Water-Health & Hygiene Program Overview

Water-Health & Hygiene Activity Kit
An integral part of our solution

Kicking off the installation of our clean water solution, Planet Water implements a Water-Health & Hygiene education program in each school we support. Our four-module, four-week program educates children on the importance of clean water as it relates to the spreading of germs, proper method of hand washing, and protecting against germs through a hands-on, activity-based program which incorporates games, drama, song and dance.

Objectives and Highlights

• Create a change in student behavior, beliefs, attitude, and knowledge of water-health and hygiene
• Engage students by becoming partners in promoting safe water-health and hygiene within their families, schools, and communities
• Designed to work in conjunction with the current hygiene program used in schools
• Activities appropriate for all age groups
• All teaching aides, materials, and instructions included in the activity kit

Student Education

Planet Water's four-week education program covers four modules on water-health & hygiene in a child-friendly way to make learning fun for both teachers and students. Each module includes a teaching manual, corresponding posters, teaching aides, and lesson plans with hands-on activities for use in and outside of the classroom.

Module 1 - The Importance of Clean Water

Droplet introduces students to the concept of germs, how they are spread and enter the body to make you sick. By the end of this module, students have created their own germs and demonstrated how quickly germs spread through a fast-paced game of "germ tag!"

Module 2 - How to Wash Your Hands

There are 5 important steps to hand washing that are taught and reinforced through writing and singing hand washing songs in this module. Droplet wants to ensure that students learn and practice the 5 steps of hand washing in effort to prevent illness and the spreading of germs.

Module 3 - When to Wash Your Hands

Students identify the 5 critical times when they should wash their hands and explain the importance of hand washing at these proper times. Droplet teaches and encourages students how to self-monitor their hand washing at school and at home. Students share their knowledge through story writing and illustrations.

Module 4 - Protecting Against Germs

In addition to hand washing, Droplet shows students other ways to protect against the spreading of germs. Becoming familiar with how a water filter removes germs from water is just one way students demonstrate their understanding. This module concludes with students performing puppet shows for families and community members, incorporating all of the concepts learned.

Additional Activity Kit Teaching Aides and Supplies

Each school Planet Water supports is supplied with Water-Health & Hygiene Activity Kits for their entire school to use. Each activity kit includes all posters, teaching manuals, teaching aides, and supplies used for each lesson and activity to make learning fun and memorable.

Teacher Training

An essential component of the Water-Health & Hygiene education program is the training of the teachers. In just one day, Planet Water trains the teachers and staff members on how to implement the program into their schools. All training and teaching materials are delivered in the local language.

Training Participants

• Teachers
• Headmaster
• Village Leader
• Local families and community members

Key Training Components

• Step-by-step procedures for each module
• Overview of teaching manuals, posters, and teaching aides
• Demonstration of learning activities to be completed with students in classroom
• Distribution of additional student-led activities to involve families and community
• Emphasis on point-of-use reinforcement
• Process for providing teacher and student feedback to Planet Water

Partnership with Sesame Workshop

See Press Release

As part of our Asia Water-for-Life program, sponsored by J.P. Morgan, Planet Water has partnered with Sesame Workshop to create content in support of our Water-Health & Hygiene education program. As part of this collaboration, Elmo and his friends star in a DVD that reinforces how and when to wash
your hands, along with demonstrating just how quickly germs are spread.

About the DVD: After Elmo and his friends spend a long day playing in the park, Elmo becomes very thirsty. Just as he starts to put his hands under the tap to get a drink of water, his friends stop him from drinking out of his hands, as they are very dirty! 

Video is in Indonesian language. English and other Asian languages coming soon!

The DVD begins with Elmo's friend, the Goat, explaining to Elmo what germs are and how they are spread. Once Elmo understands about germs, he becomes curious about how to get rid of them. His friends, Goat and Frog, sing a song about hand washing to teach Elmo the five simple steps of how to wash your hands in order to prevent the spreading of germs. After singing along with his friends, Elmo begins to wonder when we should wash our hands. Luckily, Goat and Frog are able to explain to Elmo the critical times of hand washing through a rap song. Once Elmo gets a hang of how and when to wash his hands, he joins his friends in singing about the important message that good health and hygiene begins with each of us... one simple practice is for us all to wash our hands!

DVD Teacher's Guide

The DVD is also accompanied by a comprehensive Teacher's Guide, which provides suggestions for teachers on how to get the most out of viewing the DVD with their students in efforts to reinforce the learning that takes place during the Water-Health & Hygiene program.

Public Service Announcements for Television Broadcast

In addition, three public service announcements were created promoting the same key messages, along with a water conservation message themed, 'Turn off the Tap.'  These PSAs will be broadcasted on select television networks across the Asia-Pacific region. (See Education page for more information on Water-Health & Hygiene education program)

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