Zoinks! Each year Global Handwashing Day gets bigger and better. From our friend Dan Campbell at USAID, here are the big ticket items for tomorrow, October 15. WASH your HANDS people! I don't care if you're trying to prevent diarrheal disease or avian influenza. Handwashing is medicine!
{{Since I posted this, I heard from ProjectWET.org - they have a great handwashing poster for free download here: http://store.projectwet.org/index.php/maps-posters/wash-your-hands-poster.html}}
2 key websites are:
• Global Handwashing Day 2010 - http://www.globalhandwashingday.org/
• Global Public-Private Partnership for Handwashing with Soap - http://www.globalhandwashing.org/
Handwashing in the News
- USAID - Millions Soap Up to Commemorate Global Handwashing Day
http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/global_health/eh/news/ghwd10.html
- U.S State Dept - Raising Clean Hands: How WASH Is Essential for Achieving Universal Education, a presentation by Maria Otero, Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs http://www.state.gov/g/149358.htm
- UNICEF - Making clean hands a priority for more than just a day, Global Handwashing Day
http://www.unicef.org/media/media_56528.html
- Save the Children Asks: Do You Know Your Dirty Words? - http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/10/prweb4633754.htm, Oct 11, 2010, The videos also mark Global Handwashing Day on October 15. The installation of toilets, hand-washing stations, hand pumps and de-worming campaigns are part ...
- BBC News - UK: Dirty toilets and thugs stop children washing hands - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11540274
- Lifebuoy to target 100000 children to support 3rd annual Global Handwashing - http://www.ameinfo.com/245201.html The 3rd annual Global Handwashing Day (GHWD) will be celebrated across the Gulf on October 15th 2010. The initiative, backed by the Global Public-Private ...
- Ghana: Global Handwashing Day http://gbcghana.com/index.php?id=1.149009, Oct 11, 2010, In Ghana, the third National Handwashing Day will be held at the Volta Regional Capital, Ho. In 2008, the United Nations General Assembly set aside the day ...
- Soap Project, MedShare Form Partnership http://www.globalatlanta.com/article/24279/, Oct 12, 2010, Two Atlanta-based nonprofits, the Global Soap Project and MedShare, have formed a partnership to distribute recycled soap from US hotel rooms to countries ...
- Afghanistan: No soap at school http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportID=90759
- India: Health in your hands http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/health-in-your-hands/214762.html, Oct 12, 2010, The focus of this year's Global Handwashing Day is cleanliness at schools. Playgrounds, classrooms, community centres, and public spaces will be awash with ...
- Philippines - Global handwashing day on October 15 promotes lathering up to beat diseases
http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&r=&y=&mo=&fi=p101013.htm&no=08, Oct 12, 2010, The purpose of Global handwashing day is to raise awareness and promote hand washing to school children's and parents. Each year, diarrheal diseases and ...
- Kenya - Wash your hands well before touching cutlery
http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Wash%20your%20hands%20well%20before%20touching%20cutlery/-/539444/1031332/-/jakx5xz/-/, Oct 12, 2010, As the world prepares to mark the Global Handwashing Day, public health experts are raising ...
- Guinness World Records® Attempt for Most People Sanitizing Hands a Success http://www.kansascity.com/2010/10/08/2290153/guinness-world-records-attempt.html, Oct 8, 2010, The world record was carried out in celebration of the upcoming Global Handwashing Day, an annual event that coincides with flu season. ...
Showing posts with label global handwashing day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label global handwashing day. Show all posts
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Raising Clean Hands: How WASH Is Essential for Achieving Universal Education
U.S. Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs Maria Otero gave an impassioned speech yesterday on the linkages between safe water, sanitation, and primary education. The most interesting thing throughout a great event at AED I think was the attention that the speakers and questioners paid not just to how safe water and sanitation enable access to education (eg they make it possible for girls to go to school), but how safe water and sanitation improve the quality of that education as well. Better water and sanitation contribute very positively to cognitive development, not just simply getting girls to school.
