community health handbook for action learning

The Trainee’s Handbookfor Action Learning

©2010 MKFC COMMUNITY

2TRAINEE’S HANDBOOK

©2010 MKFC COMMUNITY [email protected] www.stockholmcollege.se

Content

Your Handbook for Action Learning.......................................... 3

Niliyungdo Village Shares with You.......................................... 3

Face the Challenges – Grasp our Future, The Key Goals........... 3

Action Learning For Good.......................................................... 4

To keep up on with new practices............................................... 4

Action Learning for Good – TEMPLATE................................ 41. Choose the area 2. Make Learning Goals 3. Imagine: Good, Better, Best 4. Inform You 5. Inspire Change – Make local Assignments 6. Innovate7. Bounce the idea – Whom and How to Share 8. Put your ideas to work – Use Microfinance

People in Our Dream Community and

Dream Community Festival........................................................ 8

Clean Water................................................................................. 11

Clean Hands................................................................................ 12

Sanitaion and Hygiene................................................................ 18

Clean Environment..................................................................... 21

Diseases...................................................................................... 25

Reducing Food and Nutrition Problems..................................... 31

Business and Microfinance......................................................... 35

Your Opinion is important - Share it with us – TEMPLATE.... 39

Action Learning - MKFC Training Cource – TEMPLATE..... 41

MKFC Community, Contact Information................................... 43



Your Handbook for Action LearningGrasping our Future Community

This Handbook is a summary on the Community Health Management Reference Book made for the MKFC Learning Community Programs. The purpose of this Handbook is to guide to learning through action and practical work, observation and sharing to grasp our Future Community.

Curiosity and an expectation of new possibilities and new goals is the path to create solutions that make our future community better.

Niliyungdo Village Shares with You

The Chief of Niliyungdo Bimbila District, Northern Ghana comments on local changes for better health and living conditions, brought out by the village people together with the local MKFC CAP Team.

“In a community where hope seemed lost, our children were constantly ill, our mothers and wives were always tired. The community was polluted; we could not sit outside, for mosquitoes plagued the environment.

We had given up hope. But we never thought that through the simple steps of Sharing Awareness, we could change our community!

Our children are healthier, our mothers and wives now sit outside and laugh with each other. Our community has changed! We now know we can and if we can, you can too!”

Face the Challenges – Grasp our FutureThe Key Goals

Improve Community Health Management for lifelong wellbeing Improve family and community health practices as a component of WHO’s Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses programme. Community members: Leaders, teachers, health workers, chiefs, local councillors, parents and children can participate to create change in their livelihoods. They can be part of improving their health through practical action and increasing knowledge.



Bring change at national level beginning from the grassroots level as has been advocated by many social development icons like Wangari Maathai, Amartya Sen and Mohamed Yunus.

Recognise and advocate children and students as effective agents of change in community development.

Bounce new ideas to others – make Sharing Awareness festivals and demonstrations.

Inspire Contributors to keep going. Name Winners with Innovator Award, Inspire Award or Share Awareness Award.

Support new ideas to be sustainable small businesses through Microfinance.

Action Learning For Good

Action learning is an educational process, whereby the participant study their own actions and experiences in order to improve practize. Participants make actions too in order to make changes. Learning is doing by asking questions and then make actions for the shared vision or dream for good, better, best.

Action learning tackles problems through a process of first asking questions to clarify the exact nature of the problem and create solutions making actions.

Questions often begin with why, how, or what do you think about etc. They help people discover answers, and develops how to reach the changes. Children can do this well and even often learn adults new ways to think by reflecting and identifying possible solutions.

The practice of shared vision involves the skills of unearthing shared ‘pictures of the future’ . That foster genuine commitment. Bouncing new ideas to others with Festivals is a nice way to get new supporters.

To keep up on with new practices

UnderstandingMuch more important than memorising, when study is concerned, is understanding. This is the kind of learning which requires a willingness by the learner to work with ideas and a willingness to explore whether an idea has really been mastered. Making mistakes can be a helpful stage in this kind of learning



because the mistakes can reveal what it is that is not understood.

This kind of learning require the learner to work actively with new information and ideas. To achieve this inspire learners to apply, to elaborate, to evaluate what they have been given. Ask them to create their own ideas and frameworks. The most telling activity of the changes is to show others the new practice. It can be demonstrated by songs, drama, paintings, story telling and texts of all kind.

Doing – Bouncing ideas to other peopleNo amount of explanation of how to compose a clear technical solution for solar energy is good for others to grasp but demonstrating a practical example can be. We can fully appreciate the changes only if we watch the skill in action. Similarly, our skill as a team player could be best appreciated through observation of at least some elements making a show for your community.

Talking about what something means with other people is bouncing ideas to other people. Microcredit supports sustainability for new ideas and gives work.



The Template to practize Action Learning for Good

1. Choose Working area, Clean Environment2. Pay attention on Learning Goals

At the end of this section, everyone should be conscious on the importance of keeping their environment clean, understand the connection between a dirty environment and diseases.

3. Imagine: Good, Better, BestAll individuals make their own personal dream. Then the group make one united dream to work with. Dreams can be visualized by paintings after telling the dreams . Then the group sets up practical measurable goals to reach the united dream. When the goal is measurable then the group can measure how far they realized the dream. Think that the dream you want to reach makes you follow the lead. Dream of clean environment with goals for the group: My village with 0 polythene bags, 0 rubbish heaps around your home and on the roads, 0 deaths and diseases caused by dirty environment.

