Triggering clean environments to preserve children's health

Bobonaro, 16 July 2025 – Having a discussion on open defecation, is not very easy. Despite this being a major threat to the health and wellbeing of children, many families in Cowa village in Bobonaro Municipality still regard this as an acceptable daily practice.  To change this behaviour and encourage the building of toilets at every home, Julieta Armandina Potiunaung an Environmental Health Officer from Bobonaro Health Department, has started an intense sensitization and behavior change drive in this village.  

“Not having a toilet or not using a toilet means we end up eating dirty food and even eating our own human waste,” says Julieta, as she addresses the 30 participants attending a triggering session in the village.

Julieta knows that publicly discussing defecation is uncomfortable, especially in conservative or traditional communities. She also knows that her use of words regarded as “crude” can evoke murmurs of disapproval, giggles and discomfort.  

She, however, assures the crowd that she does not intend to bring shame to the village, but to make them see the reality that ending open defecation can help reduce the high incidences of diarrhea and malnutrition in the village.

“We see about 5 children with diarrhea at the health centre every month.  Diarrhea among children can cause malnutrition, or death - all of this because open defecation contaminates water sources and food,” says Juliet, who boldly uses diagrams and stories to explain the co-relation between a child’s health and the cleanliness of their environment. 

According to the latest data from the Mother Support Group team in this village, 238 out of 682 families or households defecate in the bushes which are close to their homes.  This triggering session, which was organized by volunteers of the Mother Support Group, community leaders, and health workers is one of many activities in the village’s action plan to address health, nutrition, and WASH issues in the community.  

UNICEF, with support from the Japan National Committee for UNICEF, is supporting the Ministry of Health to reach out to communities such as Cowa, where efforts to improve the nutritional status of children begin with ensuring that children are living in a clean and safe environment.  Seventeen villages from Bobonaro are receiving similar support. 

During the triggering session Julieta notices that while there is a lot of disapproval of the messages in the beginning, by the end of the session, the people will begin to come to the realisation that they have been causing the ill health of their own children. 

“I didn’t realize that our habits were making our children sick,” says Domingas, a mother of four. “This session changed the way I think. Now I understand the link between hygiene and my children’s health”.
 

Julieta is however aware that changing people's behavior needs a lot of follow-up and reinforcement. She therefore works with the Mother Support Group members who are tasked to follow up with villagers who have signed their commitment to stop the practice of open defecation.  

The Mother Support Group Members will make periodic visits to the homes, where they will remind the 18 families of the messages from Julietta, monitor their progress, and provide guidance where there is little progress. 

“After three months, I will come back to this suco to work with MSG to visit the families that today they promise to build their toilet. Because follow up visit is very important to make sure that people act on the messages that they got from this triggering session.” adds Julieta.  

Julieta has a dream that one day every child, including children in Bobonaro will be well nourished and in good health.  To achieve this, she has a commitment to work together with the 567  Mother Support Group members in the whole Bobonaro Municipality. ###Ends