Jamshedpur, Oct. 21: An international team today visited four villages and schools of East Singhbhum for gathe-ring knowledge about metho-dology followed by them under Unicef-sponsored programmes.

The 15-member team was divided into two groups, which visited Pathargora, Denasole under Musabani block and Manpur, Duruk under Potka block.

The team comprising members of Nigeria, Philippines and India visited mid-dle schools at Pathargora and Denasole while mem- bers from Afghanistan, Indonesia and east Timor vis-ited middle schools at Manpur and Duruk.

The members appreciated the work done by East Sing-hbhum district under Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) and Integrated Village Planning Programme (IVPP) of Unicef.

Officials said this is first time a district in Singhbhum has been chosen for visit by an international team to study the methodology and recommend it back home.

The international study began a couple of years ago and aims at showing the good practices of a country before the whole world.

“Besides studying force and lift pump installed in these schools under TSC, the teams gathered information on work done under IVPP at these villages. Some of the initiative are unique and can be implemented at other places too,” said state co-ordinator of school sanitation hygiene education Gaurav Verma.

He also said that the force and lift pumps installed in various schools under TSC helps in directly filling the overhead water tanks in schools through hand pumps.

The international team members also showed interest in the Bal Sansad in various schools that takes decision on day to day affairs of the school.

“The team members were impressed by the design of toilets we are promoting in the district. The village information centre developed under IVPP were also a new thing for the team. The information centres formed by us would help villagers to gather information about government schemes and how it can benefit them,” said a member of the Unicef team.

Abbash Bibakar Adamu of Nigeria, who was part of the team, said: “The district has done a wonderful job under TSC. I would go back and recommend it to the government in my country to provide subsidy for constructing toilets as is being practised here.”