A good scrub

Despite several measures by the health department and the National Rural Health Mission,the state hadnt found a way to deal with the twin scourge of diarrhoea and pneumonia. According to state government figures of 2008-9,more than 22 per cent of children in the 5-14 age group suffered from diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections,including pneumonia.

It wasnt hard to figure out the reasons though: people in this tribal belt never used soap to wash their hands after defecating. The hygiene campaign was the start of a unique curriculum that was adopted by three Kasturba Gandhi girls schools in Jharkhand.

In 2009,after going though UNICEFs campaign material,the staff engaged in the implementation of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan came up with a different approach to the problem. As part of the vocational training programme meant for classes VI to X,teachers were trained to make liquid soap and phenol.

Ever since the children started making soap and phenol,the schools toilets have become spic and span. And the children look cleaner too, says Manu Kumari,warden of the KGSS school in Chanho.

The SSA staff is now determined to carry forward this experiment to other government-run schools across the state. It all began with the international hand washing day. It was a difficult task because it meant bringing about a lifestyle change. So we began by making the children take a pledge, says SSAs programme officer Pradeep Choubey.