An Educational Program for Clean and Hygienic Environment

A clean and hygiene environment includes a combination of software and hardware components that are important in producing and supporting clean and hygiene behaviors. The hardware components include sanitary facilities and drinking water around the community. The software components include activities aimed at promoting practices and conditions of community members to prevent sanitation and water-related parasites and diseases such as cholera and diarrhea.

Many facilities in the community may need improving. Particularly, the community: (1) does have an insufficient supply of water, and most household does not have water storage facilities. (2) Most communal facilities such as water pumps are damaged, broken, dirty and unsafe. (3) Hygiene education is ineffective, and most members of the community do not relate to the environment. Under these conditions, the community is an unsafe hub where diseases are transmitted leading to negative implications for families, children, and the overall development. Thus, the combination of education, correct behavioral practices and facilities have a positive impact a clean and hygienic environment.

The Steps to Follow

Objectives of a Program

Creating a clean and healthy community environment.

Helping community members to develop life skills such as health and hygiene.

Stimulate outreach and benefits for families and communities.

Indicators for a Successful Program

For a successful clean and hygienic environment, the program must address the software and hardware issues such as adopting healthy practices and availability of effective and good facilities.

Facilities

Sufficient sanitation and water facilities available within the community such as water supplies, waste management facilities and toilets.

Available facilities should be kept clean, durable and well organized.

All facilities should be available to every member of the community.

Life Skills based on a Clean and hygiene education

Life skills on hygiene and clean environment should be taught regularly.

Hygiene behavioral changes should be encouraged and kept up for longer periods.

Activities within the community are supported and relegated to everyone in the community.

Providing Sanitation and Water Facilities

Basic facilities assumed for a community include sufficient supply clean water for domestic use and drinking purposes, waste management facilities, toilets and maintenance programs that ensure all facilities are in good condition and working.

Checklist for Sanitation and Water Facilities

Drinking Water Supplies

Water is treated before drinking through chlorinating or boiling to make it safe drinking based on WHO standards.

Rainwater is collected safely by ensuring tanks and roofs are well maintained and free from debris, cleaning roof gutters and ensuring the roof is free protected from insects.

Ensuring there is adequate capacity for storage of rainwater in every household to ensure families health is not subjective to dehydration.

Sanitation facilities

Each household should ensure sanitation facilities such as toilets are locked and have adequate ventilation and light.

Ensuring sanitation facilities remain clean and well maintained.

Ensuring there is a safe disposal of sanitary waste.

Toilets should be connected to septic tanks.

Adequate drainage system to ensure water does not collect around toilet facilities or taps to prevent possible sites for insect breeding.

Maintenance

Cleaning and maintenance are essential components to safe community sanitation. Maintaining facilities attach the importance of safe, hygienic practices. Thus, there should be a clear maintenance program that is being monitored.