WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) training was a PC training held at Doe, ran by Oxfam. A little about Oxfam WASH programs: Oxfam is working on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) projects that integrate sustainable and local innovation to meet the needs of the poorest in 52 countries. Their work encompasses public health emergency responses in humanitarian crisis, as well as a holistic, adaptable and sustainable water resource management approach for development projects including governance of water resources. Their work means ensuring equitable access to water in both quantity and quality, which prevents disease and sustains lives and livelihoods; reducing environmental health risks by managing sanitation safely and with dignity; and, involving women and men in managing water and sanitation resources and safe hygiene practices to maximize the benefits for their communities.
This training was from March 14th-17th. We were told to bring two counterparts, I brought our VP of instruction, John, and a PTA representative, Moses. The training wasn’t exactly how I imagined it would be. I thought coming into the training we would be taught on how to write WASH grant/specifics on how to build a bathroom/pump for the school or community. The training was actually a wide overview of all WASH related topics, this included: how a hand pump works, supplies needed to build a handwashing station, how to wash your hands, how to limit the spread of disease, along with a variety of songs/ ideas on how to engage your community. The training was everyday from 8-5pm. The reason I wanted to attend this training was because our school doesn’t have a bathroom for the kids to use. Imagine being a high school girl during your period, living 30 minutes’ walk from your house, needing to go to the bathroom, your options are hold it, or go in the bush where anyone can see you. I wanted the PTA/ administration to see the importance of a bathroom on campus for the kids (specifically females) to use, and to want to help me when the time came to write a grant/get this process moving.
Although my initial expectations were not met with this training, the general goal of motivating my counterparts was 1000% met. We walked away from training with a plan/goal to build a bathroom on campus, we talked about how we would price out the supplies, inform the parents/school, pick a location and start our grant. My counterparts thanked me over and over again for carrying them to the workshop and raved about how great it was/how much they learned. The experience for them was great and they were able to go back to Gbartala and talk about everything they learned and everything they want to implement in the coming months. The goal now will be actual motivation to get things going!