UNICEF Ethiopia

SPEAK AFRICA’S CLEAN LEARNING COMPETITION

A CONCEPT

UNICEF Ethiopia

“The water we use is not even safe and clean.”

“ My school has no water supply or latrines facilities.  Students go to the nearby bushes to ease themselves. In our region there is a problem of water and toilets… 

Ojulu Okelli a 15-year-old boy from Gambella Town, Ethiopia.

……My fellow students and I My fellow students and I including the whole including the whole community drink water from community drink water from the river which is polluted. We the river which is polluted. We don’t only drink it but we also don’t only drink it but we also use it for washing clothes and use it for washing clothes and cooking food. “cooking food. “

UNICEF Ethiopia

Background

Massive Expansion of Schools in recent years

Quantity and quality of Hygiene and Sanitation facilities have lagged behind

Less than 35.5 per cent of school latrines are

considered clean and hand-washing facilities only existed at 4.4 percent of all schools, according to one report

UNICEF Ethiopia

UNICEF / WASH Movement Action

The year 2008 has been declared the International Year of Sanitation

Aims Include: Raising awareness of the importance of sanitation

Encouraging Governments and their partners to promote and implement policies and actions

Mobilizing communities, particularly women’s groups, towards changing sanitation and hygiene practices through sanitation-health-education campaigns

UNICEF Ethiopia

UNICEF / WASH Movement Action

Also, Ethiopia’s unique Millennium Hygiene and Sanitation movement’s aims include:

Development of a branded communication and social marketing programme

Mass mobilisation, continuous media engagement and targeted advocacy at all levels

UNICEF Ethiopia

Speak Africa’s ‘Clean Learning Competition’ 2008

Within a given time period, schools will compete to create a clean, beautiful and hygienic

environment

Winning schools will be judged on:

Cleanliness of facilities Cleanliness of school grounds Cleanliness of classrooms Awareness and participation of pupils in hand-washing at

critical times and proper excreta disposal Efforts at sensitising communities Fun and creativity demonstrated

UNICEF Ethiopia

Speak Africa’s ‘Clean Learning Competition’ 2008

Why:

Encourages students to participate in an interactive and fun way

Incentives to participate Model (cluster) schools will encourage satellite

schools to seek better hygiene practices A competition has a good chance of attracting media

interest Competition has links with ongoing school

improvement programmes The initiative will have a lasting legacy through the

creation of school WASH clubs that will continue to provide a service to future generations.

UNICEF Ethiopia

Media Outreach - Speak Africa’s role in the competition:

To give a voice to young people, the Speak Africa initiative will run alongside activities

Schools given a WASH kit will also receive a Speak Africa media pack providing students with the means to personally document Hygiene and Sanitation issues using a variety of media formats

The Speak Africa website, youth magazines (i.e. Lambadina), radio shows and affiliated websites will display finished material. High Quality Entries will be syndicated to international networks

UNICEF Ethiopia

Media Outreach - Speak Africa’s role in the competition:

Why Vehicle of publicity for WASH movement Students interact with the issue of H&S a

fun and entertaining way Produces media material from young people

themselves – i.e. provides empowerment Enhances local and international awareness

of H&S in Ethiopia

UNICEF Ethiopia

Behaviour Change ImpactsIncentive-led approach to behaviour change in schools.

At Cluster school level: A prize coupled with a Speak Africa media initiative will encourage awareness building

Will create and revitalize School WASH clubs. A functioning WASH club has the potential to continue to sensitise students for several years

Cascading Effect: Reaching out into the community is integrated into the competition’s judging parameters.

National and International: Furthermore, Speak Africa’s publicity aims to bring national and international awareness of school H&S.