“I learned a lot about handwashing today, so when I get home, I will teach my mommy and daddy how to wash their hands with soap and clean water. I will teach them the five steps of handwashing so that their hands will be safe from germs.” – School Pupil, Unilag Staff School
Children spend a significant amount of time in school, about an average of six hours a day. During this period they engage in a series of activities and touch countless surfaces that may harbor germs. This daily exposure combined with their developing immune systems puts them at risk of contracting diseases. In Nigeria, children are most susceptible to respiratory and diarrheal diseases, due to poor sanitation and hygiene practices. Hence, teaching them about hand hygiene is a crucial preventive measure.
Getting ready
At DRASA, we recognize the importance of early health education, so we implemented a hand hygiene initiative at the University of Lagos (Unilag) Staff School to teach primary school pupils the importance of hand hygiene in protecting themselves from infectious diseases. Before implementing this activity we gained approval from the school authorities and shared our proposed idea to educate the school children with the knowledge of handwashing as a key method of preventing infectious diseases.
Eyes up, pens down
After we had established this contact we were given the go-ahead to engage with 126 pupils of the school. However, before the start of the session, we tested the existing knowledge of these students with a baseline assessment survey where we asked some tailored questions about germ transmission and handwashing. Then, with colorful slide presentations and vivid demonstrations, we taught the children about the importance of handwashing, the steps of handwashing as well as the key moments of handwashing pertinent to breaking the chain of infection spread. Armed with their pens and notebooks they eagerly captured and absorbed the lessons resulting in a 79.2% increase in knowledge following the end-line survey.
Train a child and you train the future
To reinforce their learning, we encouraged them to demonstrate the correct steps of handwashing and asked follow-up questions, rewarding correct answers with DRASA Health Champion T-shirts as a badge of honor for their new assignments as handwashing advocates in their homes, schools, and communities, promoting a ripple effect of improved health awareness in society.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Vita Construction Team for their support in making this initiative a success. Seeing the joy and pride on the children’s faces as they shared their new knowledge in our Vox Pop interviews reinforced the impact of our work. By fostering lifelong healthy habits in young minds, we are taking an essential step towards a healthier Nigeria where children can grow and thrive in a safe environment.
Children are our future, and by investing in their health education today, we are paving the way for a healthier tomorrow.
Listen to the testimonials in the video below.