Academy for Educational Development (AED)
Washington, DC
October 13, 2010
------------------------------------------------------------
As prepared for delivery
Thank you for the warm welcome and kind introduction. And my gratitude to the Water Advocates and Academy for Educational Development for organizing this wonderful event and showcasing this beautiful exhibit for the public. This is the perfect setting –surrounded by these powerful images and messages – to be talking about WASH in schools.
As Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs, I have worked over the past year to elevate two initiatives at Secretary Clinton’s request: water and youth.
Fortunately, today gives me an opportunity to talk about both: the importance of providing water, sanitation, and hygiene education – and the significance of starting early. We must teach our children—our future—to be better stewards of our world’s water and better caretakers of their own health.
No matter where you live—be it Boston or Bamako—schools are the foundation of strong communities. They are, of course, a place where teachers teach and children learn. But they are also a place where community health workers deliver life-saving messages and medicines. They are a place where adults gather in the evening for continuing education and town-hall meetings. And they are a place where people come to vote and young democracies flourish.
It is a tragic irony that those who go to schools to learn, congregate, and protect their health, are often put at risk from the school environment itself.
The problem is clear. More than half of all primary schools in developing countries do not have adequate water facilities and nearly two-thirds lack adequate sanitation. Even where facilities exist, they are often in poor condition.
The consequences are threefold. First, health suffers. Schools can—and often do—become a breeding ground for diarrhea, parasitic worms, and other water-borne ailments. The World Health Organization estimates that diarrhea causes 1.5 million deaths per year; many resulting from transmission in schools.
Furthermore, schools without WASH facilities represent a lost opportunity to promote good hygiene behavior in the larger community. Data suggests that students who practice good hygiene in schools also help teach good hygiene practices to their parents, siblings, and friends.
Second, education suffers. Worm infestations can lower children’s IQ scores. Studies show that students are more prone to missing lessons in schools without WASH facilities. Such trends can have devastating long-term costs for students, communities and nations, virtually closing doors to opportunity.
Third, women and girls suffer disproportionately. Female school staff and girls who have reached puberty are less likely to attend schools that lack gender specific sanitation facilities. As we increasingly recognize the contribution of women to household income, health, education, and nutritional outcomes, nations simply cannot afford a lag in women’s education and literacy.
The bottom line is this: If we are serious about improving child health, achieving universal primary education, ensuring gender equity, and stimulating economic development, we need to be serious about providing safe water, sanitation, and hygiene education in schools.
The U.S. Government has a long and ongoing commitment in this area.
Together with Millennium Water Alliance, Global Water Challenge, and the Water and Sanitation Rotarian Action Group, the State Department is rolling out the Ambassador’s Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene in Schools Initiative. We are also finalizing the addition of a fourth partner and founding sponsor: The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation.
The initiative aims to help U.S. Embassies around the world collaborate with experienced NGOs to implement a local WASH in schools project. We are already working with Embassies in Tanzania and Kenya, and looking to expand to other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America.
Through WASH in Schools, Ambassadors and other senior embassy staff are engaging the host government and local communities on the importance of WASH education to health, education, and gender equity.
Most recently, as part of the Hygiene Improvement Program, USAID worked closely with AED and other partners to scale up national WASH in School programs in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The program also conducted trainings and produced materials to share best practices with other organizations.
Our ultimate goal is for all schools to have adequate WASH facilities. But we must not be naïve about the challenges ahead. Maintaining sustainable water and sanitation services in schools is not simple. Constructing taps, toilets, and hand washing stations with soap is often the easy part. Setting up a robust system for operations and management and ensuring sustained and proper use can be much more difficult. We must ensure that WASH is incorporated in school curriculum and teacher training to complement the infrastructure with appropriate hygiene and sanitation messages and skill-building.
Even as we increase investment for WASH in schools, we must also increase monitoring and communication of what works and what doesn’t. A solid knowledge base is essential for informed decision-making and effective distribution of funds.
Finally, as we have noted in our own WASH in Schools program, success is contingent on strong partnerships. Many donor groups are supporting WASH in schools programs around the world, and many of you are represented in the room today. I am grateful for your commitment.
