Case Study 1

Enhancing positive health behavior through promotion of hygiene and sanitation for households in Wolaita Zone, Ethiopia

In partnership with International Medical Corps Ethiopia

Dates of Project: May 1, 2016 – Dec 31, 2016

Location: Wolaita Zone, Ethiopia

illuminAid conducted a Video Education Workshop for 13 International Medical Corps staff and local community health workers for WASH Resilience and Emergency interventions in drought-affected Woredas of SNNPR Region in Wolayta Zone, Ethiopia. These interventions were intended to improve positive health behavior of households in the target communities through comprehensive education on hygiene and sanitation practices that affected the health of the community in general and mothers and children in particular. They were implemented in two districts in the Wolaita zone: Boloso Sore and Damot Pulasa.
During the workshop, participants created videos focused on improving hygiene and sanitation knowledge, as well as improving practices of hand washing at critical times, proper use of latrines, safe excreta disposal, and safe water chain management at household level.
Using illuminAid training and equipment, International Medical Corps conducted two review meetings and discussions with 60 persons of community leaders (30 people from each district), including church and kebele leaders, traditional healers and women association leaders in order to share responsibilities and to enhance community sensitization. The International Medical Corps also conducted 11 training sessions using the mobile projectors at health posts (HPs) and public gathering/events and market places at the village level. 
Through the use of illuminAid training and technology, the International Medical Corps was able to host awareness meetings with community 10 leaders and reach a total of 706 individuals in 6 months. These community members were then able to take this knowledge into their local villages and share the information they had learned through the videos projected via illuminAid equipment.