This month, The WASH Foundation, an evolution of Clean the World Foundation will be launching the first phase of the expansion of our Uganda Comprehensive Community WASH (water, santitation, and hygiene) program. In collaboration with the Bukedi Diocese Church of Uganda in the Tororo district, we will expand our geographic outreach and impact in a campaign to implement WASH education and services, including Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM), in schools, health centers, and communities in five additional parishes.
The WASH Foundation introduced our WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) programs to the Merikit community of Tororo, Uganda in 2019. In collaboration with local community leaders and educators, we designed a WASH education training program to raise awareness of the importance of proper handwashing techniques with soap, particularly at critical times such as before eating and after visiting the latrine.
The WASH program was implemented at six different schools with a total population of 3,700 students and at the community’s healthcare facility that serves over 15,000 residents.
The program also includes a menstrual health and hygiene education component that addresses the issue of girls’ absenteeism from school due to the cultural myths surrounding menstruation as well as to the lack of access to adequate feminine hygiene supplies.
Amito Suzan Picho, Clinical Officer at the Merikit Health Center III, recently shared the following with us:
“Before [Clean the World Foundation’s WASH] training, we had diarrhea as one of the leading diseases in this community, followed by malaria, pneumonia, and skin diseases. But, as we speak now, after their training and building the capacity of different stakeholders, diarrhea is no longer among the top five diseases in this community. And, also, there has been substantial reduction in the prevalence of pneumonia in this community.”
A gift of $100 can provide access to soap and handwashing education to school students at one of the Merikit schools for a whole month! Help us expand our programs and extend our reach into more vulnerable communities in Uganda.
