Between 28 and 30 July, in Managua, Nicaragua, developed the Regional Symposium on "Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Schools. A priority for early childhood development, "which brought together more than 60 professionals from 15 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean national and international institutions to share their experiences in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH by its initials in English) in schools, and take the first step in developing a common vision to bring these initiatives on a larger scale national and regional level. The symposium, organized jointly by the partners of the Millennium Water Alliance in Central America (Water for People, CARE and Catholic Relief Service), Plan International and UNICEF (Regional Office and Nicaragua), called the Nicaraguan authorities on the subject in Nicaragua as well as representatives of the Ministries of Education and Health from other countries in the region. During the opening, officiated by the Minister Nicaragua Education, emphasized the challenge of improving the water, sanitation and hygiene in schools beyond the provision of physical facilities and should be part of comprehensive interventions to improve quality in education. It's also about the need for a coordinated effort to rescue the knowledge gained in recent years on the subject, and political commitment of the institutions responsible for the educational and water and sanitation at national level, but also of other actors Government (Ministries of Economy and Finance, Investment Funds, Local Government), cooperation (NGOs, cooperation agencies, donors, etc..) and especially the communities and children, empowering them in their own development.
The objectives of this meeting included the identification and dissemination of experiences, initiatives and tools in WASH in schools in the region, forming a network of partners to improve coordination between programs, and were in compliance during the three days of meeting Participants included presentations, plenary discussions and field visits. Identify mechanisms and strategies for integrating the components of WASH in schools and public policy programs for water and sanitation and quality education - also included in the objectives of the meeting - will require further work up between the partners and others to join, especially the institutions governing the issue in each country. The greatest achievement of the event was to gather a significant number of actors in the region and begin to plan around the theme of water, sanitation and hygiene in schools, and how to get to national and regional scales.
After three days of brainstorming sessions and field visits to schools in Nicaragua who have been working the issue by different actors in coordination with the Ministry of Education, the participants identified as key requirements for i) information on the current situation Water, sanitation and hygiene in schools, ii) to systematize the existing experiences and impacts, iii) develop strategies and action plans to give prominence to the issue and include it in the agendas of national leaders. The present interest in TES
part of a coordinated effort from the Symposium was very clear, and the organizers made a commitment to continue nurturing this network of regional and international actors involved in the development of joint activities in WASH schools that meet the needs identified. 
