Children’s Day Celebration in Idukki, Kerala

CARE India in collaboration with Evangelic Society Action Forum (ESAF) with support from The Coca-Cola Foundation organised a painting competition for the lower primary school students in Idukki. The competition was organised on 14^th November 2018 marking children’s day and towards creating awareness of WASH and hygiene amongst children. CARE India distributed colouring booklet which had pictures corresponding to the good WASH and hygiene practices. The event was held with support from community volunteers and teachers.  The programme witnessed participation from 1000 students across 10 schools of Idukki District.

The community volunteers co-ordinated all activities such as the distribution of drawing materials, sweets and crayons etc. among the students. This programme was for 2 hours and the participants had to complete their task within allotted time.

Sister Annie amma, Headmistress of Little Flower High School inaugurated this programme by giving a drawing book to a student. She pleaded all class students to stand up and take up an oath to follow good sanitation and hygiene practices. She instructed them to follow these practices daily and ensure that their parents follow them too.

OBJECTIVES:

• To create awareness on the importance of WASH and hygiene.
• Regular hygiene education to children through lessons on
• Handwashing before handling food and after contact with faeces;
• Safe handling of drinking water raised and covered storage with a dispenser tap or ladle;
• Use of toilets;
• Water quality-testing and treating with practical demonstrations;
• Garbage disposal – activity-based education where children manage the garbage disposal in the school;
• Recycling wastewater (kitchen gardens where space is available or soak pits); and
• Menstrual hygiene in upper primary schools and above (education, access to sanitary napkins, toilets with cleaning and disposal facilities).

Water, sanitation and hygiene messages given through drawings in schools will make a visible impact on the health and hygiene of children through improvement in their health and hygiene practices, and those of their families.