aisha abari aishbary
Wed Mar 7 20:21:08 CET 2012

Hello,

Indeed, research has shown that people prefer to use water to clean their private part rather than cleaning paper because most time the finger are often contaminated with faeces. This is common, even amongst adult, talk-less of school children. Also, the issue of poverty is they. people will not spent their hard earn money to buy cleaning paper. However, even the government doesn't provide cleaning/toilet paper in schools. Therefore, use of water for cleaning re-main the safest way and most convenient.

Aisha Hamza (mrs)

Robert Lang
Thu Mar 8 19:19:17 CET 2012

The study was actually done in New Zealand. Here
is the link to the report in the New Zealand
Herald.

www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10775848

I am on tight deadlines but maybe someone else
can use the links to find the actual study.

Bob Lang, Creator of the L3C and Founder
Americans for Community Development
americansforcommunitydevelopment.org/

Dear WASH folks,
Do someone have a document or a link related to Community/Family/Owner driving latrine construction and rehabilitation?I am trying to develop a strategy for traditional latrine improvement in urban and new latrine construction for group of household in Port au Prince.
I will be more than happy also to receive documentation ,publications about this topic :
Diagnosis of risks and environmental impacts of manually emptying for latrines
Best,Daouda

........................................................

Daouda Djelideen SANOU

WASH-Environmental Health Specialist
Latin America & Caribbean Region

Thu Mar 8 17:49:52 CET 2012

Mr. Robert Lang point that soap is not important is a pleasant surprise for me, because, If I'm not mistaken, UNICEF, WHO, etc, all stress for using soap. Mr. Robert may kindly provide links to the US studies. It would be then interesting for the forum to comment on not using the soap.

F H Mughal

From: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. [This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.] On Behalf Of Robert Lang
Sent: Thursday, March 08, 2012 4:07 PM
Subject: Re: [Wg7] Getting School WASH Right

Although I do not comment often I find this discussion interesting since there is the sense that water and toilet paper are alternatives. In fact proper use of both gives the best results from many perspectives. Paper keeps the hands a lot cleaner, particularly under the nails, and also keeps contamination out of wounds. Final clean up of the hands and/or body parts with sop and water reduces contaminates even further. In areas with water shortages the amount of water used goes way down by using paper first. If the water source is from a stream or other body of water that will be used otherwise without treatment use of paper first significantly reduces water contamination. The latest studies here in the US have shown that the soap is not as important as the water. Vigourous rubbing with water alone is better than little rubbing with soap and water .

Bob Lang, Creator of the L3C and Founder
Americans for Community Development
americansforcommunitydevelopment.org/

From: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. [This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.] On Behalf Of Kitchinme Bawa
Sent: Thursday, March 08, 2012 2:25 PM
Subject: Re: [Wg7] Getting School WASH Right

Dear Bunmi,
Thanks for the observation about the issue of hand towels. Personally and I believe some people share this position with me, the hygienic use of hand towels is in question. This is being debated and the imminent general consensus is that hand towels may not be hygienic after all. This is because it involves a number of people using one towel and can be likened to a number of people washing hands in the same water, more so when one is dealing with children.
The preferred hygienic approach is the electric dryer. But then the question is its cost effectiveness, convenience and sustainability. Hence during hand washing campaigns, what we promote for now, is for people to keep shaking the fingers as the water drips and the hands are dried by air.

Thanks.

Kitchinme Bawa Gotau
Programme Ofiicer Sanitation and Hygiene
WaterAid in Nigeria

From: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. [This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.] On Behalf Of wisdom
Sent: Thursday, March 08, 2012 11:50 AM
Subject: Re: [Wg7] Getting School WASH Right

Hi everybody,
I think cleaning using water might work well when this practice is already in use.
In our country, Moldova, there are many Ecological sanitation facilities implemented in schools and during our monitoring visits we also have observed that after the project is finalized not all the schools provide the hygienic facilities, simple because they do not have enough funds for this. But I think that this could be solved with involvement of parents. I can only judge from how responsible are the parents for providing toilet paper, soap and tissues for small children (kindergarten) as there is a strong demand from educators and I do not know why during schools they already become irresposible, as the children still need these materials for their hygiene. The school does not demand it so strongly, why it should be. Probable the shared costs (that everyone is taking responsibility for his own child health) is more effective and cheaper than looking for extra costs for schools. At least I know that people do prefer to spend money on mobile calls, rather than thinking of hygiene.

