Children Leading Change: Transforming Sanitation and Hygiene in Kharigaira

Kharigaira is a small village in Mahabu rural municipality – 1, situated approximately 10 kilometers north of the Mid-hill highway in Dailekh district. It lies along a steep hillside on the route leading from the highway to the headquarters of the municipality. Surrounded by lavish green fields and forests, the village enjoys picturesque views of the panoramic hills in the area. The village looks naturally beautiful.  The inhabitants are hardworking and friendly. Nevertheless, Kharigaira lags significantly in terms of physical development. Basic amenities such as education, healthcare, transportation, and communication facilities remain at rudimentary levels. The lack of employment opportunities forces many young people to migrate to larger cities and abroad in search of work. 
The water supply situation in Kharigaira was dreadful until a couple of years ago. About 200 households in the village were living in severe water hardship for an extended period. The only water supplies available consisted of a few unmanaged pipelines connected to the water source located about a kilometer away. Each of the pipelines had to be shared among 20-25 households. Reflecting on those difficult time, Puspa, a local resident, recalls, “Women spent almost 5-6 hours daily fetching water, leaving them little time for other household chores. This lack of time meant irregular meals and insufficient attention to personal and child hygiene.” Likewise, Tulsa and Purna, both the residents of the village, shared their experiences, “Back then, we had our attention mainly on getting water; sanitation and hygiene were not priorities. We were satisfied just to fill our water containers, often neglecting the quality of the water. The surroundings were littered, as household waste management was not a priority.” This period highlights the significant challenges faced by the community regarding water access and sanitation practices in Kharigaira. 
 

Responding to a request from Mahabu rural municipality, Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) Programme supported implementation of Tunigaira drinking water and sanitation scheme in Kharigaira village. Construction of the scheme began in October 2022 and completed in July 2023. The scheme serves 1,161 population of 222 households. It also serves two local schools with about 500 students. In addition to providing clean drinking water, the scheme has initiated impactful initiatives to enhance sanitation and hygiene awareness and actions in the village. Notably, one of the most innovative approaches involved mobilizing children to participate actively in these efforts.
Nirmala, a social mobilizer at SOSEC – the partner organization of IWRM Programme in Dailekh district, pioneered this unique approach. She formed a Child Sanitation and Hygiene Club (CSHC) organizing 50-60 children in Khairigaira village. Initially, Nirmala educated the children about the risky conditions of not washing hands with soap and water. Every Saturday or on public holidays, she visited the village distributing informative posters or materials, and gathered children to discuss various topics - sometimes through songs, stories or simply practicing exercises - to impart messages. She taught about total sanitation indicators in fun and engaging ways, making the children enjoy and understand the importance of learning. When the children gained knowledge about total sanitation, they committed themselves to making their homes and villages clean and tidy. Access to safe toilets, personal hygiene and handwashing, safe drinking water, food hygiene, household and institutional sanitation, and environmental sanitation are the key indicators of Total Sanitation outlined in the Nepal government’s Total Sanitation Guidelines 2016.
 

First, the members of the CSHC discussed which indicators were present and absent in each other’s homes and explored how to fulfill the indicators that were missing. They deliberated on how to complete indicators of total sanitation in their own homes. They decided to create a “Code of Conduct” for Total Sanitation and placed this prominently in their homes. They informed the household parents and all members about it, with a plan to make each home a total sanitation home.
But implementing the plan formulated by the children was not easy.  Recalling the initial difficulties, Bhawana and Smriti, the members of the CSHC remarked, “At first, our family members did not give much heed to our plan. But as we explained more clearly to the whole family, they gradually began to respond. They purchased a water filter for safe drinking water at home, which made us feel successful.” Another member of the CSHC, Roshani added, “Along with the water filter, we now manage household waste by using separate bins for perishable and non-perishable items, we dry kitchen utensils on drying racks, locally known as ‘Chang’ after washing, and we prioritize personal and household hygiene. We have also developed a habit of washing hands with soap and water at critical times.” 
 

Bhadra Bahadur, a user of the Tunigaira water supply scheme says, ‘We are very happy to see such commendable work by the children, and we also support them in their work.” Another user of the scheme, Goma said, “The importance of safe water and sanitation remains high. At first, we did not pay attention to this, but now in the entire scheme area, there is tap stand in each household, and each has ‘Chang’, and drinking water filters and waste disposal pits. All these achievements might not have been possible, if there had not been the efforts of the children.”

Nirmala says, “Children are catalysts of change. When they are mobilized, transformation is not only possible but also easier.” The children conduct regular home visits to monitor the progress, discuss problems faced to fulfil total sanitation indicators and propose solutions. They are not confined to their homes alone, but they are equally engaged in improvement of sanitation and hygiene in their schools. They have formulated a sanitation and hygiene code of conduct for their school as well and prominently displayed in every classroom. The CSHC holds regular meetings to strategize and plan actions for improving sanitation and hygiene both at their school and homes. They work on holidays or during convenient times that do not hamper their studies, for effective implementation of this plan.

The implementation of the Tunigaira drinking water and sanitation scheme, along with code of conduct and awareness activities conducted by the CSHC, has several positive impacts on sanitation, hygiene and the health of the local people.

Khemu Dhakal, an Assistant Health Worker at the local Health Post stated, “We have observed a significant improvement in sanitation conditions in every household. Consequently, there has been a notable decrease in the number of patients visiting the health post. Until a year ago, we used to have around 25-30 patients daily, but now the average is about 10-12 patients per day. This positive change is largely attributed to a reduction in water-borne diseases, facilitated by access to clean water and improved sanitation and hygiene practices.  Additionally, I have personally witnessed a marked improvement in maternity services in the Health Post due to the availability of sufficient water after implementation of the scheme.”

Smriti, the CSHC member, highlighted that menstruating students now find it much easier during their menstrual period, as they no longer have to leave school and face the obligation to go home. Previously when there were no proper sanitation facilities at the school, they had to go home to handle menstruation hygiene related issues, which often meant missing classes.

Total sanitation is a national campaign in our country. While achieving the total sanitation status is challenging, it’s not impossible. Children play a crucial role in driving progress and ensuring the success of this campaign.