And, of course, donor efforts alone will not reach scale or be sustainable without leadership from national governments like El Salvador—a country that has demonstrated strong support for WASH in schools. I’d like to extend a special welcome to Ambassador Francisco Altschul-Fuentes, from El Salvador, who is here with us today.
Last month, we were fortunate to have representatives from nations throughout the world join us at a side-event on water during the MDG Summit, co-hosted by the U.S., Tajikistan, the Dutch, and UNICEF. UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon was among 200 leaders highlighting the role of safe access to clean water in reaching multiple MDG goals. I encouraged the high-level participants to address water from multiple angles, including the environment, health, security, and women and children’s rights. And, of course, WASH in Schools is a part of that equation.
It is this type of dialogue—and events like this one today—that are crucial to building the partnerships that will change the lives of boys and girls in schools throughout the world—change their lives, change the future.
I would just close by pointing out that this Friday, October 15, the world will commemorate Global Handwashing Day. On this day, educators in countries around the globe will be showing their students how to wash their hands. It sounds simple to an audience that is accustomed to automatic faucets. But sadly, hundreds of millions of children will not be able to practice their handwashing lessons at school.
This is where we all can make a difference. I regret that I cannot stay for the panel, but I look forward to hearing the outcomes.
Thank you.
Here are Maria Otero's great remarks:
Maria Otero
Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs Academy for Educational Development (AED)
Washington, DC
October 13, 2010
------------------------------------------------------------
As prepared for delivery
Thank you for the warm welcome and kind introduction. And my gratitude to the Water Advocates and Academy for Educational Development for organizing this wonderful event and showcasing this beautiful exhibit for the public. This is the perfect setting –surrounded by these powerful images and messages – to be talking about WASH in schools.
As Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs, I have worked over the past year to elevate two initiatives at Secretary Clinton’s request: water and youth.
Fortunately, today gives me an opportunity to talk about both: the importance of providing water, sanitation, and hygiene education – and the significance of starting early. We must teach our children—our future—to be better stewards of our world’s water and better caretakers of their own health.
No matter where you live—be it Boston or Bamako—schools are the foundation of strong communities. They are, of course, a place where teachers teach and children learn. But they are also a place where community health workers deliver life-saving messages and medicines. They are a place where adults gather in the evening for continuing education and town-hall meetings. And they are a place where people come to vote and young democracies flourish.
It is a tragic irony that those who go to schools to learn, congregate, and protect their health, are often put at risk from the school environment itself.
The problem is clear. More than half of all primary schools in developing countries do not have adequate water facilities and nearly two-thirds lack adequate sanitation. Even where facilities exist, they are often in poor condition.
The consequences are threefold. First, health suffers. Schools can—and often do—become a breeding ground for diarrhea, parasitic worms, and other water-borne ailments. The World Health Organization estimates that diarrhea causes 1.5 million deaths per year; many resulting from transmission in schools.
Furthermore, schools without WASH facilities represent a lost opportunity to promote good hygiene behavior in the larger community. Data suggests that students who practice good hygiene in schools also help teach good hygiene practices to their parents, siblings, and friends.
Second, education suffers. Worm infestations can lower children’s IQ scores. Studies show that students are more prone to missing lessons in schools without WASH facilities. Such trends can have devastating long-term costs for students, communities and nations, virtually closing doors to opportunity.
Third, women and girls suffer disproportionately. Female school staff and girls who have reached puberty are less likely to attend schools that lack gender specific sanitation facilities. As we increasingly recognize the contribution of women to household income, health, education, and nutritional outcomes, nations simply cannot afford a lag in women’s education and literacy.
The bottom line is this: If we are serious about improving child health, achieving universal primary education, ensuring gender equity, and stimulating economic development, we need to be serious about providing safe water, sanitation, and hygiene education in schools.
The U.S. Government has a long and ongoing commitment in this area.
Together with Millennium Water Alliance, Global Water Challenge, and the Water and Sanitation Rotarian Action Group, the State Department is rolling out the Ambassador’s Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene in Schools Initiative. We are also finalizing the addition of a fourth partner and founding sponsor: The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation.
