A corps member from Plateau State, Agom Abraham Yusuf, has taken a bold step towards improving hygiene practices among schoolchildren in Borno State through a community development initiative titled “School Health Program.”
The project, carried out at Goni Kachallari Government Junior Day Secondary School in Jere Local Government Area, focused on hygiene sensitisation, installation of handwashing stations, and training students on liquid soap production to ensure sustainability.
The initiative, themed “Handwashing Hygiene: Preventing the Spread of Infectious Diseases,” was conceived to prevent the spread of infectious diseases among school aged children.
Abraham, who hails from Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State and graduated from the University of Jos, Department of Physical and Health Education (2024), said the project was inspired by the health challenges he observed among his students, which is a public health concern.
“I noticed the enthusiasm of my students to learn, but their attendance was often affected by frequent illnesses,” he said. “That was when I decided to act—to teach them that something as simple as washing their hands regularly could make a big difference in their health.”
He explained that the School Health Program was designed to be practical and sustainable. The students were sensitised on personal hygiene, taught the WHO-recommended 7 steps of handwashing, and trained to make liquid soap for continued use in the school.
Approved by the NYSC on September 8, the project began on September 22 and was commissioned on October 9, 2025, after weeks of planning and execution.
It benefitted about 200 students and staff members, with strong support from the school administration, individual sponsors, and members of the Digital Literacy for All (DL4ALL) CDS group, where Abraham serves as Head of the “Google My Business” Project.
Reflecting on his journey, Abraham admitted that funding and logistics posed major challenges at the onset.
“It was tough convincing people to support a project like this at the beginning, but I kept pushing until I found partners who believed in the vision.”
The commissioning ceremony attracted dignitaries including the NYSC Local Government Inspector for Jere, Chief Musa Yaro; Dr. Melton Musa of Nursing Home, Maiduguri; Mr. Victor Lawan, a former corps member and Presidential Award recipient; as well as other NYSC representatives and corps members.
According to Abraham, the school community’s reaction was overwhelmingly positive. The school principal, he said, commended the initiative, appointed him as the Health Master in charge of hygiene and sanitation, and recommended him for an NYSC award for outstanding service during the commissioning ceremony.
The Local Government Inspector also described his work as “a job well done,” encouraging other corps members to emulate his example.
“When I heard those words, I felt fulfilled,” Abraham noted. “It reminded me that making impact isn’t easy, but it’s always worth it when lives are touched.”
Looking ahead, he said his commitment to hygiene education will continue beyond his service year, paying attention to public health concerns.
“I intend to expand this initiative to schools in Jos after my service, my goal is to raise a generation of children who understand that good hygiene is good health.” He emphasized.
Abraham further urged other corps members not to be discouraged by challenges but to take initiative in contributing to national development through meaningful projects.
