Poor hygiene is a particular problemwhen it comes to children because they are more susceptibleto diarrhea and repeated or severe episodes can harm theirhealth and development. Every year, 800,000 children underthe age five die from diarrheal disease. Recurrent episodesof diarrhea can also hurt a child’s ability to absorbnutrients and this can contribute to health problems andphysical and mental stunting. As a result, many governmentsand organizations have created programs to encourage betterhygiene practices and handwashing with soap during criticaltimes, such as before eating and after using the toilet.These simple practices have been proven to substantiallyreduce the spread of illnesses. The Government of Senegal,working with the Water and Sanitation Program, launched athree-month national promotion campaign in 2009 that usedmass media, including radio, television, and billboards, toencourage people to wash their hands with soap and water. Inthe campaign’s second phase, a more intensive, locallyfocused promotion campaign was rolled out in seven of thecountry’s 11 regions. This ten-month program relied oncommunity events to inform people about handwashing and toinfluence their views and behavior to get them to use soapand water regularly.
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