The initiative aims to help U.S. Embassies around the world collaborate with experienced NGOs to implement a local WASH in schools project. We are already working with Embassies in Tanzania and Kenya, and looking to expand to other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America.
Through WASH in Schools, Ambassadors and other senior embassy staff are engaging the host government and local communities on the importance of WASH education to health, education, and gender equity.
Most recently, as part of the Hygiene Improvement Program, USAID worked closely with AED and other partners to scale up national WASH in School programs in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The program also conducted trainings and produced materials to share best practices with other organizations.
Our ultimate goal is for all schools to have adequate WASH facilities. But we must not be naïve about the challenges ahead. Maintaining sustainable water and sanitation services in schools is not simple. Constructing taps, toilets, and hand washing stations with soap is often the easy part. Setting up a robust system for operations and management and ensuring sustained and proper use can be much more difficult. We must ensure that WASH is incorporated in school curriculum and teacher training to complement the infrastructure with appropriate hygiene and sanitation messages and skill-building.
Even as we increase investment for WASH in schools, we must also increase monitoring and communication of what works and what doesn’t. A solid knowledge base is essential for informed decision-making and effective distribution of funds.
Finally, as we have noted in our own WASH in Schools program, success is contingent on strong partnerships. Many donor groups are supporting WASH in schools programs around the world, and many of you are represented in the room today. I am grateful for your commitment.
And, of course, donor efforts alone will not reach scale or be sustainable without leadership from national governments like El Salvador—a country that has demonstrated strong support for WASH in schools. I’d like to extend a special welcome to Ambassador Francisco Altschul-Fuentes, from El Salvador, who is here with us today.
Last month, we were fortunate to have representatives from nations throughout the world join us at a side-event on water during the MDG Summit, co-hosted by the U.S., Tajikistan, the Dutch, and UNICEF. UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon was among 200 leaders highlighting the role of safe access to clean water in reaching multiple MDG goals. I encouraged the high-level participants to address water from multiple angles, including the environment, health, security, and women and children’s rights. And, of course, WASH in Schools is a part of that equation.
It is this type of dialogue—and events like this one today—that are crucial to building the partnerships that will change the lives of boys and girls in schools throughout the world—change their lives, change the future.
I would just close by pointing out that this Friday, October 15, the world will commemorate Global Handwashing Day. On this day, educators in countries around the globe will be showing their students how to wash their hands. It sounds simple to an audience that is accustomed to automatic faucets. But sadly, hundreds of millions of children will not be able to practice their handwashing lessons at school.
This is where we all can make a difference. I regret that I cannot stay for the panel, but I look forward to hearing the outcomes.
Thank you.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Children Should Carry Books, Not Crappy Water
Children Should Carry Books, Not Water
U.S. Raising Clean Hands Campaign Launched: WASH (WAter, Sanitation and Hygiene) Is Essential to Achieve Universal Education
October 13, (Washington, DC) – Nathan Strauss, 17, a student at Abington Senior High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is part of a growing movement of America’s youth who are stepping up to make a change in the lives of the students around the world who are carrying water and not books.
Even for those children that have the opportunity to go to school, students lose 443 million school days each year due to diseases associated with the lack of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). Repeated episodes of diarrhea and worm infestations diminish a child’s ability to learn and impair cognitive development. This problem is exacerbated by the more than half of all schools in developing countries that lack adequate WASH facilities.
“I had no idea of the magnitude of the issue and I was shocked to find out the severity of the crisis and the number of students like me across the world that still don’t even have a toilet at their school. Doing something about this has become a really big deal for me,” said Nathan Strauss. “I think America’s youth has great potential to do something about this problem; if everyone gets taught the issue, we can all help. Imagine if all the students in America were a part of this; the change would be enormous,” he continued.
Nathan is not alone. Nearly 30 organizations launched a campaign in the United States today at an event at AED to demonstrate that providing water, sanitation and hygiene education in schools globally can help solve the WASH and education challenge around the world. Through this campaign, and an exhibit called “Bathroom Pass,” these organizations highlight the solutions they are currently implementing and urge the U.S. Government, the World Bank, and other actors in the education and health sectors to bring WASH to schools in the developing world.
