Dates listed are the dates in which participates should arrive and depart Accra, Ghana if they are traveling with the group. On these arrival and departure dates, there will be GHEI staff to meet or drop off volunteers at the airport.

Serve and Learn Session I: June 8th - 24th
Prevention of Childhood Disease through Handwashing
Applicants from all backgrounds and majors are encouraged to apply. No medical experience or prior training is necessary, but an interest or background in public health and/or education would be particularly beneficial for this project.

Time Commitment Volunteers will be expected to dedicate approximately three hours each week for the month preceding departure to research the topic and gather resources for an informal presentation of potential activities upon arrival in Humjibre. Ideas will be circulated and discussed prior to departure, but group planning sessions will be the focus of the first few days in Humjibre. There will also be conference calls prior to departure, which all volunteers are required to attend.

Background Basic sanitation remains a problem throughout Ghana that directly and indirectly leads to disease, specifically in young children. For example, diarrheal diseases are responsible for 35% of child deaths, while respiratory infections account for 31%. To put this in context, malaria and AIDS account for 13% and 5% of deaths respectively (World Health Organization, 2001). Improvements in daily sanitation practices by parents and children alike can reduce the risk of such diseases and infections.

While many sanitation problems stem from larger issues, simple behavioral changes, such as handwashing, can have a significant positive impact on the health and quality of life for many. A review by Curtis et al (2003) suggests that handwashing with soap can reduce diarrheal incidence by 42-47%, while work by Rabie et al. suggests a 30% reduction in respiratory infections is possible through handwashing. With the persistence of illnesses associated with poor sanitation practices, there is a strong need for ongoing education and public health outreach designed to address this issue in Humjibre.

Handwashing campaigns have been incorporated into previous health projects in Humjibre with the first two-week volunteer session in 2009 dedicated solely to this topic. In summer 2010, we hope to build on the success of this campaign and follow-up activities done in association with the global Public-Private Partnership for Handwashing.

Project Description This is GHEI's second coordinated campaign concentrating solely on handwashing.  Thus, volunteers should be aware that although a basic structure was developed for this campaign in 2009, program development is in its early stages.  Volunteers will gather resources, discuss specific activities with local staff, and work alongside local staff through implementation. This outreach will take place in coordination with the local schools and focus on behavior change.

Continued: Session II: June 26th – July 12th Download Sessions Document