4. Get Informed About TodayUnder this title you find common information :

“According to the World Health Organisation, approximately one-quarter of the global disease burden, and more than one-third of the burden among children, is due to modifiable environmental factors.“



5. Inspire Change – Make AssignmentsTo become Change Maker the members of the group needs to inform itself how it looks like locally. Group must go out and make questions. Finding answers - and making reports (make assignements) their work makes it possible to start changes for good. The process is on.

6. InnovateMake practical work. Use Sodis to clean the water.

7. Bounce the idea – Whom and How to ShareMaking the practical changes you realize your dream as planting a fruit tree in the school yard is to get more food vitamin and forest.

Now you and the members of the group can Share your dreams and new practice with your community Bounce the ideas!

How: The global hand-washing day of the world is October 15th.

Have the Global Hand washing Day in your community.

Present the soap making technique to others in your community. Do it together on the market.

Demonstrate how to wash hands to others.

8. Put your ideas to work – Use MicrofinanceSell Sodis to rural areas, villages.

Summary for Change Making for Good:

1. Choose the problem to solve2. Make Learning Goals 3. Imagine: Good, Better, Best4. Inform You 5. Inspire Change – Make local Assignments6. Innovate7. Bounce the idea – Whom and How to Share8. Put your ideas to work – Use Microfinance



PEOPLE IN OUR DREAM COMMUNITYAND DREAM COMMUNITY FESTIVAL

Learning GoalsThe purpose of this section is to show the important roles of all community members in developing their livelihood regardless of gender or age. At the end of the lesson, everyone should be able to come up with methods of how they can create change for good to ensure that everyone in their community is involved in making decisions and development of their community.

Imagine: Good, Better, BestAn equal community for all with 0% violence on women and children, equal rights for all, equal access to resources and 0% tolerance on breaking the law on human rights.

Get Informed About TodayChildren and Women in the community are important tools for change..Children’ need support to get the right to proper sanitation, food, good education, care, love, health care and the right to live. Women are needed in order to be with our community development. Basicly all humans need access to basic needs, to have food and clean water, health, care. Everyone wants to be respected as good persons with capability to support our common wellbeing. Some 2.5 billion human beings live in severe poverty, deprived of adequate nutrition, safe drinking water, basic sanitation, adequate shelter, literacy, and basic health care. Every third of all human deaths are from poverty-related causes, including over 10 million children under five. The welfare of all humans is a reflection of how we live up to Human Rights, Children’s and Women Rights.



Inspire Change – Make Assignments

School– Do you see at school that you are respected as you are?– What does your school say about respect ? – Discuss with your teacher and some of the older students.

Home– What do your relatives, parents think about their identity? – Do they feel respected?– Do they feel that they can affect their lives and make them better?

Community– Is there an organisation monitoring the wellbeing of children, women and all inhabitants?– Can citizens leave their suggestions to this authority?

Innovate – Be a Change maker for goodForm a children’s right board in your school or community that monitors the welfare of the children. Involve the children in the board.

Form a community watch committee or group that ensures community members exercise their rights.

Bounce – the Dream VillageThrough out this material, you will learn how you and your community can improve your livelihood.

Map out your dream village, you can do this together as groups or as individuals on pieces of paper, verbally by singing, using drama.



Each of you think ‘How can I make our /my dream village come true?’

– Make a chart and divide roles, everyone has a place in the community.

– Write down your community Goals and how you will measure them to see if you are making progress. This is how you will Create Change on the annual festival!

Share the awareness, use the local radio station to bring change to your community.

Make it to an annual Festival to remind everybody how they can contribute and share.



CLEAN WATER

Learning GoalsAt the end of this section, everyone should be able to know; what dirty water is, the effects of drinking dirty water, know and be able to show at least one way of making water clean and be able to do it independently.

Imagine : Good , Better, BestThink about availability of clean water in your home, your village and your country. What do you wish would be different? Set some Goalss about availability of clean water in your home or village – example, reduce the percentage of people drinking dirty water.



Get Informed About TodayThe lack of clean water is a huge obstacle of development in many areas in the world. It makes the reality even worse, as almost 25% of non-salty water resources in the world has been spoilt and is dangerous for human health. For instance, in Ethiopia, it has been estimated that approximately 75 % of children illnesses, infections and deaths are caused by dirty water, combined with low level of hygiene. The most common sicknesses by dirty water are diarrhoea, cholera, and infections by parasites, rashes and river blindness.Drinking or coming into contact with dirty water causes diseases like Diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid, amoebic and bacillary dysentery, river blindness and schistosomiasis bilharzi .


School– Do you have clean water at school?– If yes, where do you get it and how is cleaned?– If not, why is it not available?– Talk to your head teacher, teachers and other students – what are their thoughts on drinking water? Does dirty water cause diseases? Which ones? How can it be made clean?

Home– Do you have clean water at home?– Where do you get it?– How do you clean it?– What do your parents say about drinking water – Is it important to make it clean? If yes or no, why? Do they know any cleaning methods?

Community– Go around your community. Observe the drinking water sources available. – How does the water look, is it brown? Does it have waste?– Is it clear? Clear water DOES NOT ALWAYS mean CLEAN water.– Talk to different people in your community, how do they clean their water and who cleans it?



