Zambia-Chipata

WASH Committees Spread Improved Hygiene Behaviors to Their Communities

The SPLASH (Schools Producing Learning Advancement through Sanitation and Health) project in Zambia’s Chipata District has focused on inclusion of pupils, teachers, and communities in all its interventions to ensure ownership and sustainability. USAID’s WASHplus Project manages this WASH in Schools intervention, which facilitates the formation of school WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) Committees to improve health, learning, and educational performance through the adoption of better hygiene and health practices. To date 62 committees have been formed, whose members include pupils, parents, and teachers tasked with ensuring that WASH in Schools in achieved and sustained. 

WASHplus has rolled out training for 37 of the committees thus far. Participants learn of the committee’s roles and responsibilities, the importance of WASH in Schools, and how to operate and maintain school WASH facilities. The committees are encouraged to put in place small doable actions to improve hygiene and sanitation in their schools and neighboring communities. Examples of this are already being seen on the ground—from the construction of hand washing tippy taps to boiling drinking water to using locally available alternatives to soap (such as sand or ash) for hand washing.

Through the construction of tippy taps in communities the project is achieving the desired result of improving hygiene behaviors of students, teachers, and neighbors. Malikano Phiri is one of the people in Chijiyezo village who was influenced by the WASH Committee training he participated in. He decided to construct two tippy taps at his household. When asked why, he responded, “I decided that my family and I should top eating [feces] and adapt the good hygiene practices.” He added that the tippy tap is very hygienic and that his children have fun using the device. Further, he said the knowledge gained from the WASH Committee has helped his family improve their hygiene behaviors and that he hopes he will be a role model to others to follow suit.