Hygiene Behavior Change Coalition (HBCC) -COVID-19 Response Project

Hygiene Behavior Change Coalition (HBCC) -COVID-19 Response Project

Introduction

BASE (Backward Society Education) is implementing Hygiene Behavior Change Coalition (HBCC) project to response COVID -19 in Bardiya district of province no. 5. The project started from July 1, 2020 and is being implemented with the close coordination and collaboration of District Coordination Committee and local level government for the period Feb. 2021. HBCC project intensively includes ex-Kamaiyas, marginalized and disadvantaged communities of 6 Municipality and 2 Rural Municipalities of Bardiya district. The mass awareness will get spread all over the district. BASE will establish contact less hand washing in Public place, EPI Clinic and Health Care Facilities (HCFs). BASE will provide mask making training to ex-kamaiya and marginalized community. The project will support in strata upgrade of 8 people through providing soap making training. Besides this, HBCC project will use the platform of existing Hygiene Promotion through Routine Immunization project (HPTRI) to integrate the Covid-19 preventive messages in training and hygiene promotion sessions organized in Bardiya district led by District Health Office (DHO).

Comparatively Bardiya district is high risk of Corona virus (Covid-19) for its adjoined and open boarder with neighboring country, India. The numbers of infected cases are increasing every day. Similarly the number of returnees from abroad is also increasing and those are mostly carrying this disease. This may cause serious consequences in Bardiya District as well.

The condition of rural health and hygiene behaviors is very poor in this district for having huge population of ex-Kamaiyas as well as other disadvantaged communities. The HCFs lack proper hand washing facilities. Likewise, the people are unaware about protective measures to be applied to stay safe from this pandemic in one and on the other hand people are suffering from shortage of foods and lack of income opportunities due to on-going lock down.

The objective of this project is to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 through installment of contact less hand washing station with display in EPI Clinics, Health Care Facilities and major public places. And strata support to marginalized and disadvantaged people to combat with shortage of food and lack of income due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Major Activities:

• Installation of 105contact less hand washing station to reduce transmission of COVID-19.
• Provide soap making training to120 people of disadvantaged community
• Provide mask making training to 60 people of marginalized and back ward community
• Provide 1500 hygiene product (Covid-19 prevention kit) to ex-kamaiya including other marginalized and disadvantaged community people
• Eight marginalized and disadvantaged individuals will be selected and supported to be local entrepreneur for producing mask and liquid soap