U.S. Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs Maria Otero stressed, “The bottom line is this: if we are serious about improving child health, achieving universal primary education, ensuring gender equity and stimulating economic development, we need to be serious about providing safe water, sanitation and hygiene in schools.” She emphasized the important role of students, like Nathan, to participate in service learning projects that help them engage in concrete actions to help others around the world. Earlier this year on World Water Day, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton emphasized that global water issues would be a priority for the U.S. Government.
Other speakers who highlighted the need to act included Carol Bellamy (Education for All - Fast Track Initiative), Clarissa Brocklehurst (UNICEF), Jack Downey (AED) and Denise Knight (The Coca-Cola Company). Jon Hamilton of NPR served as the moderator.
Nathan took action by helping to start a club through H2O for Life to raise funds to help schools in developing countries; the money is used to improve access to clean water, build toilets and handwashing stations, and provide hygiene education. So far 120,000 students across the U.S. have participated in H2O for Life service learning programs. Nathan’s story is highlighted in the “Bathroom Pass” exhibit, as are the stories of three students from Honduras, Madagascar and Nepal.
As a part of this campaign the organizers are challenging you to:
• Live for one day on the global minimum standard for water—approximately 5 gallons per person per day for drinking, cooking and bathing.
• Wash your hands at critical times: after using the toilet and before preparing food or eating.
• Start an H2O for Life club at your school like Nathan and his classmates did. Visit http://www.h2oforlifeschools.org/
The launch of this campaign is timed to coincide with the week of Global Handwashing Day, October 15, when 200 million children, parents, teachers, celebrities and citizens in over 80 countries are raising attention for handwashing and for WASH in Schools. Visit http://www.globalhandwashingday.org/
__
Nathan Strauss is available for print, radio and broadcast interviews. He will also be touring the “Bathroom Pass” exhibit in Washington, DC on Friday October 15 for photo and video opportunities.
Attention broadcasters: for WASH in Schools b-roll visit:
UNICEF – http://weshare.unicef.org/pickup?key=S8cf8f010-4b81-42f5-8339-5aa78cfc0cd9
Water For People – https://waterforpeople.box.net/shared/f9yvcdfqf0
For background documents, scroll to bottom of the page at http://www.wateradvocates.org/forschools.htm
Press Contacts:
• John Sauer, Water Advocates, Tel: 202-293-4003, Email: jsauer ( at ) wateradvocates.org
• Michelle Galley, AED, Tel: 202-884-8388, Email: mgalley ( at ) aed.org
“Bathroom Pass” Exhibit Description
In collaboration with nearly 30 partners, AED will launch Bathroom Pass: A Hands-On Exhibit On Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Schools at Idea:Exchange on October 13, 2010. Every child has the right to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in their school. In this kid-friendly exhibit, visitors experience WASH in schools through the stories of four children from around the world: Adán, age 12 from Honduras; Mamisoa, age 10 from Madagascar; Nathan, age 17 from the United States; and, Sarita, age 15 from Nepal. Find out how WASH in schools ensures students reach their full potential. Learn how you can make a difference. For more information on group scheduling or events, please contact Zoe Plaugher, zplaugher (at) aed.org or 202-884-8618. The exhibit is free and open to the public from October 25 through November 19, Monday-Friday, 3PM-7PM. Location: AED IDEA:EXCHANGE, corner of Connecticut Ave. & T St., 1875 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009.
Organizations supporting this event include: Action Against Hunger, AED, Basic Education Coalition, CARE, CRS, Children Without Worms, Global Environment & Technology Foundation, Global Water Challenge, H2O for Life, Millennium Water Alliance, PATH, Plan USA, Project WET, PSI, Ryan's Well Foundation, Save the Children, UNICEF, USAID, US Fund for UNICEF, WaterAid, Water Advocates, Water and Sanitation Program, Water Centric, Water For People, World Water Relief
U.S. Raising Clean Hands Campaign Launched: WASH (WAter, Sanitation and Hygiene) Is Essential to Achieve Universal Education
October 13, (Washington, DC) – Nathan Strauss, 17, a student at Abington Senior High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is part of a growing movement of America’s youth who are stepping up to make a change in the lives of the students around the world who are carrying water and not books.
