault – a safe and private toilet can change this!
4. They'll have the dignity they deserve! Without proper sanitation facilities children have no privacy, no sense of security, their self-respect is shaken - a safe and private toilet can change this!