The ‘Healthy Villages and Schools’ approach is a step-by-step process of village mobilisation that is supported by DRC’s Ministry of Public Health and UNICEF. Under the SWIFT programme, Oxfam is supporting Soya to implement the approach through local partner Hydraulique sans Frontières (Hyfro).

Hyfro has helped Soya establish a village management committee, and train ‘community motivators’ in hygiene awareness. It has assisted the village to upgrade latrines, dig rubbish pits, and promote hand washing, and has constructed four new water points in the village, from which clean, safe water is always available. Hyfro has also helped the community set up a water users’ committee, whose job it is now to collect money from households and use it to maintain the system.

The health of Soya’s children in particular is reported to be significantly better as a result of the changes, and the positive impacts of improved hygiene and sanitation have created their own momentum.