Kind regards,
Nadia Andreev

From: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. [This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.] On Behalf Of Oluwabunmi Ifejola
Sent: Wednesday, March 07, 2012 11:02 AM
Subject: Re: [Wg7] Getting School WASH Right


Hi All, this is getting more and more interesting, however my observation particularly in the rural areas in Nigeria is that even after washing hand after defeacating by children, there is an issue with re-contamination because there is no provision of hand towels and most pupils just wipe their hands on their cloths which most of the time is very dirty and also use same hand to eat.

Bunmi Fagbemi
Smodkleen Support Services
Ikeja Lagos
www.smodkleen-ng.com

From: Rieck, Christian GIZ
Sent: Thursday, March 08, 2012 2:45 PM
Subject: RE: [Wg7] Getting School WASH Right

Dear all,
Thank you for the valid points made on handwashing. From what I know children should not use towels for hand drying in schools since this is a point of contamination. Ideally paper towels are most hygienic but far too costly in most situations. Drying the hands in the air (by shaking and waging hands) should be the right behavior. If children learn this during their daily routine of hand washing they will continue practicing it. This is also promoted in the Philippines during the daily group handwashing routines (Fit For School) and seems to work well.

The other issue mentioned was on anal cleaning with water or paper. It certainly depends on religion or sometimes regions and if water is available or not. In general I would think that anal cleansing with water is more hygienic considering the fact that people naturally have water also available for handwashing and usually do it also as a habit (e.g. India). If with soap or not I do not know, however Mugal as mentioned soap is used. This would mean that handwashing with soap in Muslim countries is less of a problem that in other cultures? Is that so?

Many cultures also have the concept of left and right hand, whereby they always use the same hand for washing or wiping and always use the other hand for eating or shaking hands. That is a very effective way to prevent spread of diseases.

Since anal washing depends on the culture and religion, it cannot be forced upon other cultures or religions that are used to wiping. If people cannot afford to buy toilet paper, they use leaves, newspaper or other materials for wiping. Without handwashing this method of anal cleansing surely bears more health risks than anal washing.

@ Ikem: What many practioners have realized over the years is that hygiene education has only little impact on behaviours if it is not accompanied at the same time with exercising it (skills). Was there also a strong component of practical handwashing in Benin?
@ Omotola: Please see the infos given in the emails below (links to Fit For School) and the website of washinschoolsmapping with valuabe infos.

Best regards,
Christian

From: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. [This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.] On Behalf Of omotola fawunmi
Sent: Thursday, March 08, 2012 10:54 AM
Subject: [Wg7] Getting School WASH Right

Hello All,

My name is Omotola Fawunmi from Nigeria, working on a Toilet Advocacy Programme for Provision of school toilet facilities to Public schools. Sustainability in the long run is key for.

Last year 2 students fell and died in pit toilets at school, this has prompted our foray into the sanitation arena.

I am relatively new to the WASH community and seeking ways to learn and share from others.

We are currently conducting Surveys in 30 schools in Alimosho local government area / And providing WASH trainings to these Schools. We are looking to approach individuals, and institutions and organisations to Invest in School Sanitation.

Please let me have your thoughts on these.

Thank you.

Omotola Fawunmi

Project STRETCH
Speak. Train.Read.Enlighten.Test.Change)
Toilet Advocacy Project.
Lagos, Nigeria

From: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. [This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.] On Behalf Of FH Mughal
Sent: Thursday, March 08, 2012 10:27 AM
Subject: Re: [Wg7] Getting School WASH Right

In our Muslim culture, we are required to do anal cleaning with water. From all practical angles, this is most hygienic and, prevents occurrence of diseases. Further, after anal cleaning, we are required to wash hands with soap and, if soap is not available, with soil taken in hand, rubbing both hands.

F H Mughal
Karachi, Pakistan

From: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. [This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.] On Behalf Of ONG SOCIAL EDUCATION SUPPORT
Sent: Thursday, March 08, 2012 9:42 AM
Subject: Re: [Wg7] Getting School WASH Right

Hi All,
The observation is clear and correct. I think that with proper EDUCATION on HYGIENE the children will learn on the best hygiene practice.I made the same observation in Benin Republic where i work and can confirm to it!.Its not only the children,adults do the same even in public!.
I thank all the members for sharing informations that will help this group.

Ikem Ugochikwue
Social education support[ONG S.E.S]
983 Hinde II,03BP1634,Cotonou.
Benin.