Carnival Cruises and P&O Cruises has announced a partnership with Live & Learn Environmental Education to deliver Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in schools to improving both health and education in Vanuatu.

The partnership involves the construction of WASH facilities, training of teachers and school managers, hygiene promotion and establishment of schools-based WASH clubs. It is part of P&O’s ongoing commitment to the well-being of Pacific Islands communities, which is enabled through the generosity of P&O guests.

Carnival Cruises and P&O Cruises President Sture Myrmell launched the partnership with Live & Learn Environmental Education in Vanuatu, commenting that their guests have a strong and long lasting connection to Vanuatu and had a warm respect for its people.

“Over many years of cruising to Vanuatu, our guests have taken the people of Vanuatu to their hearts and always appreciate the warmth and generosity of their welcome to their communities,” Mr Myrmell said. “The P&O Pacific Partnership’s support for the WASH program to enhance the health and wellbeing of children reflects the warmth of such a close relationship.”

Live & Learn Executive Director, Christian Nielsen, highlighted the importance of WASH in schools: “The developmental benefits from access to WASH in schools are well documented, especially for girls,” Mr Nielsen said. “These benefits include improved health for school children, increased education retention rates and strengthened participation through student-led advocacy. We are delighted to be working with P&O in this pursuit and see great benefits to children in Vanuatu from this partnership.”

Live & Learn is a network of non-government organizations that work with communities throughout the Pacific to design, implement and learn from community-based development projects.

The projects cover a number of thematic program areas including Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), sustainable use of biodiversity, environmental governance, natural resource-based conflict management and peace building, understanding climate change, sustainable energy options, community-based waste reduction and management, human rights and community disaster prevention and preparedness.