#GIVEASHIT
The ‘H’ in WASH
Having a place to poo is important. However, behaviour surrounding toilet activities, particularly hand washing, can be just as significant as having a toilet to begin with.
The WASH sector (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) often focuses on the hardware of toilets, pipes and drains, but access to hardware isn’t everything. The ‘H’ is a key part of improving health through WASH, because without hand washing people will quite literally continue eating shit. Fecal matter travels easily to hands after defecation and, without hand washing, can then travel easily to food or other surfaces.
The story by stats
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 gram of poo (think the weight of a paperclip) can contain 1 trillion (1,000,000,000) germs. Hand washing can prevent spreading those germs and decrease illness: evidence shows that proper hand washing can reduce incidence of diarrhea by 30%. With 500,000 children dying each year from diarrhea, related to poor quality water and sanitation (WaterAid, n.d.), hand washing (with soap!) is a simple step for reducing those deaths.
Hand washing can also contribute to reducing children’s absence from school by decreasing the amount of time they’re sick. Programs that promote hand washing, provide soap and put in place peer hand washing champions have been shown to lead to 54% fewer days of school absence. And that sickness isn’t limited to diarrhea – other health issues, like respiratory illness, skin infections, and intestinal worm infections, can also be decreased with hand washing.
Taking action
Of course, knowing about the risks of dirty hands and actually washing them isn’t the same thing. Behavior change is a huge part of preventative health, and it’s often the most difficult step to implement. Just ask any smoker or chocoholic. That’s why Manavta’s engaging educational programs, which encourage positive hygiene-related behavior change among students, are a key part of what we do.
So next time you finish up your daily constitutional or hang out with your pet chicken, don't forget to wash your hands before you make food or hold hands with that special someone!
Beyond The Toilet
The 21st Canadian Conference on Global Health was held in Ottawa this past week. The hot topic was sanitation, with emphasis on collaborative health measures like maternal health and malnutrition. Toilets play a huge role in decreasing maternal mortality because expecting mothers will be less exposed to diseases anemia and diarrhea. When sanitation is available people learn the importance of hand washing, infant mortality can be decreased by more than 1/3. WASH workshops are crucial for anyone working in our industry.
I went to Nepal for the first time in 2012 and ended up spending all year. When I wasn’t trekking the Himalaya or chilling at Phat Kath (see ThankBack Thursday), I could be found hunkered down learning the ropes of ‘international development.’ Before Martin and I pursued our passion for poo, I worked alongside an incredible group of Nepali women running a local organization named Chhimeki (translation: community). Their purpose was to improve the nutritional behaviour of pre-natal mothers and their families living in the Kathmandu valley. It was this experience that helped me truly understand the power of education. For the most part, families did not have adequate education on the importance of a nutritional diet, many of them didn't even have enough food to put on the table. Chhimeki empowers mothers by investing in agriculture and teaching families about food and nutrition. Chronic malnutrition and diarrhea are serious problems across Nepal – it plays a role in 60% of all child deaths. (UNICEF, 2011). Further, it is estimated that 50% of the 2.5 million that live in the Kathmandu Valley are forced to defecate in the open every day. Anyone who has seen this majestic city understands that human shit (and massive cow dumps) are a huge issue.
Whats the point?
The 21st Canadian Conference on Global Health was held in Ottawa this past week. The hot topic was sanitation, with emphasis on collaborative health measures like maternal health and malnutrition. Toilets play a huge role in decreasing maternal mortality because expecting mothers will be less exposed to diseases anemia and diarrhea. Moreover, educating mothers and their families about both nutrition and hygiene, can reduce infant mortality by more than 1/3. WASH workshops involving collaborative health measures are crucial for anyone working in our industry.
At Manavta, we are always seeking partners who support our collaborative health programs. If you are interested in joining our growing team of researchers or if you want to learn more about sanitation, we would love for you to contact us, become a partner or join our team.