Many communities in Africa and Asia are still faced with serious problems of hygiene and sanitation. Despite numerous interventions using traditional approaches, access to appropriate sanitation and hygiene remains unacceptably low. One of the identified causes of low sanitation coverage is the top-down approach, where the community is taken as a passive recipient with low contribution in appropriate approaches. Inadequate or lack of community participation in sanitation and hygiene capacity development interventions has impacted negatively in positive behavior change, and achievement of sustainable development goals in the sector.
Promotion of hygiene and sanitation has traditionally been based on directives, training and guidelines targeting individuals and households. However, these messages rarely led to significant improvement in positive sanitation and hygiene behavior change. The poor state of top down didactic approaches has had little impact in transforming communities to change their behaviors’. To counter this problem there is need to use participatory methods.
PHAST is a participatory approach that has an ultimate goal to improve the health and living conditions of the poor. PHAST uses visual tools and techniques to stimulate the participation of community members in promotion of improved hygiene and sanitation. Through the improvement of people understanding of water, sanitation and hygiene health relationships, PHAST enhances permanent changes in hygiene behavior and community involvement. The understanding and involvement of community members form a sound basis for sustainable community management of water sanitation facilities, in terms of operation and maintenance.
Training Objectives
To introduce participants to the principles and facilitation of PHAST, build the capacity of interactive participatory facilitation skills as well as build capacities of the participants.
To design a monitoring and evaluation tool which can be adopted and used in their communities for positive hygiene and sanitation behavioral change.
Who can benefit from this course?
This course is designed for management and field staff of community based organizations (CBOs), Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), UN Agencies; and development partners. Public Health Officers, Health managers and Community Health workers who want to improve the impact on the ground and develop sustainable sanitation interventions. Head teachers and teachers in charge of health clubs or WASH clubs.
How to register:
Visit our website www.netwas.org for the application form. Fill in the required information and submit