Handwashing

El Hadj, a father in Senegal who cares about the health of his family, is very attached to his home. Knowing the importance of good hygiene in preventing illness like diarrhea, malaria, and malnutrition, he supports his wife, Aby, with her tasks. Together, they collect and remove garbage from the yard, eliminate standing water, clean the latrines, and ensure all family members wash their hands with clean water and soap.

In the village of Gararoua Haoussa, in the commune of Droum, Mr. Moutari is having a conversation with a group of men. He takes his leave mid-conversation in order to go take household waste to his field. He asks his wife to gather all of the household waste she just swept, and he places the bags in his cart. Two of his friends see him working, and Mr. Moutari explains to them the importance of maintaining a clean family living environment. When one of the men, Mr. Issa, returns home, he educates his wife in turn.

Helene stops by her friend Adji’s home. Adji notices that Helene’s child looks sick. Helene tells her that her baby suffers from diarrhea on and off. Adji tells her about the importance of handwashing and how it kills germs, which can prevent diarrhea. Adji explains that one must defecate in a toilet and not outside, the importance of using clean water when cooking and drinking, always covering food so that flies and animals cannot contaminate it, and the importance of handwashing with soap for the whole family, including children.

Delphine’s child is sick with diarrhea. Her friend Brigitte advises her that one must always wash her hands with soap, especially when cleaning a baby, to avoid spreading germs which may cause diarrhea in young children. Brigitte’s husband emphasizes the importance of hygiene, shows Delphine their tippy tap, and demonstrates how to properly, step-by-step, wash one’s hands in order to avoid the spread of germs. Brigitte’s husband also shows Delphine how to wash her child’s hands.