A Collaborative Initiative by Chetna Vikas

Chetna Vikas, in partnership with the Madison Resource Foundation, launched the Achhi Aadat Campaign in the districts of Deoghar and Dhanbad, Jharkhand. This grassroots initiative aimed to address the persistent challenges of inadequate hygiene and sanitation practices in rural communities, which have long contributed to poor health and socio-economic decline.

The Campaign's Vision

The Achhi Aadat Campaign was driven by the urgent need to build sustainable hygiene habits, especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the widespread awareness of hygiene’s importance during the pandemic, many communities reverted to old habits once the immediate threat subsided. This campaign sought to reignite the commitment to proper hygiene through targeted interventions in schools and communities.

Key Objectives

• Promoting Hand Hygiene: Educating children and community members on the importance of handwashing with soap, particularly before meals and after using the restroom.

• Fostering Good Habits: Through engaging activities such as puppet shows, street plays, and drawing competitions, the campaign aimed to make good hygiene practices appealing and memorable.

• Empowering Communities: Involving local stakeholders, including school teachers, government officials, and community leaders, to ensure the campaign's messages were reinforced and sustained.

• Inclusive Education: Ensuring that the campaign reached diverse groups within the community, including the elderly and women, who play a crucial role in household hygiene practices.

Impact and Reach

The Achhi Aadat Campaign made significant strides in both Deoghar and Dhanbad:

• School Engagement: Over 100 schools participated, with thousands of students and teachers involved in educational sessions. These sessions focused on the correct techniques for handwashing and the importance of maintaining cleanliness. Additionally, school-level painting competitions encouraged students to creatively express their understanding of good hygiene.

• Community Outreach: In over 170 villages, awareness programs were conducted, reaching tens of thousands of residents. Activities included rallies, public demonstrations of handwashing, and the distribution of informational pamphlets. Street plays in local markets and public spaces further amplified the campaign’s messages, drawing large crowds and engaging diverse audiences.

• Sustained Awareness: The campaign’s success was evident in the positive behavioural changes observed in the communities. For example, in some schools, students continued practicing proper handwashing long after the campaign activities had ended. In communities, women and other residents organized their own rallies, demonstrating the campaign's lasting impact.