Children become agents of change in the battle to improve Hygiene

Shalom Nizeyimana is a 12-year old boy living with her grandmother in Gihima village, Mburabuturo Cell of Mukarange Sector in Kayonza District.

He used to accompany her grand-mother in Urumuri Community Health Club (CHC) activities. Applying the knowledge he acquired from the CHC meetings, Niyezimana constructed a latrine for his grandmother imitating the model toilet constructed by Urumuri, a CHC of which Nizeyimana’s grandmother is a member.

« By attending the CHC meeting, I was telling myself that I will build a latrine similar to the model toilet for my grandmother because I was fed up with seeing her bending her back to enter our poorly built latrine, »Nizeyimana said. Nizeyimana’s initiative has inspired many families of Gihima to build better latrines.

Before the establishment of Urumuri CHC, less than five families had improved latrines. Other residents used unimproved latrines and bushes.
Members of the family of Jamal Byuma used to defecate in open space. However, after intensive mobilization of the club and the lesson from Nizeyimana, Byuma built a latrine.

After the positive changes in Hygiene, Gihima attracts both local and international visitors. In 2018, the village received all Gikuriro implementing partners and Malawi team for a study tour.

Urumuri CHC has 98 members and it has built 63 standard latrines for members by July 2018. In Kayonza District, Integrated Nutrition and WASH Activity (INWA)-Gikuriro established 421 CHCs through which better WASH behavior is promoted.