IsraAID Malawi promoting Sanitation, Hygiene, and Health in media campaign
IsraAID Malawi is using media to share important messaging on sanitation and health with over 1 million people in Mulanje and Phalombe districts. The new campaign, in partnership with local authorities, will make information accessible and available, promoting positive social and behavioral change in communities across the region. The three-month intervention began in August and will use radio, visual materials, murals and community engagement to support building healthier communities. Expanding on IsraAID’s work in cholera-prevention and safe water access, the organization is working to promote low-cost sanitation and hygiene solutions, increase the prevalence of good hygiene practices, support cholera prevention practices, and increase community knowledge in nutrition and dietary practices.
IsraAID is launching a biweekly radio talk show where experts and community members will discuss a range of topics from Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene, to nutrition and health. The organization has also produced catchy jingles and radio spots that will run on local radio stations – reaching over 1 million people across both provinces. These efforts are supported by visual materials, including posters, flyers, murals, and mobile van publicity, as well as in-person community engagement dialogue forums, roadshows, and participatory theater activities. IsraAID is using multiple forms of media to reach as many people as possible in an accessible, engaging, and creative way.
IsraAID’s media program will target schools and health centers as centers of community behavioral change. Across both districts, IsraAID is working with over 22 schools, and several health facilities.
The government of Malawi is committed to ending open defecation in the country by 2025. Sanitation goals like this help reduce the spread of diseases like cholera, particularly after the country experienced its worst ever cholera outbreak in 2023. Further, both Mulanje and Phalombe districts were heavily affected by Cyclone Freddy in 2023, which impacted sanitation and access to safe water and increasing the risk of cholera and other illnesses. IsraAID’s new campaign supports the government’s health and sanitation goal, raising awareness, and creating materials that serve as constant reminders of health and sanitation issues in everyday life.
IsraAID first arrived in Malawi in March 2023, following Cyclone Freddy. The organization supported recovery while also focusing on cholera prevention. IsraAID has repaired over 100 boreholes across Mulanje and Phalombe, operated cholera prevention points, trained local water committees, and implemented mass malnutrition screenings. The organization remains dedicated to the health and well-being of communities across this region.
IsraAID Malawi’s Country Director Apio Annet, said:
“Creating healthier communities has two equally important elements: Resources and infrastructure, and social behavioral change. Communities need both adequate facilities and the knowledge of the best practices to keep themselves, their families, and their children safe and healthy. We’re committed to making sure Malawians have both things. IsraAID’s new project uses all forms of media to help meet communities where they are, in an engaging way, and share important information on health, nutrition, sanitation, and hygiene. We’re proud to be spreading messages that can support communities in the long-term.”
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Further information is available on request, including interviews with IsraAID CEO Yotam Polizer and other individuals involved in this operation.
CONTACT:
Shachar May
Email: [email protected]
Notes:
IsraAID is a leading international humanitarian non-governmental organization, based in Israel. Since 2001, IsraAID has become synonymous with a rapid response to humanitarian crises and a long-term commitment to working with affected communities. During and after emergencies, IsraAID partners with communities to re-build their lives – and their futures – together. As of August 2024, IsraAID has responded to more than 100 emergencies, in more than 65 countries.
