UNICEF and Population Media Center Collaborated to Boost WASH Nutrition Project Intervention in Nine Selected Woredas
UNICEF and Population Media Center (PMC) are working together to improve the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) practices of the communities in nine woredas in Ethiopia. The WASH Nutrition project, which is funded by UNICEF/KOICA, aims to promote positive WASH behaviors, such as hand hygiene, latrine construction and utilization, Baby WASH, menstrual health and hygiene (MHH), access to safe water and household water handling practice, and waste management.
As part of the project, a joint team of UNICEF, KOICA, PMC, and the woreda health, education, and women and children affairs offices conducted a supportive supervision visit to Doyo Gena woreda, Kembata Tembaro zone of SNNPR, one of the intervention areas of the project. The visit took place from July 18 to 20, 2023. The team visited selected households, schools, and radio listeners groups (RLGs) formed by PMC. The RLGs are composed of different segments of the community, such as people with disabilities, male adults, mothers, and youths. They listen to PMC’s radio talk show series of programs and discuss the issues raised in the episodes.
During the school visits, the team interacted with some selected students and school community and inspected the school WASH facilities, such as water points, progress of the school latrines construction and utilization, handwashing stations, and menstrual hygiene management rooms. The team also observed the wall drawing project and other facilities in the school. During the RLG visits, the team listened to the feedback and testimonies of the group members on how PMC’s radio talk shows has influenced their lives and behaviors. The team also answered questions and clarified misconceptions on WASH topics.
At the end of the visit, UNICEF/KOICA gave a debriefing session on their field visit observations. They praised the project for showing good progress and outcomes on the ground. They also suggested focusing on the installation of Sato pans at some households that have them on hand. They urged the woreda health office to support this endeavor. They also commended PMC for going beyond creating awareness and knowledge on WASH issues through the interpersonal campaigning and its radio talk show series of programs. The UNICEF program lead also recommended establishing working relations with Save the Children child protection project implementation for learning and sharing. Overall, they observed that organizing campaigns is a best method to address a wide target audience and that each household was well informed about the project and its impact. Moreover, during the supportive supervision in Doyo Gena, they recorded the house-to-house WASH activities done by volunteers as best practices and lessons learned. The WASH Nutrition project is being implemented in Oromia, SNNPR, Sidama, Afar, Benishangul Gumuz, and Gambela regions in nine woredas. The project is focused on WASH nutrition activities via interpersonal campaign, radio talk shows, school mini media support, school wall drawings. The project is started in June 2021 and back funded by KOICA/UNICEF and implemented PMC in collaboration with woreda and town administration health, education, women, and children affairs and water and energy offices. Its objective is community demand generation on the six WASH elements.
