A Call for Safe Sanitation at G.D. Nellore High School

Every morning, as the bell rings at G.D. Nellore High School, students gather with energy and enthusiasm to learn and grow. But behind their smiles lies a quiet struggle- one that threatens their dignity, health, and education.

The school, which serves over 218 high school children and 40 junior college girls, is in urgent need of infrastructure repair and development. Classrooms are worn out, windows and doors are broken, and the kitchen used for mid-day meals lacks proper ventilation and hygiene facilities. But among all these challenges, one issue stands out as the most urgent - the lack of safe and functional toilets.

The existing toilets are in a dilapidated condition - with broken flooring, damaged doors, and poor sanitation. For adolescent girls, the absence of a private and hygienic toilet block has become a daily struggle. Many hesitate to use the existing facilities or even miss school during menstruation due to discomfort and lack of privacy. This affects attendance, concentration, and confidence, and in some cases, leads to school dropouts.

Recognizing the gravity of the situation, CROSS (Community Reconstruction of Social Service) has launched the “School of Dignity” initiative - a mission to restore safe, clean, and dignified learning spaces at G.D. Nellore High School.

While the school needs several improvements, sanitation has been prioritized as the First Phase of intervention. This phase will focus on:

• Renovating the existing toilets to make them safe, clean, and usable.
• Constructing a new dedicated girls’ toilet block to ensure privacy, safety, and dignity.

This effort will not only improve hygiene and health but also help increase attendance and confidence among girl students, ensuring that no child’s education is interrupted due to lack of basic facilities.

Accountability:

To ensure sustained impact, CROSS will establish a local School Monitoring Committee comprising teachers, parents, and our field team to oversee maintenance, track attendance improvements among girl students to ensure long-term accountability and transparency.

The Appeal

We appeal for your support and contribution to help us complete this much-needed sanitation phase. Together, we can restore dignity to the students of G.D. Nellore High School and take a strong first step toward transforming their school into a safe, inspiring, and equitable space for all.