Innovate - Be a Change Maker for Good

1. Learn how to make water clean using these methods:

• The Solar Water Disinfection (SODIS) method. Filter the water – if you have no sieve use a clean cloth.Put your dirty drinking water in transparent bottles (e.g. 3 litre bottles, only transparent bottles can be use that can be glass or plastic.Put the bottles on a flat surface in direct sunlight for 6 hours. Turn the bottle every half-hourIf weather is cloudy, put the bottles outside for two days.

• The following 3 steps:Filtering – can be done with a clean piece of cloth, or sieve.BoilingStoring – all stored water MUST be covered and MUST be in clean containers.

2. You have learnt how to make the change, Now Do IT!Clean your water using these methods in your classroom.Does it work? – Invite science students to test the water in the laboratory.

3. Make the change in your school, community and home – Share Awareness– To increase awareness, present what you have learnt to the whole school, par ents, and other community members by play acting or singing the songs.– Have a Clean Water Day Festival in your school annually. The whole school can learn how to do the SODIS method, filtering and covering.– Teach your parents at home, do it with them.

Bounce – Whom and How to ShareWhat have we learnt in this section of clean water? Everybody mention/write something they have learnt.

Put your Ideas to Work – How to use MicrofinanceSodis or other products.



CLEAN HANDS

Learning GoalsAt the end of this section, everyone should know: why it is important to wash their hands, when they should wash their hands, how they should wash their hands and how they can make changes in their society to reduce diseases.

Imagine: Good, Better, BestWhat do you wish would be good, better, best wellbeingSet some goals together on how you will reduce problems related to hand washing – example, increase awareness on hand washing by a certain percentage in your community.

Get informed About TodayHand washing is by far the best way to prevent germs from spreading and to keep everybody from getting sick. Good hand washing is the first line of defence against the spread of many illnesses, from the common cold to more serious illnesses such as meningitis, bronchiolitis, influenza, hepatitis A, and most types of infectious diarrhoea. The spread of germs mostly occurs through:

• Touching dirty hands • Changing dirty diapers • Contaminated water and food • Droplets released during a cough or a sneeze • Contaminated surfaces • Contact with a sick person’s body fluids

Washing hands often after coming into contact with these carriers and before handling food highly reduces the risk of contracting diseases.

Today, diarrheal disease and respiratory tract infections are the two biggest killers of children in the developing world. The simple act of washing hands with soap can significantly cut the risk of diarrhoea (from 30% to 50%) and that of respiratory tract infection (from 21% to 24%).

UNICEF estimates that diarrhoea kills one child every 30 seconds. Scientific research shows that hand washing with soap prevents disease in a more straightforward and cost-effective way than any single vaccine.




School– How do you wash hands in your school? – Have you learnt which methods to use to wash hands in any of your lessons?

Home– Do you wash hands at home? How often?– What do you use and how do you do it?– Observe your family members, how and when do they wash their hands?

Community– Go around your community and observe. How often to people wash hands?– Discuss with some of the members about hand washing. What do they think about it? Is it important? Do they know about the relationship between hand washing and different diseases?

Innovate – be a Change Maker for Good1. Learn how to wash your hands and make soap

Simple instructions how to wash your hands:

Make soap easily to wash your hands:



Instructions:

Step 1Strip the husks off the coconuts and press the husks to force out the palm oil. You should use heavy weights, as hand power will not provide enough strength. Leave the weights on for at least 15 minutes to make sure you get all of the oil out. If you take the weights off too soon, all the oil may not have been extracted. Pour the oil in a bowl, and set it aside.

Step 2Take the cocoa beans from their pods and ignite them until they turn into ash. You will also burn the shea bark to ash.

Step 3Place the ashes in a small container and add about a tablespoon of water to the ashes. Stir until no solid pieces of bark or beans remain.

Step 4Put the palm oil in a pot over a low heat on top of the stove. Add to it the ash mixture and leave on a low heat until melted and creamy. This process usually takes about 15 minutes.



Step 5Pour small amounts of the mixture in shallow containers depending on the size you would like your soap to be. You could also pour into a pan and cut the soap into squares after it cools. Allow at least two hours for the soap to harden correctly.

Step 6Remove the soap from the container. It is ready to be used.

You have learnt how to make the change, Now Do IT!– Make soap together.– Using the soap, wash your hands using the method you learnt.

Bounce the idea – Whom and How to ShareWhat have we learnt in this section of people in our community? Everybody mention/write something they have learnt.How and with whom to Share your new ideas. Decide that, too.

– The global hand-washing day in the world is October 15th. Have the Global Hand washing Day in your community. – Present the soap making technique to others in your community. Do it together!– Demonstrate how to wash hands to others. Do it together!

Put your Ideas to Work – Use MicrocreditSell the soap on the market?



SANITATION AND HYGIENE

Learning GoalsHuge percentages of populations in developing countries do not have access to proper sanitation facilities. In this section the Goals is for everyone to understand the connection between poor sanitation to diseases, the meaning of poor sanitation, why it is important to use toilets, keep toilets clean and different sanitation technologies and how the community can build them.

Imagine: Good, Better, BestIt is estimated that more than half of the world’s population lacks access to basic sanitation. Think about your community (school, neighbourhood) – is the situation the same?

Do you have access to a clean, properly constructed toilet? What sanitation changes would you like to see in your community? Write down the Goals that you would like to achieve in order to improve sanitation and health issues related to it.



Get informed About TodayAround 2.6 billion people lack access to adequate sanitation globally. The regions with the lowest coverage are sub-Saharan Africa (37%), southern Asia (38%) and eastern Asia (45%).

