The staff of Seibo not only provide support for school meals but also assist in the hygiene management of the schools and provide guidance. Following the outbreak of cholera in January 2023, local communities have taken hygiene management very seriously, as it has become a significant issue affecting the growth of children who consume school meals.

Amidst this, considering that the conditions of schools partnered with Seibo may contribute to the spread of cholera through unhygienic cooking utensils and practices, local staff decided to distribute chlorine to the schools. This initiative was carried out on March 7, 2023, providing 14 days’ worth of chlorine to the schools and ensuring that all water used for drinking or washing cups and plates was treated with chlorine distributed before consumption.

As a result of this initiative, there were no students at risk of cholera at the CBCC, thus not only improving the health of the students but also potentially saving lives.

In the future, efforts will continue to monitor the usage of chlorine and explore alternatives if possible. Furthermore, ongoing information regarding the specific local hygiene management conditions will be provided as part of Japan’s support.