Even for those children that have the opportunity to go to school, students lose 443 million school days each year due to diseases associated with the lack of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). Repeated episodes of diarrhea and worm infestations diminish a child’s ability to learn and impair cognitive development. This problem is exacerbated by the more than half of all schools in developing countries that lack adequate WASH facilities.
“I had no idea of the magnitude of the issue and I was shocked to find out the severity of the crisis and the number of students like me across the world that still don’t even have a toilet at their school. Doing something about this has become a really big deal for me,” said Nathan Strauss. “I think America’s youth has great potential to do something about this problem; if everyone gets taught the issue, we can all help. Imagine if all the students in America were a part of this; the change would be enormous,” he continued.
Nathan is not alone. Nearly 30 organizations launched a campaign in the United States today at an event at AED to demonstrate that providing water, sanitation and hygiene education in schools globally can help solve the WASH and education challenge around the world. Through this campaign, and an exhibit called “Bathroom Pass,” these organizations highlight the solutions they are currently implementing and urge the U.S. Government, the World Bank, and other actors in the education and health sectors to bring WASH to schools in the developing world.
U.S. Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs Maria Otero stressed, “The bottom line is this: if we are serious about improving child health, achieving universal primary education, ensuring gender equity and stimulating economic development, we need to be serious about providing safe water, sanitation and hygiene in schools.” She emphasized the important role of students, like Nathan, to participate in service learning projects that help them engage in concrete actions to help others around the world. Earlier this year on World Water Day, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton emphasized that global water issues would be a priority for the U.S. Government.
Other speakers who highlighted the need to act included Carol Bellamy (Education for All - Fast Track Initiative), Clarissa Brocklehurst (UNICEF), Jack Downey (AED) and Denise Knight (The Coca-Cola Company). Jon Hamilton of NPR served as the moderator.
Nathan took action by helping to start a club through H2O for Life to raise funds to help schools in developing countries; the money is used to improve access to clean water, build toilets and handwashing stations, and provide hygiene education. So far 120,000 students across the U.S. have participated in H2O for Life service learning programs. Nathan’s story is highlighted in the “Bathroom Pass” exhibit, as are the stories of three students from Honduras, Madagascar and Nepal.
As a part of this campaign the organizers are challenging you to:
• Live for one day on the global minimum standard for water—approximately 5 gallons per person per day for drinking, cooking and bathing.
• Wash your hands at critical times: after using the toilet and before preparing food or eating.
• Start an H2O for Life club at your school like Nathan and his classmates did. Visit http://www.h2oforlifeschools.org/
The launch of this campaign is timed to coincide with the week of Global Handwashing Day, October 15, when 200 million children, parents, teachers, celebrities and citizens in over 80 countries are raising attention for handwashing and for WASH in Schools. Visit http://www.globalhandwashingday.org/
__
Nathan Strauss is available for print, radio and broadcast interviews. He will also be touring the “Bathroom Pass” exhibit in Washington, DC on Friday October 15 for photo and video opportunities.
Attention broadcasters: for WASH in Schools b-roll visit:
UNICEF – http://weshare.unicef.org/pickup?key=S8cf8f010-4b81-42f5-8339-5aa78cfc0cd9
Water For People – https://waterforpeople.box.net/shared/f9yvcdfqf0
For background documents, scroll to bottom of the page at http://www.wateradvocates.org/forschools.htm
Press Contacts:
• John Sauer, Water Advocates, Tel: 202-293-4003, Email: jsauer ( at ) wateradvocates.org
• Michelle Galley, AED, Tel: 202-884-8388, Email: mgalley ( at ) aed.org
“Bathroom Pass” Exhibit Description
In collaboration with nearly 30 partners, AED will launch Bathroom Pass: A Hands-On Exhibit On Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Schools at Idea:Exchange on October 13, 2010. Every child has the right to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in their school. In this kid-friendly exhibit, visitors experience WASH in schools through the stories of four children from around the world: Adán, age 12 from Honduras; Mamisoa, age 10 from Madagascar; Nathan, age 17 from the United States; and, Sarita, age 15 from Nepal. Find out how WASH in schools ensures students reach their full potential. Learn how you can make a difference. For more information on group scheduling or events, please contact Zoe Plaugher, zplaugher (at) aed.org or 202-884-8618. The exhibit is free and open to the public from October 25 through November 19, Monday-Friday, 3PM-7PM. Location: AED IDEA:EXCHANGE, corner of Connecticut Ave. & T St., 1875 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009.
