Efutu MA student adjudged Sanitation Diplomat

A junior high school (JHS) student of the Efutu M/A Basic School in Cape Coast, Central Region, Adjoa Gyakoa Appiah-Kubi, has been adjudged the 2023 Child Sanitation Diplomat.

She scored 33.5 points to beat three other contestants and emerge the winner of the fourth grand finale of the School Sanitation Solutions challenge which was held at the National Theatre last Saturday.

Other contestants

The first runner-up position was won by a student of the St Bernadette Soubirous School at Dansoman in the Greater Accra Region, Venessa Lamisi Asiedu, who had 27 points.

The second runner-up went to a student of the Biadan Methodist JHS in Berekum in the Bono Region, Hannah Forkuo, who scored 25.5 points, while the third runner-up was taken by a pupil of the Great Victory Academy in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region, Venessa Adune Wenaba, who scored 23.6 points.

For emerging the overall best, Ms Appiah-Kubi took home a laptop with a modem, a cash prize, a desktop for her school, a memento, a certificate and other souvenirs.

She will also be supported to implement a one-year project on environmental sanitation as well as being offered the opportunity to travel outside the country.

The other contestants also received mementos, cash prizes, tablets, certificates and other souvenirs.

Speaking to the Daily Graphic after the ceremony, Ms Appiah-Kubi said she felt “blessed” to have emerged the overall best out of the thousands of other Ghanaian children who participated in the event.

She said she would use the opportunity to educate many children on how they could manage their waste and how to reuse some waste materials.

“As the Child Sanitation Diplomat, I am very determined to help other children to contribute to improving the sanitation situation in the country,” she said.

Competition

The competition, which was organised by the World Vision International Ghana, is an annual contest on environmental sanitation organised for pupils and students of basic schools from class six to JHS two.

The contest seeks to influence children to become sanitation conscious and agents of change, empower them to co-create sustainable solutions to sanitation challenges around them and to advocate the removal of barriers and increased access to improved sanitation in basic schools, communities and other public places.