Key messages

When everyone uses latrines the environment is clean and free of germs. House-to House
Proper use of latrines helps to keep water sources clean. Promotion and Prevention
Using latrines prevents diarrhoea diseases.
Using latrines prevents the spread of illness such as: worms, hepatitis,
Guidelines
dysentery, cholera.
Why you need to do if you are a volunteer in the community

You should volunteer and serve in the communityy in which you

y live.
Work with
th your elders, leaders
lea
eade
ea ders and
de d local
occal health
lo hea h staff
ealth aff (Village
sttaf
aff ( illage health
(V
worker, tradional birth
biirth attendants).
rth atte
ennd
dan
a ts)..
Know what
hat priority
prio
ori ty health
ritty altth problem(s)
hea prob
ble
lem( s) the
m(s)
m( e commununity
the ccom
ommu
om y wants
m nunity
ty a ts to
wan to solve.
solv
Know the
e traditional
tradi
dittion
di onal
on all beliefs
a bel efs about diseases.
elie
Follow the
he health
h centre’s
health re’s guidelines
ce tre
ce
cent es and recommendations.
guideline recommenda
dati
da
at on
ns.
Know what
at other
ha h r groups
otthe oups are doing
grou
ou g in yourr community about
about priority
p
prri
rio itty
rior
health problem.
ro
oblem
m.
Know the
e families
fam es (infants,
mililie
ie
ies nfants, children, adults) in the house*
(in
nf house
e*
under your
ourr responsibility.
resspo
pons
nsib
ns bili ity.
Visit each
ch of
of the
he houses
th es at
houses at least once
nce a month
on month to provide
prov
o ide
ov
key messages
ssagess (ICE).
(ICE)).
Measure
e your succes
suc
ucce
uc es (outcomes
ce ((o
o tco
out m s of your
ome ourr efforts)
yyou
ou effforts)
ef s) See
See techical
tec
echica
ec call toolkits
ca toolkit
Pit latrine: a deep hole in the Public latrines are located at
on how to do this.
ground called a pit. This is where markets, lorry parks, bus stations
the waste stools and urine collect. and similar places where they are Meet and
d share information
n with
witth your
y ur volunteer
yo volun
nte er “leader”
teer leader” and your coach.
“le co
The pit is covered by boards or used by people who are away
a cement slab and is surrounded from their homes
with walls made of locally
available materials.

36 1

Visit each of the houses at least Meet share information with
once a month to provide your volunteer “leader” and your
key messages (IEC). coach.
Volunteer’s checklist
Traditional and administrative leaders have been contacted.
Health authorities, health committees and health workers have been contacted
The community has identified its priority health problems for action.
You have the technical toolkits for these activities.
You know your target group (Infants, women, young adults, etc).
You are co-ordinating with other community volunteers in addressing
these problems.
You know which 10 households you will visit regularly.
You know how often you will work (usually half a day per month).
A “back-up” volunteer (junior volunteer) is available to learn from you and to
replace you during your absences.
2 35
Volunteer’s checklist for doing a small scale
latrine project
A community sanitation mapping has been done.
The community needs and wants latrine(s).
The community has met and has a plan of action.
The community is committed to the project.
The community has access to the necessary building materials.
The community has the needed budget for the construction of the latrines.
The community has the basic technical information (the volunteer can
provide this).
The community has designated project leaders for the construction.
The community has designated persons who will teach others on the proper
use and maintenance of the latrine(s).
Measuring your success
Latrine(s) are built.
Latrines are used and maintained
There are fewer cases of diarrhoea.
Keeping records and reporting on your volunteer work
The number of houses included in the community action
The number of houses taught about latrines.
The number of houses using latrines.
The number of days the community volunteered this month
The amount of time you volunteered during the month.
Important Note - Ideally there should be one latrine per family.
 Identify persons who can serve as leaders
for this project.
Use local labour and local materials which
are easily available to the community.
Public latrine
Help the community or families identify
people who will maintain the latrine(s).
Family pit latrine
Teacher people how to maintain latrines.
Martetplace latrine
Ventilated improved pit (VIP)
34
The number of houses under your responsibility will depend on the
population density, distance between houses, and the time you have to
serve as a volunteer. Usually this will be approximately 10 households.
Remember, when visiting house-to-house, you can tell
the family about healthy behaviours which incude:
(see technical toolkits)
Breastfeeding (for mother with babies under 6 months of age)
Vaccination (for infants inder 1 yeasr of age for pregnant women).
Initial response for diarrhoea and of oral rehydration solutions (ORS).
Initial response to fevers.
HIV/AIDS/STI prevention and condoms.
Use of insecticide impregnated bednets.
Note: You cannot always be there. Get yourself a backup-volunteer. Find another
person who can offer her/his services to learn what you do and to replace you
during your absences.
3
 Toolkits for Volunteers
L ti
Latrines
For use with community action guidelines

