UNICEF Ethiopia SPEAK AFRICA’S CLEAN LEARNING COMPETITION A CONCEPT
UNICEF Ethiopia
SPEAK AFRICA’S CLEAN LEARNING COMPETITION
A CONCEPT
UNICEF Ethiopia
“The water we use is not even safe and clean.”
“ My school has no water supply or latrines facilities. Students go to the nearby bushes to ease themselves. In our region there is a problem of water and toilets…
Ojulu Okelli a 15-year-old boy from Gambella Town, Ethiopia.
……My fellow students and I My fellow students and I including the whole including the whole community drink water from community drink water from the river which is polluted. We the river which is polluted. We don’t only drink it but we also don’t only drink it but we also use it for washing clothes and use it for washing clothes and cooking food. “cooking food. “
UNICEF Ethiopia
Background
Massive Expansion of Schools in recent years
Quantity and quality of Hygiene and Sanitation facilities have lagged behind
Less than 35.5 per cent of school latrines are
considered clean and hand-washing facilities only existed at 4.4 percent of all schools, according to one report
UNICEF Ethiopia
UNICEF / WASH Movement Action
The year 2008 has been declared the International Year of Sanitation
Aims Include: Raising awareness of the importance of sanitation
Encouraging Governments and their partners to promote and implement policies and actions
Mobilizing communities, particularly women’s groups, towards changing sanitation and hygiene practices through sanitation-health-education campaigns
UNICEF Ethiopia
UNICEF / WASH Movement Action
Also, Ethiopia’s unique Millennium Hygiene and Sanitation movement’s aims include:
Development of a branded communication and social marketing programme
Mass mobilisation, continuous media engagement and targeted advocacy at all levels
UNICEF Ethiopia
Speak Africa’s ‘Clean Learning Competition’ 2008
Within a given time period, schools will compete to create a clean, beautiful and hygienic
environment
Winning schools will be judged on:
Cleanliness of facilities Cleanliness of school grounds Cleanliness of classrooms Awareness and participation of pupils in hand-washing at
critical times and proper excreta disposal Efforts at sensitising communities Fun and creativity demonstrated
UNICEF Ethiopia
Speak Africa’s ‘Clean Learning Competition’ 2008
Why:
Encourages students to participate in an interactive and fun way
Incentives to participate Model (cluster) schools will encourage satellite
schools to seek better hygiene practices A competition has a good chance of attracting media
interest Competition has links with ongoing school
improvement programmes The initiative will have a lasting legacy through the
creation of school WASH clubs that will continue to provide a service to future generations.
UNICEF Ethiopia
Media Outreach - Speak Africa’s role in the competition:
To give a voice to young people, the Speak Africa initiative will run alongside activities
Schools given a WASH kit will also receive a Speak Africa media pack providing students with the means to personally document Hygiene and Sanitation issues using a variety of media formats
The Speak Africa website, youth magazines (i.e. Lambadina), radio shows and affiliated websites will display finished material. High Quality Entries will be syndicated to international networks
UNICEF Ethiopia
Media Outreach - Speak Africa’s role in the competition:
Why Vehicle of publicity for WASH movement Students interact with the issue of H&S a
fun and entertaining way Produces media material from young people
themselves – i.e. provides empowerment Enhances local and international awareness
of H&S in Ethiopia
UNICEF Ethiopia
Behaviour Change ImpactsIncentive-led approach to behaviour change in schools.
At Cluster school level: A prize coupled with a Speak Africa media initiative will encourage awareness building
Will create and revitalize School WASH clubs. A functioning WASH club has the potential to continue to sensitise students for several years
Cascading Effect: Reaching out into the community is integrated into the competition’s judging parameters.
National and International: Furthermore, Speak Africa’s publicity aims to bring national and international awareness of school H&S.