Unicefethiopia.org Website Review

BABY WASH: INCREASING COMMUNITIES’ AWARENESS THROUGH HEALTH EXTENSION WORKERS. SEKOTA WOREDA, NORTHERN AMHARA REGION, 5 OCTOBER 2018– Nigist lives 20km north of Sekota town in the mountainous and remote northern part of Ethiopia. Together with her husband and two children she lives in a one-room rock-built house in the centre of the village. The village is surrounded by rocky crop fields, where the men plough with the help of two oxen. In early August, during the rainy season, everything looks not lush but pleasantly green. As Nigist takes a seat on a dusty plastic chair, the neighboring children come closer sitting and standing on the gravely dirt curious to hear and see what she is about to tell. With the youngest child safely on her back, Nigist starts talking about how she cares for him. She explains how she washes the baby’s hands and face three times per day often with soap. “I would always like to wash my baby with soap, but we sometimes find it difficult to afford soap, then I wash him with water only”, she says. “I also wash his body every other day, for my older child it is less frequent”. Nigist’s understanding of the consequences of not properly washing her children’s hands and face with soap seems limited and leads her not to prioritize buying soap rather than other items. UNICEF in collaboration with the BBC Media Action is currently piloting an EU-funded Baby WASH project in Zequalla and Sekota Woredas, Wag Himra Zone, northern Ethiopia. The aim of the Baby WASH project is to reduce the microbial burden encountered by young children in their play and feeding environments. In addition, the project aims to reduce trachoma and other disease exposure of children > In August 2018, health extension workers were trained to work with > the communities to change hygiene practices improving early > childhood development. The focus lies on safe disposal of child > feces, handwashing with soap, face hygiene, shoe wearing, protective