Key messages
When everyone uses latrines the environment is clean and free of germs.
Latrines can help to keep water sources clean.

Using latrines prevents diarrhoea diseases.

Using latrines prevents the spread of illness such as: worms, hepatitis

dysentery, cholera.

What you need to do your community

Visit the houses to map the sanitation situation, e.g. commercial latrines,
family latrines.

Talk with the elders, leaders and families about their needs in sanitation.

Identify persons who can service as leaders for this project.

Use local labour and local materials which are easily available to
the community.

Help the community or families identify people who will maintain

the latrine(s).

Teach how to build a simple latrine and how to maintain latrines.

4 33
 Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) HIV / AIDS
ORS is not the most effective First Aid. Where ORS is available, give
this to a child with diarrhoea (as well as food based fluids to
infants over 6 months.
Home Care Training
For use with house to house promotion guidelines
If possible, get some packets of ORS and have
them ready in your home.
Look carefully ate the ORAS packet to find out how
much water you will need to mix it with If you volunteer for home care training, you should:
(for example, 1 packet to 1 litre of water).
Know the families who care for persons living with HIV
Mix a fresh solution each morning. Do not keep
the solution for more than 24 hours. Know what medical, social, religious services that are available and
what others are doing about home care in the community.
Note: Locally produced ORS packets should be
mixed in ......... of water. Talk with the families of PLHIV to identify needs (use the checklist below).

Giving ORS drink

What you should do in your community
Age Amount of ORS to give after each stool
Less than 2 years 50 - 100 ml Visit the houses of the families of PLHIV in your area of responsibility
2 up to 10 years 100 - 200 ml and informally look for new cases.
10 years or more As much as wanted
Teacher the family about basic hygiene, nutrition and infection control
What household measures (for example 1/2 a teacup) do you have that are: when caring for PLHIV
Provide information on which groups or agencies (churches, TBAs, village
50ml .............. 100ml ............. 200ml ...............?
health workers, other partners) are available to give help (blankets,
How to give ORS drink
clothing, nets, counselling, home care kits, condoms etc).
Give a teaspoonful every 1-2 minites for a child under 2 years of age. Teach facts about HIV / AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases.
Give frequent sips from a cup for an older child.
Mobilise and sensitise the community in order to reduce stigmatisation.
If the child vomits, wait 10 minutes. Then give the solution more slowly
(for example, a spoonful every 2-3 minutes). due to negative attitudes about HIV / AIDS.
If diarrhoea continues after the ORS packets are used up, give home
remedies until you can get more ORS.
Plain water
Give as much plain water as the child can drink.

32 5
 Volunteer’s checklist for home visits
Does the family know about HIV / AIDS and how it is transmitted?
When a child has diarrhoea, mothers should:
Have you identified the main problems facing the PLHIV and the family?
Are there children or orphans who need support?
Is there a latrine which the PLHIV is able to use?

Does the family know where to go to seek medical help?