Lack of sanitation facilities forces people to defecate in the open, in rivers or near areas where children play or food is prepared. This increases the risk of transmitting disease. The Ganges river in India has 1.1 million litres of raw sewage dumped into it every minute, a startling figure considering that one gram of faeces in untreated water may contain 10 million viruses, one million bacteria, 1000 parasite cysts and 100 worm eggs. In Africa, 115 people die every hour from diseases linked to poor sanitation, poor hygiene and contaminated water.

Studies show that improved sanitation reduces diarrhoea death rates by a third. Diarrhoea is a major killer and largely preventable: it is responsible for 1.5 million deaths every year, mostly among under-five children living in developing countries.

It is estimated that more than half of the world’s population lacks access to basic sanitation.


School– Are there toilets in your school?– Are the toilets for boys and girls separated?– Are they clean, do they smell?– Who cleans them? How?

Home– Where do you go to the toilet at home i.e. latrine, bush, and plastic bag?– Do all members of your family use the same toilet?– Is it clean? Does it smell?– Who cleans it and how?

Community– Go around your community. Observe the sanitation facilities, for instance in local public places like restaurants. How do they look?– Discuss with other locals about sanitation, what do they think about it? Is it expensive to build? What affects their choice of sanitation?



Innovate – be a Change Maker for Good

Learn about different sanitation technologies and how to use them.

• Building a Dry Toilet:Most people are unaware on how to make cheap simple toilets that are beneficial to them and to the environment. Dry toilet is a good toilet technology that can be built by households and also is a source of manure for small-scale farming.

• Using a toilet:Simple steps to remember how to use a toilet, you can make it into a song1. Pull down your pants 2. Squat on the toilet (if it is a pit latrine; if it is elevated, sit down on the basin) 3. Go to the toilet 4. Wipe yourself - with paper or soft leaves 5. If it is a dry toilet, pour some ash, saw dust or soil6. Wash your hands, using soap/roots/ash or whatever is available in your community.

You have learnt how to make the change, Now Do It!– Observe your toilet, if it smells and is dirty, clean it with a brush and some water. An eco-toilet normally doesn’t require washing with water.– If you do not have a toilet at home or school, you can build an eco-toilet together.

Bounce – Whom and How to ShareWhat have we learnt in this section of people in our community? Everybody mention/write something they have learnt.How and with whom to Share your new ideas. Decide that, too.– Have a public presentation on sanitation. Show to community members and your school the importance of using toilets.– Build an eco-toilet as an example in your community, preferably where the need for one is high. Show everyone how it is built.– Make a Good Sanitation Festival and share together your knowledge on good sanitation practices. Invite different speakers and experts.

Put your Ideas to Work – How to use MicrofinanceMake your own sanitation center including cleankeeping with small fees.



CLEAN ENVIRONMENT

Learning GoalsAt the end of this section, everyone should be conscious on the importance of keeping their environment clean, understand the connection between a dirty environment and diseases, be aware of the importance of community responsibility in promoting well-being.

Imagine: Good, Better, BestYour village with: 0 polythene bags lying around, 0 rubbish heaps around your home and on the roads,0 deaths and diseases caused by dirty environment.

This can be your village! Set Goals to make this into a reality.



Get Informed About TodayAccording to the World Health Organisation, approximately one-quarter of the global disease burden, and more than one-third of the burden among children, is due to modifiable environmental factors.

Diseases with the largest absolute burden attributable to modifiable environmental factors according to WHO are: diarrhoea; lower respiratory infections; ‘other’ unintentional injuries; and malaria.

• Diarrhoea. An estimated 94% of the diarrhoeal burden of disease is attributable to environment, and associated with risk factors such as unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation and hygiene.

• Lower respiratory infections. These are associated with indoor air pollution related largely to household solid fuel use and possibly to second-hand tobacco smoke, as well as to outdoor air pollution. In developed countries, an estimated 20% of such infections are attributable to environmental causes, rising to 42% in developing countries.

• ‘Other’ unintentional injuries. These include injuries arising from workplace hazards, radiation and industrial accidents; 44% of such injuries are attributable to environmental factors.

• Malaria. The proportion of malaria attributable to modifiable environmental factors (42%) is associated with policies and practices regarding land use, deforestation, water resource management, settlement siting and modified house design, e.g. improved drainage. For the purposes of this study, the use of insecticide-treated nets was not considered an environmental management measure.This ‘environmentally-mediated’ disease burden is much higher in the developing world than in the developed.

Children bear the highest death toll with more than 4 million environmentally caused deaths yearly. The infant death rate from environmental causes is 12 times higher in developing than in developed countries, reflecting the human health gain that could be achieved by supporting healthy environments.




School– Look around your school, what kind of rubbish is lying around?– Who is responsible for cleaning your school compound?– Are there rubbish bins in your classrooms, around the school?– How does the school dispose it’s waste when it’s collected?– Discuss with your schoolmates about keeping your school compound clean.What do they think about it?

Home– Look around your home, what kind of rubbish is lying around?– Who is responsible for cleaning your home compound?–How do you dispose your waste when you have collected it at home?

Community– Go around your community and observe. Is there rubbish on the streets and roads?– Are people throwing things on the ground as they walk around?– Are there any rubbish bins on the paths for disposing waste?– What are community members saying about their environment?

Innovate – be a Change Maker for GoodLearn how manage waste

1. Waste separation. In order for waste to be disposed properly and to keep our environment clean, it is important to separate it before disposal. Waste is normally separated in 3 main ways:

• Biodegradable – is used to create compost. This could include food from kitchens; package material that is made of degradable material, human waste from toilets (has to be treated).

