Behavior Change Communication (BCC) Workshop conducted in Schools and Monastic Institutions

I. Introduction

Closing the training session.

The mission of Behavior Change Communication (BCC) workshop, as part of Rural Sanitation and Hygiene Programme (RSAHP), is to improve the health of the school and monastic institutions by reducing the incidence of water borne related diseases and to bring about improved health quality of life through access to quality sanitary toilets, hygienic use of toilet and adequate facilities for hand washing with soap. Therefore, RSPN believes that the BCC workshop will benefit and greatly supplement Ministry of Health and Schools and Monastic Institutions in Samtse Dzongkhag in improving and contribute significantly towards better sanitation and hygiene for the well-being at large.

II. Objectives (Goal)

The overall objective goal of this programme is to “improve the quality of life of rural populace by providing safe, convenient and sustainable water, sanitation services and better hygiene”. In addition, BCC was initiated jointly by RSPN, PHED and SNV and some of the specific objectives of RSAHP are:

• Boys and girls in schools, monks and nuns in monastic institutions use a hygienic toilet when at school and monastic institutions;
• Practice hand washing with soap during critical junctures;
• Support girls and nuns in learning and practicing good menstrual hygiene management; and
• Children, teachers and monks play as a “Change Agent” for promoting Rural Sanitation and Hygiene.

Group photo with school principals and representatives from monastic institutions

III. Narrative of Training Workshop

The BCC Workshop as part of RSAHP was conducted from 9th-17th August 2015. The BCC followed a combination of one-day planning meeting and one-day BCC workshop, use of pictorial images (posters) and facilitation by WASH/RSAHP experts using multi-languages as mode of communication during facilitation.

• One-day planning meeting was organized by involving Principals of Monastic Institutions, Hospital/BHU Staffs and representatives from Schools to update on the RSAHP programme, Community Development for Health (CDH) workshop, Menstrual Hygiene Management and other activities including the plans and policies at the national level.
• One-day BCC workshops were conducted in the selected schools and monastic institutions inviting all the teaching, non-teaching staffs and captains in the schools, and all the monks and teachers in the monastic institutions. The BCC workshops were also conducted in a suitable venue (with an adequate wall space to stick the posters used during the workshop) within the schools and monastic institutions.
• WASH/RSAHP specialist from RSPN, SNV and Health Assistants (HAs) from the Hospital/BHUs facilitated the entire BCC/CDH workshops and used multi-languages (Dzongkha and English) during the BCC/CDH workshop to convince more effectively.
• The Facilitators used pictorial images (posters) and participatory adult learning tools during the entire BCC/CDH workshops aiming for easy understanding by different age groups.

The entire BCC Workshops were facilitated by Project Officer from RSPN, WASH Specialist from SNV and Health Assistants (HAs) from the Gomtu Hospital and Yoeseltse BHU who are well experienced on RSAHP. The facilitators used multi-languages (Dzongkha and English) during the BCC workshop to convince the participants more effectively. In addition, the facilitators used pictorial images (posters) and participatory adult learning tools during the entire BCC workshops aiming for easy understanding by all age groups

IV.  Achievements and Conclusion

The BCC workshop could cover more than 53 teachers and 602 students of Yoeseltse Middle Secondary School and Phuntshopelri Lower Secondary School. In addition, the workshop could also cover 21 monks and Principals of Yoeseltse and Namgaycholing Dratsangs (monastic Institutions). Through this workshop, the schools and monastic institutions discovers their actual sanitation situation and comes to realize how unhygienic latrines and haphazard open ODF affects one of them. In addition, realization through this workshop subsequently catalyses themselves into its own decision-making, own mobilization for individual and collective action and own responsibility for the results of improving their sanitation, water supply and hygiene situation. The workshop could also make aware the school teachers on Menstrual Hygiene Management and its sanitary infrastructure arrangement and social support to adolescents girls in the schools.

Training in session with the students

The BCC workshop was a great success and could convince the teachers, students and monks at the highest level. The participating teachers, students and monks that they are well aware on importance of requirement of quality, adequate and safety sanitation and hygiene facilities at all times. They also assured to improve, maintain and construct quality and safety sanitation and hygiene facilities in schools and monastic institutions and more importantly they will act as a “Change Agent” for promoting Rural Sanitation and Hygiene.

RSPN would like to thank all the concerned agencies and individuals who involved for the support in making the programme successful.

Training in session with teachers.

Reported by: Tsheten Dorji, Project Officer, WASH