A SCHOOL in Uganda is to get its own toilet block thanks to the efforts of youngsters in Yeadon.

Year 5 pupils at Yeadon Westfield Junior School raised £328 with an afternoon of fundraising activities linked with their “Toilet Twinning” project. They made buns, and designed games so the rest of the school could take part.

The pupils raised enough money to buy a toilet block for a village school in Uganda, a country that the school has previously had international links with. Sanitation illnesses are common in parts of Uganda and the money raised will help to reduce this.

Toilet Twinning raises funds to enable people living in poor communities to have clean water, a decent toilet, and to learn about hygiene – a vital combination that prevents the spread of disease and reduces the number of deaths among children. Donations are used by the charities Tearfund and Cord to enable communities to install water pumps, toilets and learn about basic hygiene.

The Toilet Twinning organisation says 2.5 billion people are without somewhere safe, clean and hygienic to go to the loo. Kathryn Clarkson, Curriculum Leader and Year 5 class teacher, said: “Following the launch of the new National Curriculum we have sought to introduce a variety of new topics to further engage our young people in their learning. The Year 5 topic What a Stink! gives students the opportunity to study geography and history around an unusual theme. As well as learning about what happens to our waste and comparing this with Victorian times we wanted to do something extra that would help to support those who were unable to access something that we all take for granted. The Toilet Twinning project was an excellent opportunity to educate but also make a difference.

“We are extremely proud of all the children in Year 5 who worked hard to design their activities. We would like to say a very big thank you to all the pupils, staff, parents and grandparents in Year 5 who supported us with our fundraising afternoon.”

Toilet Twinning CEO Lorraine Kingsley said the charity appealed to schools.

“Even quite young children understand toilets, and educational links can be made to health, water supply, poverty and development,” she added.