Sanitation
Online ISSN : 2758-0334
COVID-19 Countermeasures and Sanitation Co-creation through Women’s Agricultural Activities (Mutcare Reports)
Charles Gaston ZobomeKoji HayashiAkira SaiTaro Yamauchi
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JOURNAL OPEN ACCESS

2023 Volume 7 Issue 1 Pages 22-28

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Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected people’s health and livelihood, placing a huge burden on national healthcare systems. This has equally been the case in low- and middle-income countries that are characterized by limited financial and human resources; concern has been raised over urban slum dwellers and persons living in geographically remote areas that often lack social support. In Cameroon, Mutcare, a local NGO has played a significant role in supporting at-risk communities. In this paper, we highlight a sensitization campaign led by NGO members on good hygiene knowledge, attitude, and practice for prevention of infectious diseases. The campaign, which was held in Bertoua Town, and Nkoual Village of Cameroon’s East Province included knowledge sharing and discussion with residents, demonstration of handwashing, and provision of personal protective equipment (e.g., masks) in the process of capacity building. In addition to prevention programs against COVID-19, efforts were made to co-create value from sanitation through promotion of food self-sufficiency among households, and simultaneous income generation through fruit tree nurseries and vegetable gardens among women living in the village of Nkoual. Notably, the co-creation project was intersectoral between the local NGO and international researchers, taking a bottom-up approach which involved local residents, and targeted towards SDG 5 (gender equity and empowerment of women and girls) and SDG 6 (accessible and adequate water, sanitation, and hygiene). This paper thus outlines an exemplar case study of a transdisciplinary approach aimed at community-generated issues.

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© 2023 International Society for Sanitation Studies

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