Haiti: Fighting cholera

The kids in Haiti’s Aujecad are no-nonsense about their hand-washing: Rinse hands and wrists thoroughly with water. Carefully take soap and lather. Another drop of water to produce more foam. One full minute of scrubbing and lathering. Make sure to get the wrists, every finger and fingernail. Close tap with elbow. Shake hands to dry.

The hand-washing process, although simple, is extremely important. Living conditions in Aujecad are dire, and basic hygiene is difficult to maintain.

The camp, located in Haiti’s Carrefour district, is home to 2,300 people who lost their houses in the January 12, 2010 earthquake. Good hygiene is a key factor in fighting the spread of disease and helping families stay healthy – a reality that is increasingly important with the current cholera outbreak.

The kids’ diligence in Aujecad is a result of their participation in CARE’s hygiene promotion activities. Through house visits, radio messages and hygiene workshops, CARE has been teaching the community about a range of hygiene and safety issues. Mothers’ clubs and children’s clubs have also served as a valuable tool in passing on this vital knowledge.

In addition to providing the necessary information, CARE has also provided the facilities and items to maintain basic hygiene. In Aujecad, adjacent to where the kids wash their hands, CARE has built 14 latrines (eight for women and six for men) and two showers. CARE and the camp health committee designate an attendant for the latrines who, with brooms, masks, gloves and detergent, keeps them tidy. The showers are simply a bucket of water in a wooden frame covered with plastic tarps, but in these crowded and untidy conditions, a private place to shower is an enormous improvement in living conditions.

The attendant is also charged with the important task of making sure there is always soap at the hand washing stations. And the kids of Aujecad make sure the bar of soap is put to good use.

With your support, CARE can help provide vulnerable communities with access to safe and reliable water supplies, teach families about healthy hygiene practices, and improve overall sanitation in poor communities.