Community-Based Hygiene Promoters at Christian Rural and Urban Development Association of Nigeria (CRUDAN)

Process Guide for mobilizing the Community Hygiene Promoters (CHPs)

• Coordination and collaboration with the local health units, Ministry of Health, WASH cluster and other relevant humanitarian actors present in the area or work.
• Community consultation on Selection process: engaging cross sectional groups and individuals in the criteria setting and selection of CHPs through community consultation and dialogue using the agreed criteria and qualities agreed by community and CRUDAN. The final selected CHPs are endorsed by the community to CRUDAN.
• Training the selected CHPs to equip them with skills, confidence and ability to carry out behavior change and community engagement activities using interactive and participatory methodologies.
• Develop CHP Action Plan to guide them in their tasks, regular activities and priorities that arises based on the planned WASH interventions and evolving social mobilization needs in the camps or communities.
• Provision of Social Mobilization Kit. This will be composed of teaching aid IECs materials and other materials needed by CHPs for their outreach and mobilization activities.
• Provision of Monthly Incentives.
   

The criteria and qualities required for the CHPs are:

• One CHP is selected within the geographical location of every 50 households or 400 people.
• Trusted by the community, with certain maturity in making decisions, widely accepted, respected and selected by the community themselves
• Committed, willing to continue work voluntarily not anticipating material or monetary benefits.
• Flexible and willing to adapt to changes in mobilization work patterns within CRUDAN/Oxfam’s sectoral team activities
• Possesses good leadership skills
• A good planner, analytic with strong communication and listening skills
• Not biased towards men, accept the role of women in decision making on key issues and respect gender sensitivities in the community
• Have some prior knowledge of health, hygiene and community mobilization. Alternative if do not have prior knowledge, must be willing and open to learn about hygiene promotion and community mobilization work.
• Able to read and write
• Adult age with 18 years above
• Have family acceptance indicated by support by his/her family in the voluntary work
• Have enthusiasm characterized by being motivated to support CRUDAN and communities in voluntary commitment
• Must have an operational Bank account Details
• Have good understanding and meet CRUDAN’s principles and values.

The Roles and Responsibilities of CHPs:

1) Each CHP is designated with at least 50 displaced households or 400 persons that they mobilized to take actions to reduce and prevent spread of diseases through improved and sustained personal and community-wide environmental hygiene; Female CHPs are preferred being more culturally acceptable to visit and engage with the female population.

2) With CRUDAN’s WASH staff support, the CHPs will plan and carry out promotion on improving the IDPs and communities’ risky knowledge and behaviors on water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH), prevention of malnutrition and polio, mobilization of households to build their own latrines and ensuing appropriate use and maintenance of WASH facilities;

3) CHPs will identify and continuously monitor key high-risk hygiene practices to be addressed and carry out appropriate community mobilization activities to promote safe practices using the following methods:

• House to house visits, community meetings, focused group discussions/sessions
• Behavior change campaigns within the adult and children population in the camps, communities and school based on thematic focus
• Regular community wide environmental cleaning campaign and promoting safe waste disposal mechanism to eliminate risks of vectors; and maintaining the hygienic conditions of water points by eliminating contamination sources
• Water containers or Jerrican cleaning campaign
• Hand washing campaign
• Menstrual hygiene management promotion
• Carry out other issue-based community outreach and mobilization activities;
• Use of hygiene promotion information, educational materials (IECs)
• Latrines monitoring and mobilize users on its maintenance and taking action on issues arising
• Support the WASH committee in establishing the operation and maintenance mechanism of the WASH facilities installed by

4) Record data on hygiene routine activities and the conditions of water, sanitation and hygiene facilities in the communities/camps, mobilize required action with the WASH Committee and provide update to CRUDAN

5) Support the registration and distribution activities

6) Encourage community involvement and participation in the designing and delivery of essential WASH services and facilities.

7) Support CRUDAN in the gathering of baseline data, profile of beneficiaries, and needs of the affected community. Information collected must be reliable/trustworthy and accurate.

8) Synergize and act as link between CRUDAN’s WASH, EFSVL, Protection and the affected population at camp/community level by:

• Supporting the required community mobilisation activities
• Liaise with CRUDAN staff
• Liaise with community leaders and other sectors and agencies working locally.
• Prioritise deserving beneficiaries, most needy and vulnerable by having accurate and valid records that are verified.

9) Help identify needs for non-food items relevant to hygiene, participate in the choice of items, targeting strategy, distribution and promotion of effective use and post-distribution monitoring.

10) Help in identifying Protection cases and hygiene related illnesses during home visits for referrals