• Non-degradable – is best recycled, re-used to create new products, or buried deep in the soil. Examples are plastic bags, bottles, tin cans.

• Toxic waste – should never be mixed with other waste. This kind of waste is difficult to dispose. In many developing countries, governments do not offer solutions for toxic waste disposal. Some ways you can deal with the problem:

– Consider reduction as a disposal tactic – can you buy rechargeable batteries instead of one use batteries?

– Reuse and recycle potentially hazardous materials.



Many items that can turn in to hazardous materials can be recycled or in some cases reclaimed, which is a process that recovers what is left of the useable product. Can you take your waste oil, batteries, and lamps to an industrial company near your area?

– Look into land disposal. Land disposal of hazardous waste permanently contains the waste in a landfill, waste pile, injection well or other land based disposal area. Can your community together with the government create a landfill that can be used for waste disposal?

– Find out what collection facilities are available in your community or area.

2. Setting up waste binsOne of the reasons why most people throw rubbish on the roadsides and the community is because they lack waste bins. Waste bins can be made out of old metal, plastic or wood containers. Paint the containers and label each clearly emphasise waste separation.

3. Cleaning up the environmentConstant collection of waste around the community public and personal space is important. Community members can use brooms to sweep public spaces, rakes to gather litter or collect by hand (while wearing gloves).

Bounce the idea – Whom and How toShare What have we learnt in this section of people in our community? Everybody mention/write something they have learnt. Have a public presentation on clean environment. Make others aware on the importance of keeping the environment clean and how to deal with waste. Use social and visual media like radio, posters, plays and demonstration from your school to show others how to keep the environment clean.

Set up a Community Clean Up Day. It can be once a month. Everyone in the community participates in the clean up of the environment. Make up a motivation song to encourage everyone.

Set up rubbish bins by the roadsides, especially on the walking paths. Put up 3 different bins for the different types of waste. This can also be considered as a job opportunity – recruit the local handwork people or youth to make the bins for a small fee.

Put your Ideas to Work – Use MicrofinanceMaybe a waste station with fees for provider, what else



DISEASES Diarrhoea, Malaria, HIV-Aids

Learning GoalsThis section on diseases is closely connected with studied above as clean hands, clean water and clean environment.

You know what different diseases are most common in our communities, how they are spread and how we can prevent them.

You have a vision on how health can be improved in your community.

Imagine: Good, Better, BestImagine 0 deaths from diarrhoea, malaria and HIV-Aids. This can be your community. Think about some of the things you could do to make this a reality. What Goals and milestones can you set up to help you achieve this vision?



Get informed About TodayMany countries in the South continue to face high death percentages caused by Malaria, Diarrhoea and HIV/AIDS. Malaria is the most common disease in tropical areas. Although being preventable and curable, each year approximately 300 – 400 million people are infected and 1.5– 2.5 million of them die. It is estimated that every 30 second, one child dies of malaria. Malaria is caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected mosquitoes.

Diarrhoea, loose, watery stools occurring more than three times in one day--is a common problem that usually lasts a day or two and goes away on its own without any special treatment. However, prolonged diarrhoea can be a sign of other problems. Diarrhoea can cause dehydration, which means the body lacks enough fluid to function properly. Dehydration is particularly dangerous in children and the elderly, and it must be treated promptly to avoid serious health problems. People of all ages can get diarrhoea. The average adult has a bout of diarrhoea about four times a year. Diarrhoea kills over 1 million children every year through dehydration and malnutrition. Children are more likely than adults to die from diarrhoea because they become dehydrated more quickly. About one in every 200 children who contract diarrhoea will die from it.

HIV-Aids (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), another disease that is prevalent in many poor nations destroys white blood cells in a human body. As a result, the normal ability to resist different kind of diseases weakens. HIV is able to get in through blood, dirty needles and unprotected sex. Already a baby can get infected in a womb or at the time of birth. HIV leads to the disease that is called AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrom that is fatal when not treated well. Over 20 million people have died, 5 million new infections exist yearly and about 50 million people carry the disease overall.


School– What do teachers and other students say about Malaria?– What do teachers and other students say about Diarrhoea?– What do teachers and other students say about HIV / AIDS?

Home– Talk with your parents and relatives how many people do they know who have passed away from Malaria Diarrhoea and HIV / AIDS. – What do they think is the cause for Malaria



– What do they think is the cause for Diarrhoea– What about prevention of Malaria– Do they know how they can reduce and eradicate Malaria– What do they think is the cause for Diarrhoea– Do they know how they can reduce Diarrhoea– What cultural beliefs do they have about these diseases?

Community– Observe your community, visit your local health centre or clinic – what are the statistics on Malaria and Diarrhoea HIV / AIDS in your community?– Look at your environment – does it look like a good breeding place for diseases or is it clean, have good sanitation and drainage? – Think about all the above questions, ask the community, why is the situation the way it is?

Innovate – be a Change Maker for Good

Learn the symptoms of diarrhoea and malaria

Diarrhoea is normally accompanied by:– Cramping abdominal pain – Bloating, nausea, or an urgent need to use the bathroom, – Fever or bloody stools.