Can the family do the necessary daily tasks to care for the PLHIV?

Work with the family, neighbours or other community members who can
help the PLHIV. You cannot provide all the needed services but you can give
information and support.

What the family may need* as a minimum to help the PLHIV

Soap and bleach for hygiene and cleaning.
Plastic sheeting for the bed.
Bucket for washing and cleaning.
Heavy rubber gloves.
Condoms if the family requests them.

*Some National Societies are already providing “home care kit” containing these items.

6 31
 Counsel the ill person
and the family

Remember
Caregivers of PLHIV experience stress and fatigue

Caregivers have difficulties dealing with death and the dyling

Caregivers fear infection by the HIV virus.

Caregivers need to express their feelings.

Caregivers need relief from the demands of caring for PLHIV.

Measuring your success

Families are regulary practicing proper hygiene when caring for the PLHIV.
Families are providing proper nutrition, oral rehydration and proper feeding of
the PLHIV.
Families are using health facilities and other support groups.
Families are coping better.

Keeping records and reporting on your volunteer work

The number of PLHIV in the households you visit regularly.
The number of children of PLHIV needing support.
The total number of visits to these houses this month.
The number of PLHIV who (died, moved away, or hospitalised).
The number of days you volunteered during the month.
List the most serious problems you saw which you could not resolve.

30 7
 Teach facts about HIV/AIDS and sexually
transmitted disease
HIV and AIDS can be passed on to other people in 3 ways: Diarrhoea
For use with house to house promotion guidelines

1. Sex
With another person who has HIV or AIDS.
HIV can be spread through sex between
Key messages
women and men or sex between men only.

2. Blood infected with HIV

From unsafe transfusions,
unclean needles and unclean syringes.

3. Mothers to babies
As the unborn baby gros, or during birth,
about 1 in 3 babies born of mothers
infected with HIV become HIV-positive
and will probably die from AIDS.

8 29
 Key messages Voluntary Counselling
and Testing (VCT)
For use only where are testing and counselling centres
Clean water can reduce diarrhoeal disease in the
community including cholera.

Key messages
There are benefits to knowing your HIV status.

If you are HIV negative, you can take measures to remain uninfected.

If you are HIV positive you can protect partners and if a woman you can
What needs to be stored in clean containers which should
protect against mother to child transmission.
be covered to prevent contamination.
If you are HIV positive you can take measures to stay healthy longer.

People living with AIDS can bring first-hand experience to help

neighbours and policy makers.

Voluntary testing and counselling results are confidential.

If water is easily available it will be easier to pratice more One should consider getting tested before marriage.
frequent handwashing and good hygiene.

If you are volunteering to do peer education and VCT

referrals you should:
Learn what the people know and do not know about HIV/AIDS.

Learn what they think about how HIV / AIDS is spread and transmitted.
Everyone in the community is responsible for maintaining
The water supply system. Know where blood testing and counselling facilities are located.

Refer people to these testing and counselling facilities.

28 9
 What you should know about your community Volunteer’s checklist for carrying out clean water
activities in the community

Find out what activities are already going on in

the community on HIV / AIDS education.

Learn the attitudes about condoms. What are the

obstacles to using condoms? Are they available?
What is the cost if any?

Know the nearest location of voluntary testing

and counselling services.

Know what support groups are available.

What you should do in your community

If possible, go to meet staff at the nearest voluntary testing and counselling centre to
familiarise youself with the centre and workers. Be sure results are
always confidential.

Identify with elders and leaders where there is a gap in education;

identify groups which need more HIV ? AIDS prevention information.

Building on existing community activities (schools, churches, village health workers,

other partners), communicate with these partners and find out where there is
a need and get them to help.

Work with the target group(s): identify key members of the target group(s)
who can do the information, education and commication (IEC) on HIV / AIDS.

