A community fair raises awareness about public health in Haiti.

In Haiti, proverbs such as “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” are common. While this expression reflects a certain cultural resilience, it can also downplay the serious consequences of poor hygiene. Recent statistics highlight the dangers of neglecting hygiene, particularly since the cholera epidemic that struck Haiti in October 2010. This epidemic caused approximately 820,000 infections and more than 9,700 deaths between October 2010 and February 2019. These alarming figures underscore the crucial role of hygiene, and handwashing in particular, in disease prevention.

The devastating impact of preventable diseases such as cholera underscores the need for initiatives to raise awareness about essential hygiene practices. In response, the Haitian Association for Agricultural, Medical, Educational, and Social Assistance (AHAAMES), in partnership with Malteser International Americas, organized a community fair. The event took place in several municipalities in the Nippes department, including Petit-Trou de Nippes, L’Asile, and Baradères, emphasizing the importance of hygiene, education, and sustainable practices for a healthier future.

As part of the food security project, the fair offered educational workshops on topics such as the food pyramid, shared responsibility, and gender equality. However, the handwashing workshop stood out for its impact, highlighting the importance of hygiene in disease prevention. This workshop taught participants the proper handwashing technique in nine key steps and highlighted five critical times to wash their hands. After the training, participants were able to put these methods into practice during hands-on demonstrations.

Chrislande Blamand, a resident of the Moinson neighborhood in L'Asile, expressed her enthusiasm about putting what she learned into practice. “This training will be very useful to me. “Most people in my community don’t know how to wash their hands properly, but thanks to this training, I’ll be able to teach them and help protect them from germ-borne illnesses,” she said.

This three-day event was a resounding success, drawing more than 500 participants, including students from eight schools. This underscores the importance of community outreach efforts to promote hygiene and public health. Initiatives such as those led by AHAAMES aim to improve knowledge of practices such as handwashing, thereby helping to prevent diseases like cholera and build healthier communities.

Text by Alexandre Darlou, communications officer for AHAAMES.