Seven facilitators among whom two were women entertained participants. There was a jurist, teacher, psychologist, social marketing expert, Unesco expert and physician/doctor.
The training aimed at enhancing the capability of primary school hygiene coaches to communicate appropriate hygiene message to a child in his/her different stages of growth and development, in order to catalyze behaviour change and bring the child act as peer educators for good health and hygiene to break continued transmission of water-borne diseases at school level, even within the community and save lives.
Through interactive sessions and working groups, the facilitators and participants shared their experiences and made andragogical assessments at the end of each module. Simulations and role-play games enabled participants to become aware of the work awaiting them in the field.
While targeting primary schools, Hygiene Coaches would lay emphasis on the child’s role to act as good drivers for influencing behaviour change at school and household level, as well.
Lessons learnt:
- Poor water quality, lack of sanitation and hygiene are causes of water-borne diseases;
- Behaviour change in a long process including several steps and requires a participative approach, a follow-up and experience sharing to avoid relapse into the bad attitude;
- Understanding child psychology is critical to (how to talk and child to listen) communicate an appropriate hygiene message in the child development and growth stages.
At the end of the traineeship, Participants engaged to work for good hygiene practices systematization in schools as well as within the community and a significant reduction of the prevalence of water-borne diseases among the most vulnerable people, especially the children.