10 27
 Is the water from a river, spring, lake or well? Peer education on HIV / AIDS should always include information on:
a) how HIV / AIDS is spread and transmitted, b) condoms and demonstration
of condom use, c) health services available, and d) where they can go for
voluntary testing and counselling.

Volunteer’s checklist
Have you contacted the local leaders and health workers
to discuss your work?

Have you assessed the attitudes and behaviours of the community or the
target group?

Are you collaborating with the condom programmes in your area to ensure
access to condoms for you and your target group?

Is the target group willing to have a peer education session at least once a month?

Have you provided the target group with the information and materials (penis
model and condoms) they need?

Visit the voluntary testing and counselling centre and know the workers
and counsellors.

Measuring your success

People talk more openly about the risks of HIV / AIDS transmission.
People go to get tested and know their HIV status.
What you need to do in your community People have a better understanding of the disease and do not stigmatise people
with HIV / AIDS

Keeping records and reprting on your volunteer work

The number of people referred to a VCT centre.
The number of peer education sessions conducted this month.
The number of days you volunteered during the month.
Indicated other partners you worked with during the month.

26 11
 If you are volunteering to do peer education
and VCT referrals you should: Clean Water
For use with community action guidelines

Learn what the people know and do not

Key messages
know about HIV / AIDS

Learn what they think about how

HIV / AIDS is spread and transmitted.

Know where blood testing and counselling

facilities are located.

Refer people to these testing and

counselling facilities.

12 25
 Key messages on mosquito nets
Blood Donor Recruitment*
For use with the house-to-house promotion guidelines
Malaria is a dangerous disease caused by infected and for community action
mosquitoes.

Key messages for volunteers

Only blood donors from low-risk populations should be recruited.
This invariably means that only a small percentage of the population
Mosquitoes breed in standing water will be eligible to donate blood.

Your efforts will fail if indivividuals at risk are recruited and the blood
cannot be used.

Your efforts will also fail if the “safe donors” you recruit are not retained.
Sleeping under a mosquito net will protect against bites
and malaria. Mosquito screens or curtains on doors and Keep in regular contact with blood collection staff to ensure that the
windows in the house protect and reduce mosquitoes. people you recruit are well cared for when they donate blood.

Key messages for the public

Longlasting treated nets are treated with an insecticide to kill Blood saves lives, but it must come from healthy, voluntary,
mosquitoes which come in contact with the net non-remunerated donors.

Not everyone can give blood: a donor must meet strict criteria for donor
selection which is in place to protect both donor and patient.

Persons whose blood is tested and found to be free of diseases (safe),

Insecticide-treated mosquito nets should not be washed should be encouraged to donate regulary
frequently after treatment.
Giving blood does not endager a person’s health

Persons who are committed and passionate about blood donation can join blood
donation clubs like club 25.

24 13
 Guidelines if you are volunteering to recruit Voluntar y donors
Volunteer’s checklist for promotion of
impregnated nets
You have all the information necessary on mosquito nets, especially LLINS

You know where mosquito nets are available and their cost.

You know where nets can be retreated with insectcide.

You know the attitudes and behaviours of the community members regarding
the use of mosquito nets.

Measuring your success

An increasing number of families are using mosquito nets.

More babies, pregnant women and children under 5 years of age are using mosquito nets.

Families get their nets retreated each season.

14 23
 What you should know and in your community
Volunteer’s checklist
Have you planned your activities according to the needs?

Have you contacted the local leaders and are you regularly visiting the blood
service staff to discuss your recruitment work?

Have you assessed the attitudes and behaviours of the community or the
target group?

Are you working with other volunteers in the community who are also doing
blood donor recruitment?

Do you know the guidelines and recommendations of the blood service

regarding donor recruitment?

Measuring your success

Increased number of messages and recruitment result in new donors.

Increased number of donors are categorised as “safe” donors.

There is an increase in regular donors.

The number of people referred to a blood service this month.

The number of people referred who gave “safe” blood.

The number of days you volunteered during the month.

