WASH in Schools

Content

Access to appropriate sanitation and hygiene facilities can support children’s physical privacy and their psychosocial well-being, including through attendance at school.

Children often have a strong influence on household hygiene and sanitation behaviour. They can be ‘agents of change’ and increase the impact of WASH programmes across the wider community.

Guidelines and tools

Red Cross Red Crescent Guidelines and tools

CHAST (Child Hygiene and Sanitation Training)

CHAST was first developed by Caritas Switzerland in Somaliland in 2002. It is inspired from the PHAST approach, and is based upon the premise that hygiene practices are largely acquired during childhood and therefore it is much easier to change children’s habits than those of adults. (Note: CHAST is copyrighted since 2014.)

CHAST is a step-by-step methodology that promotes good hygiene and sanitation practices in schools and at home by raising children’s awareness on transmission routes of waterborne and hygiene-related diseases and how to block them.

CHAST encourages ‘learning by doing’ and peer learning. It prompts the children to discuss among themselves, practice together and learn from each other, this way promoting a child-to-child approach. It is meant to be participative and fun.