Written by Junior Seraphin, WASH Training Coordinator, PWW Haiti
With the goal of curbing diseases that affect schoolchildren, the PWW team in Haiti organized four days of training for students and teachers at the Henri Christophe School. This program is part of the Community Education Program (CEP) introduced in Haiti last year (read more).
The primary purpose of the training program is to educate students and teachers about the importance of good hygiene practices at school in order to avoid contracting and/or spreading intestinal and waterborne diseases.
“The teaching and promotion of good hygiene practices in a school setting is an effective means of preventing diseases in a sustainable way.” – Junior Seraphin, WASH Training Coordinator
This training program aims to show students how they can adopt behavioral changes by respecting basic hygiene rules, including:
- Hand-washing with clean water and soap, especially at critical times;
- Safe and hygienic management and disposal of human excreta, using school toilet facilities;
- Safe management and use of treated water;
- Using healthy hygiene practices at home;
- Consistent practice of personal and environmental hygiene at school, home, and in the community;
- Safe and healthy menstrual hygiene management.
PWW initiated the program in collaboration with established Lead Community Agents (LCAs), who facilitated the training sessions over the course of the four days. (learn about LCAs here)
The CEP uses the participatory approach to effectively teach concepts. This approach proved simple and accessible to all participants. Students asked many questions which sparked interesting debates on the different themes covered. Students with experience in water, hygiene and sanitation (WASH) never hesitated to talk about their practices with the whole group. The content, taught in modules, was offered in the form of interactive presentations, demonstrations, questions, group discussions, and games.
A total of 286 students participated in the full 4-day training program.
To support students with putting their new hygiene lessons into practice, PWW distributed hygiene kits following the training program. Each kit contains a set of materials, including:
Soap- Shampoo
- Toothbrush
- Comb
- Brush
- Deodorant
- Toothpaste
- Sanitary napkins
- Nail clippers
- Cotton swabs
Video translation: “Thank you PWW for that training. I was very happy to learn a lot of materials, such as how to manage our menstrual hygiene and how to wash our hands. I have learned a lot! Thank you!”
When the training program was complete, the school director, Charles Joseph Faniel, shared the following: “I want to thank Pure Water for the World for this beautiful project that was organized at our school. PWW keeps its promise and acts quickly. I will continue with this same motivation to help students understand the importance of hygiene, and I will commit resources to ensure the toilet facilities are clean. A big thank you to the managers of PWW.”
PWW would like to acknowledge Paul Sofka and Friends for funding the new WASH facilities at the Henri Christophe School, including safe water filters, hand-washing stations, and toilets, and Christadelphian Meal-a-Day-Fund for providing the funding to make this comprehensive hygiene education program possible. Thank you for investing in the health and future of schoolchildren in Haiti!