From weak link to change agent in cholera fight: Soda’s journey to hygiene

Once in a small village of Sinoti in Chikwawa district, Hard Work Soda, aged 45, lived a life governed by his own rules. Married and with three children, he made a living through beekeeping to provide for his family. But for more than 12 years, he neglected one aspect at his house - a pit latrine - and exposed his family and neighbours to health risks through open defecation.

During the 12 years, Soda and his family relied on the bushes to relieve themselves, and as cholera struck his village repeatedly over the years, the consequences of his actions became visible. His family's fecal matter contaminated the environment, leading to diarrhoeal illnesses in his family and the community.

However, the fear of cholera did not deter him; he remained defiant, even after his local chief summoned him and urged him to construct a pit latrine. His continued practice of open defecation meant people around his home remained exposed to eating contaminated food and drinking unsafe water.

What solidified his stance was his religious belief that ‘god’ would protect him from any sickness, including cholera, such that, even when he received a free pit latrine cover five years ago, he still did not use it to construct the toilet.

Soda's son, Thenesi, 16, a standard six pupil at Mangulenje Primary School felt the pinch and wished the situation could change. Through education, Thenesi learnt the importance of having a toilet and wished their home had one.

Seeing his siblings struggling to reach the bush, especially at night and in rains, bothered Thenesi, but he could not change his father’s mind.

"As I grew up, it became challenging for me to use the bush. Whenever I needed to relieve myself during the day, I would try to hold myself until it was dark so no one could see me,” he said.

For Thenesi, hope came when the Development Communication Trust (DCT), a non-governmental organisation, with funding from UNICEF, started implementing a project in his village aimed at strengthening community engagement structures to end the cholera outbreak that hit Malawi in March 2022.

Through the project, DCT raised people’s awareness on the importance of having safe and clean pit latrines. When floods from Tropical Cyclone Freddy demolished infrastructure such as toilets in Chikwawa and other districts, DCT scaled up implementation of cholera prevention activities in Soda’s community to avoid escalation of the cholera outbreak.

In the cholera response, Group Village Headman Singano emerged as a beacon of change. He teamed up with other chiefs and community members to develop by-laws that forced every household in his area to have a pit latrine. Those without pit latrines got fined until they constructed theirs.

"I am pleased that most households in my area now have pit latrines,” said the chief. “We are working with the few remaining households so that they can also construct toilets.”

Chief Singano felt disheartened to see Chikwawa still registering cholera cases, but hoped the cases would end with the intensive cholera prevention campaign involving everyone, supported by UNICEF.

"Health surveillance assistants (HSAs) continue to conduct health talks, and distribute chlorine for us to add to our drinking water. This is helping us to drink safe water,” he said.

As Soda witnessed the widespread efforts to end cholera in his community, he realized he was one of the remaining weak links in the fight against the disease and could not continue to stand aside. He joined the movement of change agents working to stop the spread of the disease. His local chief offered him burnt bricks which he finally used to construct a pit latrine at his house.

Now, Soda not only has a functional pit latrine at his home but also a handwashing facility. He understands the importance of good hygiene practices, including the use of soap or ash in the toilet.

"When I look back, I see that I have contributed to the suffering that people in my area have endured because of cholera,” he said. “I thought I was clever, but I had no idea that I was doing harm to my community."

Soda has vowed to continue working as a change agent in his community to help reach households that still do not have toilets and motivate them to construct their own.

His local chief, Village Headman Tomari, said Soda’s transformation showed community engagement has brought positive behavioral change that will safeguard the health and well-being of his entire village.

In the words of Ward Jacobs, the UNICEF Emergency Specialist: "Community engagement is pivotal in driving positive change. Empowering individuals like Soda to become advocates for hygiene and sanitation can make a significant impact in disease prevention and community well-being.”

He says UNICEF remains committed to supporting the government in the battle against cholera through various interventions, including the provision of WASH facilities and case management support until everyone is protected from the threat of cholera.

ce Mtelera, Executive Director of DCT, expresses his gratitude, saying: "DCT is proud to witness this transformation. Our collaboration with UNICEF has strengthened key players at district and community levels, leading to positive behavior change in the community."

With his role as a change agent, Soda says his home and neighborhood are no longer a breeding ground for diarrhoeal diseases.