See a doctor when you have bloody stools and this signs of dehydration

General signs of dehydration:ThirstLess frequent urinationDry skinFatigueLight-headednessDark colored urine

Signs of dehydration in children:Dry mouth and tongueNo tears when cryingNo wet diapers for 3 hours or moreSunken abdomen, eyes, or cheeksHigh feverListlessness or irritabilitySkin that does not flatten when pinched and released



MalariaPeople with malaria normally have cycles of chills, fever, and sweating that recur in periods. Other symptoms, like vomiting, and diarrhoea often go along with the fever.

Learn how to avoid contracting Malaria, Diarrhoea and HIV-Aids

Malaria

Cleaning your environmentReduce the amount of time you spend outdoors especially around dusk and dawn. Remember that mosquito bites all hours. After dusk, wearing light colours will make you less attractive in their senses. Long sleeve shirts and pants, will for their sake make biting you not that easy.Cover water ponds . They feed mosquitosSeparate animals from humansMosquito netsIf possible, cover all the open windowsPlanting mosquito anti-repellant grass like the lemon grass

Diarrhoea

Hand washing with soapClean water supply including treatment and safe storage of school and household water; Community-wide sanitation promotionFluid replacement to prevent dehydrationZinc treatmentRotavirus and measles vaccinationsPromotion of early and exclusive breastfeeding, because the water is not safe everywhere

HIV-AidsChoose carefully and limit the number of sexual partners.Get tested and treated for sexually transmitted diseases and ask partners to get tested and treated too.Have safe sex Use condoms during sex, all the time



Now make the change

Make your own Mosquito net:

4-inch metal “O” ring Cup hook 2-feet diameter embroidery hoop 20 yards of tight weave chiffon fabric 4 feet of satin cord or ribbon Hot melt glue gun Clear hot melt glue sticks

Step 1Using a stud finder, locate a ceiling joist over the bed, crib or other piece of furniture that the mosquito net will cover. Screw a cup hook into the joist.

Step 2Attach 2-feet lengths of satin ribbon or cord to the 4-inch “O” ring using lark’s head knots. The 4 lengths of ribbon should be opposite one another on 4 sides of the ring. Attach the other end of each piece of ribbon or cord to the embroidery hoop. The hoop will then hang below the ring, creating a frame for the mosquito net when it is hung from the cup hook.

Step 3Cut chiffon fabric into 12 feet lengths. Bunch fabric so that it can be threaded through the 4-inch metal “O” ring. Drape fabric over the 2-feet diameter embroidery hoop and tack in place with a hot melt glue gun.

Step 4Hang net from ceiling hook. Drape fabric over bed, crib or other piece of furniture so that it is completely covered. Make sure all layers of fabric are overlapped, with no gaps. Fabric should brush the floor when the net is in place.

Know your HIV-status – find out what is the closest counselling centre in your area. Get tested, it is better to know your status early so as to get proper treatment in time. Discuss together (community members, health workers, doctors) the most common misunderstandings and beliefs about diarrhoea, malaria and HIV-Aids. These misunderstandings could be the biggest barrier to reaching your Goals.

Bounce – Whom and How to ShareWhat have we learnt in this section of people in our community? Everybody mention/write something they have learnt.How and with whom to Share your new ideas. Decide that, too.



– Through mass media (radio, plays, posters, sms) share the knowledge on how to treat diarrhoea at home in cases of emergency, HIV testing, how the diseases spread and how to avoid them.– Have a Community Action for Health Day to spread information and discuss your Goals.

Put your Ideas to Work – Use MicrofinanceClean up the environment to reduce malaria. Community can gie small fees



REDUCING FOOD & NUTRITION PROBLEMS

Learning GoalsAt the end of this section, everyone should be able to understand how important a balanced diet is.

You know what foods they can eat which are available in their communities in order to get all nutrients they need.

You know about other foods that are not in your community but have good nutritional value and can be grown your homes.

Imagine: Good, Better, BestZero deaths caused by malnutrition and lack of food



Get Informed About TodayGood food for newborn babies and pregnant mothers is crucial for the wellbeing of communities. Brain development of children occurs mostly when they are under 5 years. Malnutrition for children under 5 causes severe damage to the brains capacity to function as adult.

Iodine and brain developmentGood nutrition is a major determinant of educational performance for children. Iodine, for example, is essential for the development of the brain during foetal life. Pregnant women living in iodine-deficient areas are likely to give birth to mentally retarded children. The mental impairment on children resulting from iodine deficiency is permanent, having considerable impact on children’s educability and school dropout rates.

Anaemia Iron deficiencyIron deficiency anaemia reduces the learning ability, cognitive development and educability of children. In Ghana, iron deficiency, is most common in young children and in women. In Ghana, national surveys indicate that about 81% of children less than five years, 69% pregnant women and 17% of non-pregnant women are anaemic. The Volta region also shows 56% of school age children anaemic.

Stunting due to protein-energy malnutrition Stunting occurs when children do not get enough food to eat during the first, two years of life. Currently about 39% of all Ghanaian two year olds are moderately or severely stunted. Stunted children grow up to become stunted adult.



Comparison table between Ghana and Kenya:

Ghana KenyaThe number of undernourished people in Ghana has decreased from 34 per-cent to 8 percent over approximately 15 years

Some 11 million people in Kenya are malnourished

Total population (millions): 22.5 Approximately 70 percent of the popu-lation depend on agricultural liveli-hoods, the majority unable to meet their daily food requirements. Total population (millions): 34.7

Life expectancy at birth: 54 Life expectancy at birth: 45Urban population: 47% Urban population: 21%Agricultural labour force (thousands): 11 801

Agricultural population, including for-estry and fisheries (1000s): 23 837

Number of people undernourished (millions): 1.7

Number of people undernourished (millions): 11

Proportion of undernourished in total population: 8 %

Proportion of undernourished in total population: 32%

Child malnutrition, underweight: 18 % Child malnutrition, underweight: 20%Child malnutrition, stunting: 22% Child malnutrition, stunting: 30%Child mortality rate (per 1000 live births): 95

Child mortality rate (per 1000 live births): 123


School– What can we do in our school to enhance food and nutrition?