Organizations supporting this event include: Action Against Hunger, AED, Basic Education Coalition, CARE, CRS, Children Without Worms, Global Environment & Technology Foundation, Global Water Challenge, H2O for Life, Millennium Water Alliance, PATH, Plan USA, Project WET, PSI, Ryan's Well Foundation, Save the Children, UNICEF, USAID, US Fund for UNICEF, WaterAid, Water Advocates, Water and Sanitation Program, Water Centric, Water For People, World Water Relief
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Interesting WASH position in Dakar
Impact Evaluation Coordinator/Research Fellow (STC)
WSP’s Handwashing program , Senegal
Job Description:
The World Bank’s Water and Sanitation Program (WSP) seeks a qualified applicant for a consultant position (STC) of Coordinator/Research Fellow for the impact evaluation of WSP’s handwashing program in Senegal. This position is located in Dakar.
In response to the preventable threats posed by poor sanitation and hygiene, the Water and Sanitation Program (WSP) launched two large-scale projects, Global Scaling Up Handwashing (HWWS) and Global Scaling Up Rural Sanitation (TSSM), to improve the health and welfare outcomes for millions of poor people. Local and national governments are implementing these projects with technical support from WSP.
The Handwashing Behavioral Change project will expand and improve existing hygiene behavior change efforts with innovative and new approaches including commercial marketing to deliver HW messages; broad and inclusive partnerships of government, private commercial marketing channels, and concerned consumer groups and NGOs. These innovative methods will be combined with tried and proven community-level interpersonal communications and outreach activities.
A major component of this project is to document the magnitude of health impacts and relevant project costs of these interventions. To measure impacts, the project is implementing a randomized-controlled trial of the TSSM and Scaling-Up Handwashing Behavior interventions in the six countries, using household surveys to measure the levels of key outcome indicators.
The Impact Evaluation Coordinator is expected to work closely with WSP staff, academic researchers and a survey firm to perform a variety tasks including, but not limited to: managing the survey firm, overseeing logistic planning, overseeing field work and training, piloting of survey questionnaires, running pilot exercises, introducing project to and negotiating with country counterparts and government officials, following up status of implementation and compliance with impact evaluation experimental design, checking and analyzing data, cleaning data and assisting in preliminary analysis, assisting in writing the project final impact evaluation report (or co-authoring, depending on qualifications and experience), financial accounting, procurement processes, and other administrative tasks.
Desired Qualifications and Experience:
• Graduate degree in economics, public policy, or a related field.
• Experience with household survey data collection and analysis, including field work experience
• Familiarity with randomized controlled trials.
• Very high level of proficiency in French and English.
• Advanced coursework in econometrics, advanced knowledge of Stata or similar program or experience with data management.
• Willingness to travel frequently within Senegal.
• Strong oral and written communications skills.
• Excellent management and organizational skills and ability to work independently.
• Experience or interest in economics or social science research.
• Cultural sensitivity, and demonstrated ability to work successfully with diverse constituencies.
• Developing country experience (preferred)
Compensation is commensurate with the candidate’s qualifications and experience, in accordance to World Bank scales. We are looking for a commitment period of at least 6 months for this position, with starting date between October 2010 and January 2010.
To Apply:
Subject: Senegal Impact Evaluation Coordinator/Research Fellow Consultancy Water & Sanitation Program
email: ltsegaye (AT) worldbank.org
Attention:
Lakech Tsegaye
Water and Sanitation Program (WSP)
The World Bank
http://www.wsp.org/
WSP’s Handwashing program , Senegal
Job Description:
The World Bank’s Water and Sanitation Program (WSP) seeks a qualified applicant for a consultant position (STC) of Coordinator/Research Fellow for the impact evaluation of WSP’s handwashing program in Senegal. This position is located in Dakar.
