According to the World Health Organization, 25 million Filipinos are at risk of intestinal worm infections or soil-transmitted helminthiases, while 12 million are at risk of acquiring schistosomiasis.
These tropical diseases have been found to impact children as young as one year old and as old as 14-15 years, putting their entire basic education in jeopardy.
A study published in the journal Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease recommended that treatment for intestinal worm infections include not only administering macro or micronutrient supplements, but also providing health education, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) education and facilities.
“One of the lesser-known factors impacting malnutrition is access to safe drinking water, well-maintained WASH facilities, and WASH education,” said Nestlé Philippines senior vice president for marketing, communication, and innovation Paolo Mercado.
Nestlé Philippines’ United for Healthier Kids campaign has linked up with the Philippine Red Cross to help drive volunteers for the latter’s WASH programs.
“Safe drinking water and sanitation are fundamental for a child’s health and well-being. In countries with high child mortality rates, diarrhea accounts for more deaths in children under the age of five than any other cause,” said Philippine Red Cross health services officer-in-charge Mark Abrigo.
Philippine Red Cross’ Children’s Hygiene and Sanitation Transformation (CHAST) program aims to introduce WASH programs in non-emergency situations at public schools.
Teachers and Philippine Red Cross representatives conduct interactive sessions within school hours to discuss hygiene and sanitation with schoolchildren, incorporating these lessons with other subjects such as Values Education, Science, and even Homeroom.
“Ensuring that both hygiene promotion and accessible WASH facilities are in place greatly affect how children would practice and perform consistently in school,” noted Philippine Red Cross WASH office manager Brian Enriquez.
Enriquez continued, “Having accessible and functional WASH facilities would contribute to increased interest in attending classes. For instance, in the absence of proper facilities in schools, there are instances students would go home in the middle of the school day in order to use their toilets at home.”
Outside of class hours, the program also encourages peer-to-peer sessions, where games and arts and crafts activities are organized to reinforce the lessons taught in the classroom.
The Philippine Red Cross also constructs water and sanitation facilities in schools that are both gender-appropriate and accessible for persons with disability. Volunteers under the CHAST program, meanwhile, distribute hygiene kits to students, which consist of a toothpaste and toothbrush, hand soap, towel, nail clipper, comb, and cotton buds.
After rolling out the CHAST program and building WASH facilities in areas such as La Union, Ifugao, and Pangasinan, Philippine Red Cross saw an increase in children washing their hands at critical times, more frequent maintenance in restrooms and school surroundings, and proper disposal and segregation of garbage.
One school in La Union, Sucoc Elementary School, invested in a deep well to provide water for students all year round. The availability of clean water encouraged the students to practice hand washing and other hygiene promotion activities more regularly. Another school, Asipulo Central School, installed four indoor restrooms with hand washing counters, which has led to students developing healthier habits.
To sustain and expand its CHAST program, the Philippine Red Cross needs regular volunteers to teach lessons, help build WASH facilities, and teach WASH lessons to teachers and community leaders. They also need donations for hygiene kits, WASH facilities, and training programs.
Interested parties can donate P120 for one hygiene kit for a student, P1,000 for supplies for CHAST school-based activities, P3,000 for sanitation kits for five toilet units, P65,000 for a four-faucet hand washing facility, P235,000 for a two-seater toilet with hand washing facility, and P100,00 for a rainwater harvester.
Philippine Red Cross can also train 20 school representatives on CHAST for P50,000 and conduct a train the trainers session consisting of 25 participants for P350,000.
Donations can be made online via ushare.redcross.org.ph.