Home– What foods do you eat at home and when? – Why are these foods the ones that are mostly eaten in your family?– Ask your parents, what does each of this food add to your body?

Community– Discuss with your local chief, elder or leader about the food situation in your community.– What is the plan for improving the food situation in your community?



Innovate – be Change Maker for GoodLearn the many different ways you can improve food and nutrition ENO (http://www.joensuu.fi/eno/basics/briefly.htm) has an annual tree-planting day for schools in 140 countries in the world. Most people think of trees as forests, but did you know that fruits like mango, banana and orange are also types of trees that can be planted?

Most people are not aware of what the foods they eat contain. It is important that every meal should have carbohydrates, vitamins, protein and minerals. A food circle with foods in each of these categories can guide you on which food combinations are best for good health.

There are many other foods that may not be grown in your community but have very high nutritional value and can grow in your soils.

Bounce – Whom and How to ShareWhat have we learnt in this section of people in our community. Everybody mention/write something they have learnt.How and with whom you wmnat to share your new ideas. Decide that, too.

– Have a Tree Planting Day like ENO. Instead of planting one type of tree, plant fruit trees also.

– Make a food circle in your class, with health workers or at home. In the food circle, put all the different foods you eat and their nutritional value. Use this food circle to guide you to eat a balanced diet.

– Have an Information Day in your community. Invite the agricultural officer to come and tell you about the different food crops that can grow in your area and which are good for your health and how to grow them. Plant these crops in your farms.

– Have a public presentation on nutrition. Make others aware on the importance of eating a balanced diet and which foods in your community can ensure this. – Use social and visual media like radio, posters, plays and demonstration from your school to show others how to keep the environment clean.

Put your Ideas to Work – How to use MicrofinanceStart a plant school, what else can you do?



BUSINESS AND MICROFINANCE

Lessons Learnt GoalsYou should be able to know what micro-finance is and be able to come up with their own business idea/plan, be able to obtain microcredit.

Imagine: Good, Better, BestImagine living in a community where everybody can afford food, health care, shelter and clothing.



Get Informed About TodayIn Africa, women account for more than 60 per cent of the rural labour force and contribute up to 80 per cent of food production, yet receive less than 10 per cent of credit provided to farmers.

Micro-finance emerged as a solution to problems of this kind. Originating from Grameen Bank through Prof. Mohamed Yunus, it has become one of the fastest growing and adapted solutions to eradicating poverty. Grameen Bank in Bangladesh aims to provide credit to those in extreme poverty. Some 94 per cent of those who meet the bank’s criteria and take up loans are women. Grameen borrowers keep up repayments at a rate of around 98 per cent. The Bank lends US$30 million a month to 1.8 million needy borrowers.

The World Bank estimates that there are now over 7000 microfinance institutions, serving some 16 million poor people in developing countries. The total cash turnover of MFIs worldwide is estimated at US$2.5 billion and the potential for new growth is outstanding.

Fewer than 2 per cent of poor people have access to financial services (credit or savings) from sources other than money lenders and under 10 million of the 500 million people who run micro and small enterprises have access to financial support for their businesses. Micro-finance is a stepping stone for many poor people who are struggling to get our poverty.

Inspire Change – Make Assignments– Have you ever heard of micro-finance?– Do you know of any micro-finance institutions in your community or near your village?– Have you ever thought of starting a business to help you earn income or to expand your business? – What challenges have you faced in trying to achieve your dream? Discuss with other people in the community, what are they saying about microfinance? Do they know about it? Visit some microfinance.

Innovate – be Change Maker for Good

1. Learn how Microfinance worksMicrofinance typically refers to microcredit, savings, insurance, money transfers, and other financial products targeted at poor and low-income people. Microfinance aims to fulfill these needs:



• Lifecycle Needs: such as weddings, funerals, childbirth, education, homebuilding, widowhood, old age.

• Personal Emergencies: such as sickness, injury, unemployment.

• Disasters: such as fires, floods, cyclones and man-made events like war or bulldozing of dwellings.

• Investment Opportunities: expanding a business, buying land or equipment, improving housing, securing a job.

• Microfinance institutions give loans to people who are not able to ac cess commercial banks. They can borrow money without any collateral and they can also obtain loans through group security – members of a local women’s group can act as guarantors for one of their members to borrow a loan.

2. How to Use Microfinance for your DreamsVisit/ Invite staff from a local microfinance or visit them.

Example of KenyaThere are various microfinance institutions in many developing countries. For instance, in Kenya, the Association of Microfinance Institutions lists many MFI’s that are working in Kenya - http://www.amfikenya.com/pages.php?p=1

One such MFI is Jamii Bora (http://www.jamiibora.org/finance.htm). By 30 September 2007, Jamii Bora had over 170,000 members. Many of the members are street beggars or ex-street beggars. Some of the members are on their way out of poverty, a few would even say they are not poor any more. In Jamii Bora, the existing members who have risen out of poverty act as mentors of those who are still very poor. They act as examples proof that however poor you are, you can get out of poverty if you are determined enough.