22 15
 Key messages for the public
Blood saves lives, but it must come from healthy, voluntary,
non-remunerated donors.

Not everyone can give blood: a donor must meet strict criteria for donor
Malaria Prevention
selection which is in place to protect both donor and patient.
For use with house to house promotion guidelines and for community action
Persons whose blood is tested and found to be free of diseases (safe),
should be encouraged to donate regulary. Key messages on Malaria
Giving blood does not endager a person’s health. Malaria is dangerous disease caused by infected mosquitoes.

Malaria is curable and preventable.

Pregnant women and children under 5 years of age have a greater risk.

Mosquitoes breed in standing water around the houses; standing water

should be cleared to prevent mosquito breeding.
Mosquitoes screens or curtains on doors and windows in the house protect
and reduce mosquitoes.

Sleeping under a mosquito net will protect against mosquito bites and malaria.

Babies, pregnant women and children under 5 years of age should

especially use nets.

Repellents and mosquito coils can also help to reduce the risk of
mosquito bites.

16 21
 Tetanus immunisation for Pregnant Women Routine Vaccination
For use with the house-to-house promotion guidelines
Recommended immunisation schedule*
1st dose tetanus vaccine
All immunisations should be completed in the first year of the childs’s life.
one month later
Recommended Immunisation schedule*
2nd dose tetanus vaccine for infants under one year
Age Vaccine
at least 6 months later
Birth BCG and Polio
3rd dose tetanus vaccine
6 Weeks 1st DPT and Polio
*Check with your health authorities for specific immunisation schedule in your area.
10 Weeks 2nd DPT and Polio

Key messages 14 Weeks 3rd DPT and Polio

Pregnant women need at least two doses of tetanus vaccine for protection
9 Months Measles
before delivering.

Babies born may die from neonatal tetanus if the mothers do not have
their tetanus immunisation.
*Check with your health authorities for specific immunisation schedule in your area.
Measuring your success Note: Pregnant women need at least two tetanus immunisation before giving birth.

All thee mothers in the houses under your responsibility have received
2 doses of tetanus immunisation (TT) before they deliver. Key messages
There are cases of neonatal tetanus in your area of responsibility. A child who is not immunised is more likely to die

Measles is one of the biggest killers of children.

Keeping records and reporting on your volunteer work
The number of pregnant women in houses under your responsibility It is safe to immunise a sick child with cough, cold, diarrhoea,
fever or malnutrition.
The number of days you volunteered during the month

20 17
 What you need to know about your community
Know when immunisation services are available and occur in your area
(health facilities and out-reach sessions.

Know where motherss should go to get their tetanus immunisations.

Find out why mothers do not bring their children to the immunisation clinics.

What you need to do in your community

Know all the pregnant women in the houses under Tuberculosis (BCG Measles Whooping cough (DTP)
your responsibility.

Explain to the pregnant woman that she must visit

the health worker for check-ups and to receive two
doses of tetanus vaccine before delivering the baby.

Know all the families with babies under 1 year of age

and visit them once a month.

Visit mothers with babies under 1 year of age two days before a immunisation
clinic is scheduled, check their immunisation cards and remind them to attend
the clinic. Tetanus (DTP Diphtheria (DTP) Polio

Measuring your success

Keeping records and reporting on your volunteer work
All the mothers in the houses under your responsibility have received 2 does
of tetanus immunisation (TT) before they deliver. The total number of houses under your responsibility.

The number of pregnant women in these houses

Babies are up-to-date on their immunisations and the immunisation card
indicate this information. The number of babies under 1 year of age in these houses

The number of days you volunteered during the month

There are no measles cases in your area of responsibility.
The number of measles cases seen in your area this month
Measles Remember:
1. Encourage mothers to continue breastfeeding their infants until 6 months of age.
Immunisation 2. Pregnant women should go for prenatal consultations and receive two doses of
tetanus immunise before giving birth.

Oral Polio
Immunisation

18 19