In response to the preventable threats posed by poor sanitation and hygiene, the Water and Sanitation Program (WSP) launched two large-scale projects, Global Scaling Up Handwashing (HWWS) and Global Scaling Up Rural Sanitation (TSSM), to improve the health and welfare outcomes for millions of poor people. Local and national governments are implementing these projects with technical support from WSP.
The Handwashing Behavioral Change project will expand and improve existing hygiene behavior change efforts with innovative and new approaches including commercial marketing to deliver HW messages; broad and inclusive partnerships of government, private commercial marketing channels, and concerned consumer groups and NGOs. These innovative methods will be combined with tried and proven community-level interpersonal communications and outreach activities.
A major component of this project is to document the magnitude of health impacts and relevant project costs of these interventions. To measure impacts, the project is implementing a randomized-controlled trial of the TSSM and Scaling-Up Handwashing Behavior interventions in the six countries, using household surveys to measure the levels of key outcome indicators.
The Impact Evaluation Coordinator is expected to work closely with WSP staff, academic researchers and a survey firm to perform a variety tasks including, but not limited to: managing the survey firm, overseeing logistic planning, overseeing field work and training, piloting of survey questionnaires, running pilot exercises, introducing project to and negotiating with country counterparts and government officials, following up status of implementation and compliance with impact evaluation experimental design, checking and analyzing data, cleaning data and assisting in preliminary analysis, assisting in writing the project final impact evaluation report (or co-authoring, depending on qualifications and experience), financial accounting, procurement processes, and other administrative tasks.
Desired Qualifications and Experience:
• Graduate degree in economics, public policy, or a related field.
• Experience with household survey data collection and analysis, including field work experience
• Familiarity with randomized controlled trials.
• Very high level of proficiency in French and English.
• Advanced coursework in econometrics, advanced knowledge of Stata or similar program or experience with data management.
• Willingness to travel frequently within Senegal.
• Strong oral and written communications skills.
• Excellent management and organizational skills and ability to work independently.
• Experience or interest in economics or social science research.
• Cultural sensitivity, and demonstrated ability to work successfully with diverse constituencies.
• Developing country experience (preferred)
Compensation is commensurate with the candidate’s qualifications and experience, in accordance to World Bank scales. We are looking for a commitment period of at least 6 months for this position, with starting date between October 2010 and January 2010.
To Apply:
Subject: Senegal Impact Evaluation Coordinator/Research Fellow Consultancy Water & Sanitation Program
email: ltsegaye (AT) worldbank.org
Attention:
Lakech Tsegaye
Water and Sanitation Program (WSP)
The World Bank
http://www.wsp.org/
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Global Handwashing Day
Wash Your Hands
Mom's sage advice, and the way out of poverty.
Unsafe water, then inadequate sanitation, then dirty little hands, then feces goes from food and fingers into mouths, and diarrheal disease is transmitted. Kids are sick, stay out and drop out of school, don't learn, don't earn, and the cycle of poverty continues.
So...
Data point: the Lancet Infectious Diseases Journal reported that 42-47 percent of all diarrheal transmission could be stopped by handwashing with soap (Curtis, Val, & Sandy Cairncross. (2003, May). "Effect of washing hands with soap on diarrhoea risk in the community: A systematic review." Lancet Infectious Diseases Journal 3(5), 275-81.)
A couple of examples of the good work being done to alleviate poverty through simple handwashing campaigns:
In Madagascar 19,300 primary schools will participate in a week-long event. Handwashing with soap activities involving schools and the community, culminate on October 15th with 3.5 million children washing hands with soap at noon. President Ravalomanana will lead the Day. Three Ministries have issued a joint statement to the Prime Minister to officialize Global Handwashing Day. A parade of schoolchildren through the capital is planned for October 15th.
The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health are supporting an event on October 15th in an elementary school close to Panama City. Children will wash their hands together with high representatives from both Ministries.
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