Dar es Salaam, Tanzania — Stanbic Bank, one of the leading global banks has partnered with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to end the ongoing serious crisis of water scarcity.

According to the Memorandum of Understanding, Stanbic Bank will inject $150,000 (Tsh250m) for three years to support the government School WASH programme in three primary schools of Temeke, one of the most affected districts with a severe water scarcity.

The MoU shows that the programme is aimed at improving water sanitation and hygiene in selected schools and supporting UNICEF's goal to provide every child with the right to safe water, hygiene and sanitation.

"The bank's contribution will help to support the scaling up of affordable, good quality, girl and child friendly, sustainable school water, sanitation and hygiene facilities in these three schools," the Bank's Board Chairman, Mr. Hatibu Senkoro said last week in Dar es Salaam.

Senkoro added that specifically, the bank's contribution will be channeled through the national programme to support a full School WASH package in three schools selected by the government and UNICEF.

He stressed that an average of 800 primary school children per school will benefit from the programme.

"We are delighted to enter into this partnership with UNICEF and the government that will shape future behaviors of our children and significantly help to reduce the occurrence of hygiene-related diseases," Senkoro said.

The UNICEF's Country Representative in Tanzania, Dr Jama Gulaid said the funding aside, Stanbic bank is setting an excellent example for the private sector to contribute to social development.