© Helvetas/Nomwindé Sawadogo
Burkina Faso

Health for Schoolchildren and Their Families

© Helvetas/Nomwindé Sawadogo

The lack of latrines and drinking water causes many diseases. In the east of Burkina Faso, Helvetas works with schools where children learn the importance of adopting good hygiene in order to become "health ambassadors" in their families. At the same time the communities commit themselves to keeping their villages clean and adopting good hygiene practices.

  • Project Name
    Laafia – Health for Schoolchildren and Families
  • Project Phase
    2023 to 2026
  • Funding
    This project is funded by donations.
  • Thematic focus
    WASH & Water Governance

Water, sanitation, hygiene, nutrition and food security in Ganzourgou

In Ganzourgou Province, in the Central Plateau region of Burkina Faso, access to safe drinking water and sanitation remains a challenge. The lack of hygiene and sanitation facilities means that people are forced to relieve themselves in fields or bushes, often unaware that they are endangering the health of their community. In some areas, the soil is very unstable and swampy, causing latrines to collapse and people to defecate in the forest. The people living in these areas need technical assistance to better locate and build structures that are adapted to their land.

Women, girls and especially children under the age of five are at risk due to the lack of hygiene in their environment. Diseases caused by poor hygiene and malnutrition account for almost a third of all registered illnesses, affecting more than one in three people.

Helvetas has been working in the communities of Salogo, Zam and Kogho with local authorities and local organisations to improve the health and quality of life of the population.

The LAAFIA III project (which means "health") starts in schools and communities and promotes good hygiene and sanitation practices for families, as well as good nutrition.

© Helvetas/Nomwindé Sawadogo
Students learn about hygiene at schools © Helvetas/Nomwindé Sawadogo
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© Helvetas/Nomwindé Sawadogo
The school children bring the new knowledge about hygiene and health home to their families. © Helvetas/Nomwindé Sawadogo
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© Helvetas/Nomwindé Sawadogo
Access to water in schools allows students to learn the importance of hygiene and to do gardening in school gardens. © Helvetas/Nomwindé Sawadogo
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© Helvetas/Nomwindé Sawadogo
In school gardens organic vegetables are grown and biology and ecology are taught. © Helvetas/Nomwindé Sawadogo
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© Helvetas/Nomwindé Sawadogo
A good school always includes latrines so that children don't have to do their business outdoors. © Helvetas/Nomwindé Sawadogo
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With the "Blue School" approach, students have access to clean water, functional and well-maintained latrines and adequate food. Children learn why hygiene is important and become ambassadors of good practices in their families.

They often use a latrine for the first time in school. They also learn to wash their hands regularly. When they return home, they talk about latrines, hand washing, soap, germs and ways to keep water clean.

Access to water also helps to establish school gardens, where organic vegetables are grown to improve the quality of the school's food. Students have the opportunity to participate in all activities: planting lettuce, aubergines or cabbage, watering and watching the plants grow. This is a good opportunity to learn about biology and ecology.

Actions to improve the lives of young girls at school

Helvetas also promotes awareness of menstrual hygiene among students. Menstruation is still a taboo subject, so girls for shame or lack of protection and adequate facilities often do not go to school during their period.  
The Laafia project, with the support of teachers, women and girl leaders, sensitizes all students on the subject. It adopts and supports young girls with exchange meetings on good menstrual hygiene practices at school and at home.
 Young girls who already have their periods receive menstrual hygiene management kits called "Palobdé". These kits are reusable.

Helvetas also sensitizes people in the villages, how much their health depends on family sanitation and a clean environment. This work consists of implementing the Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) process.

The first step is a collective walk in the village and surrounding area so that people can see the level of fecal contamination and its consequences. It is a powerful experience that triggers disgust and shame and makes families aware of the importance of having a latrine. Other good practices such as handwashing with soap, storing pots in a clean place, and yard maintenance are also adopted. The process is accompanied and monitored by the Village Sanitation Committee (VSC), which consists of representatives from each neighborhood. Their task is to raise awareness among the population and ensure that the commitments made by the heads of households are fulfilled.

Finally, the VSC organizes the community evaluation by going around the households to check that certain criteria in terms of hygiene and cleanliness are respected so that the village can be declared FDAL (Free of Open Defecation). This is a very important and eagerly awaited moment for the community, celebrated by the display of the "victory flag" during an official ceremony with dancing and music. This celebration, introduced by Helvetas, has greatly contributed to motivating communities to commit to better health.

© Helvetas/Nomwindé Sawadogo
The members of the Village Sanitation Committees sensitize the inhabitants of villages on good hygiene practices such as handwashing... © Helvetas/Nomwindé Sawadogo
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© Helvetas/Nomwindé Sawadogo
... and keeping cooking utensils in clean spaces © Helvetas/Nomwindé Sawadogo
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© Helvetas/Nomwindé Sawadogo
In order to improve health in the communities, the project encourages families to build their own latrines. © Helvetas/Nomwindé Sawadogo
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© Helvetas/Nomwindé Sawadogo
Women's groups are trained to produce soap that is sold in the villages. This gives them an opportunity to earn money. © Helvetas/Nomwindé Sawadogo
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© Helvetas/Franca Roiatti
When a village is declared FDAL (Free from Open Defecation), a ceremony to plant the "victory flag" is organized. © Helvetas/Franca Roiatti
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The victory flag is a source of pride for the community that is committed to keeping the village clean.
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Many health problems are linked to the consumption of unclean drinking water. For this reason, the LAAFIA project trains women's groups in the production of chlorinated water, so that they can raise awareness of the need to purify drinking water and create employment for themselves by selling their product in the villages. During these visits, they also play an important role in educating people about behaviours that reduce the risk of disease.

WASH & Water Governance

The most vulnerable communities suffer from dirty and scarce water. Annually we help up to 500,000 people get new access to drinking water and basic sanitation.

How Helvetas Supports People in Burkina Faso

Helvetas promotes vocational training and improvements to the infrastructure, roads and water supply in Burkina Faso.
© Helvetas