To obtain contact information on Micro-Finance Institutions in other countries, access: http://www.microfinancegateway.org/p/site/m/

Bounce the idea – Whom and How toShareWhat have we learnt in this section of people in our community? Everybody mention/write something they have learnt. Share your new Ideas. When you share you learn more.



Decide how to share – Make this information available. Through the local radio, posters, word of mouth. – Arrange for a Community Information Day on microfinance and have someone from your closest microfinance can tell the community about starting a business and borrowing money.

Put your Ideas to Work – How to use MicrofinanceYour own women group or school class can start. Maybe you start to make information about microcredit.



Your Opinion is important - Share it with us

Workshop Bounce templatePlease, circle the alternative to describe your opinion best.

1 = I totally disagree2 = I partly disagree3 = I am not sure4 = I partly agree5 = I totally agree

1. I got new information during this workshop 1 2 3 4 5

2. I am satisfied with the quality of the Workshop Handbook 1 2 3 4 5

3. I will use the Workshop Handbook in my work with children 1 2 3 4 5

4. I will use the Handbook in other purposes in my community 1 2 3 4 5

5. This workshop was useful for my work with children 1 2 3 4 5

6. This workshop was useful for my work within my community 1 2 3 4 5

7. The timetable of the workshop was functional 1 2 3 4 5

8. It was easy to understand what we discussed at the workshop 1 2 3 4 5

9. It was easy to be an active participator at the workshop 1 2 3 4 5

10. People were interested in my opinions at the workshop 1 2 3 4 5

11. I got good answers for my questions at the workshop 1 2 3 4 5

12. There was a positive atmosphere at the workshop 1 2 3 4 5

13. The aims made for the period between workshops were 1 2 3 4 5 clear enough

14. I was happy with the snacks and beverages at the workshop 1 2 3 4 5

15. I am now more motivated in the work about health education 1 2 3 4 5



For the following questions you can use the empty space on the other side of the paper.

Please, describe:

16. Which things succeeded well at the Sharing Awareness workshop?

17. Which things could be worth of doing another way at the Sharing Awareness workshop?

18. Which content area was not that important to handle?

19. Which content area was completely missing at the workshop?

20. All other Bounce and comments – to make this work better.



Action Learning – MKFC Training Course

Goals for the method

Keeping an open-ended, learner-centered and cooperative approach, which is at the heart of this educational practice.

Make e-Learning a common tool to reduce costs and offer better accessibility for Teacher Training in Service programs.

Become Compass to develop innovative methodologies and approaches for training.

To Share Awareness through Social Media.

Training TrainersThe advanced course is based on the proven methodologies of the Long- term training courses, as this type of course allows for an optimal balance between theory and practice, between learning and practical implementation, between Face to Face and eLearning and understands training as a process that is necessarily longer than the duration of Training Work Shops.

Objects: Phase 1 eLearning, Phase 2 Workshop, Phase 3 Training project, Phase 4 Evaluate training project, Phase 5 Follow up, Phase 6 Evaluation Lessons Learnt.

Phase 1 eLearningThis phase will serve to create a common ground for communication and developing a learning culture for the course. Based on an e-learning Platform, this phase will include:

– Getting to know each other – Building up a learning community – Learning how to work with the e-learning technology – Researching assignments for learning area– An introduction to education theory – Self-perception and self-assessment of competences and – Preparation for the workshop

Phase 2 WorkshopsThe participants will develop a training project with an explicit training. Programmed to implement during the next phase.



Phase 3 Training projectDuring this phase the participants will work on the implementation of their training project. They will benefit from the support and mentoring of the trainers and from e-learning opportunities. This phase will also serve to identify specific training needs and any questions to be addressed during the next seminar.

Phase 4 Evaluate training projectThis workshop will serve to consolidate the learning process developed in the practical phase. The projects will be evaluated with regard to their educational function. Workshops (some of them run by participants) and study groups will be organized so as to adjust and tailor the programme for health betterment.

Phase 5 Follow Up In this phase, the participants will work on the basis of individual personal and professional development plans.

The learning community will remain active with the discussion forum, and regular assignments proposed by the trainers and the facilitators of the e-learning process, with open access and facilitation by the participants themselves. Mentoring and consultations will remain a feature. The participants are expected to put into practice a programme for the advancement of health betterment within the context of their own work.

Phase 6 Evaluation Lessons LearntThe work shop will evaluate the overall relevance and achievements of the course, and review the context for education.

This should be complemented by exchanges of best practice and the consolidation of the network of expertise generated by the course.

The e-learning tools will remain available after this final phase (depending on the needs and commitments of the participants).

Have a Happy Changing Days !



MKFC CommunityEnd-to-End eLearning Education for All™

Phone +46-8-21 64 26

Adress SwedenMäster Samuelsgatan 42, 111 57 Stockholm, Sweden

Adress FinlandPiritanaukio 3B19,fi-00150 Helsinki

MKFC Communityhttp://www.stockholmcollege.se http://www.mkfc.sehttp://www.netvibes.com/mkfc#Welcome_to_MKFChttp://www.netvibes.com/mkfc#community_mediahttp://www.netvibes.com/mkfc#Sharing_Awarenesshttp://www.netvibes.com/mkfc#College_Courseshttp://www.netvibes.com/mkfc#MKFC_Folkhögskola

Office: Stockholm, Helsinki, Asmara, Accra, Nairobi

For further information or questions, please contact the course secretariat: [email protected]