Sanitation and Hygiene
As a compliment to safe water, a WaSH Program was developed and implemented in 2016. All communities and schools that receive a well are educated in good sanitation and hygiene practices. Each village has two Trainers that learn the program and teach it the Sanitation and Hygiene Committees in their respective villages. As a community they are responsible for the implementation and success of the program.
In October 2017, the WaSH Program Director visited several communities and schools. The results were very encouraging and surprising. St. Sosthenes Secondary School in Rubale reported no incidents of typhoid nor any intestinal illnesses since the implementation of the program 12 months prior. All the other communities reported a reduction in intestinal illnesses and fewer flies in and near their homes. One village began teaching the program to a neighboring village on their own and another built over 100 new latrines.
In September 2018, the WaSH Program Director visited several villages. All villages reported a continued reduction in water-born illnesses and flies and most homes that received WaSH training now have toilets.
The most dramatic results were at Aristotle Secondary School in Kayanga. The students reported only rare cases of UTI and no typhoid or water-born illnesses in the last year. This is a dramatic reduction from two years ago when the program was introduced.
We are convinced this program is changing lives by improving the health of these communities. Teaching good sanitation and hygiene practices will be passed down for generations and will have a dramatic ripple effect.
We can only continue to teach sanitation and hygiene with the generosity of our donors.