December 2023
Our group has a norm of conducting Issue Based Training (IBT) every second week of the month. During these trainings, we learn many practical things. We develop indicators and prioritize them based on our needs and urgency of the issue. Today’s session was focused on sanitation, and after reviewing the last session, the trainer asked us what the word “Sanitation” means. It seems easy but actually not that easy, because there are many things, which we know, but have not implemented. There are typically three levels of sanitation: personal, household, and community. Although we are aware of these levels, we often fail to implement them properly.
During a training session, the trainer asked us to show our hands, and it was discovered that out of 29 women, 21 had long and dirty nails. The trainer then explained to us how these unclean habits could lead to sickness by transferring harmful bacteria to our stomachs. It is small things but very important things. Our trainer then focused on cleanliness of our whole body and also discussed why it is more important to be clean during menstruation period.
During a role-play activity, we acted as two families – one was clean and healthy, while the other was dirty and unhealthy. This experience helped us understand the importance of cleanliness and hygiene. We realized that being clean not only saves us money but also earns us respect from others. On the other hand, the unclean family had to spend a lot of money on their medical treatment, and people didn’t show them much respect. Overall, the activity was a great way to understand the significance of maintaining cleanliness and hygiene in our lives.
After that, we make our action plan as below:
- Prepare waste box to put all garbage and manage accordingly
- Clean tap stands areas where we take water in the community
- Clean goat shades/cow shades/shops regularly.
- Clean kitchen regularly at least once a week
- Clean utensils everyday
- Clean rooms and beds regularly
Our trainer asked us how we were feeling. I felt good, especially during the role-plays, and committed to cleaning as per our action plan.