People’s acceptance to behavioural changes indicates the success of a project. The programme is designed to bring school going children under hygiene promotion so that in future, they become the advocates for good hygiene practise. This is the story of four brave boys who are a ray of hope to this programme.
4 boys.JPGMahilara Govt. Primary school is located in Barisal’s Gaurandi Upazila. Like others schools in this Upazila, students of this school also went through hygiene sessions conducted by PNGO workers under HYSAWA Programme. Shihab, Rajib, Foysal and Nasim are student of grade IV and active participants of the hygiene sessions.
A pickle-seller used to sell various pickles to the school children. Soon after their orientation in the hygiene session, the four young boys noticed that the pickle-seller sells his food very unhygienically.He didn’t cover the pickles, flies are swarming around it and he doesn’t even wash his hands before serving to the students. At first, the Shihab, Rajib, Foysal and Nasim tried to talk to the pickle-seller. They informed him that the way he was serving was highly unhygienic and that the students can fall ill for this. But, since they are mere children, the pickle-seller ignored. Despite telling the pickle-seller numerous times, he didn’t listen and kept serving pickles unhygienically. Seeing this, Shihab and his friends approached their teachers for help. Even when the teachers told the pickle-seller to change his ways, he didn’t listen. Finally, after 2 weeks, with the help of the teachers, these 4 students drove the pickle-seller out of their school premises and told him never to return to their school. They took this drastic measure so that no student would fall victim to the pickle-seller’s unhygienic ways.
By doing such a brave thing, Shihab, Rajib, Foysal and Nasim have set an example for their friends, teachers and everyone around them. They have showed that with a little bit of will and togetherness, being hygienic is not a difficult task at all. They are highly praised by everyone.
Case study collected by Sharif Mos. Ferdausy, Programme Officer, Barisal, HYSAWA, September 2014
Translated by Nusrat Daud Pritha,Consultant, Documentation Officer, HYSAWA