MUM’S MAGIC HANDS Training for handwashing champions

Objectives To enable Mum’s Magic Hands champions to carry out effective implementation of the Mum’s Magic Hands programme with mothers in disaster-affected communities, in order to: Ensure that mothers wash their hands with soap consistently on key occasions Ensure that mothers take action to make sure their family members, especially children, wash their hands with soap consistently on key occasions

Training approach to education ‘Pouring knowledge into an empty head’

20%, 40%, 80% Adults retain: 20% of what they hear 40% of what they both hear and see 80% of what they do or discover

Observation and listening ‘Big ears to listen, big eyes to see and a small mouth to speak’ - Maclean Sosono Source: Hygiene Promotion: A practical manual for relief and development

Mum’s magic hands is based on COMMON EMOTIONAL MOTIVATORS: nurture and affiliation Oxfam and Unilever Lifebouy Soap and Unilever Sustainability Office carried out formative research in three Asia countries and found nurture and affiliation to be cross cutting emotional motivators. Nurture Doing the best for your children Affiliation Being a part of a community – the desire to fit in

Other Emotional motivators specific to handwashing with soap Photo: Oxfam handwashing project, Nepal.

Purity

Affiliation

Nurture

Comfort

Disgust

Attraction

Status

Mum’s magic hands The programme

The idea: Why Mum’s magic Hands? Mums’ hands do a lot. From putting their children to bed and helping them when they learn to walk, to soothing them when they’re ill. Mums’ hands play a positive role in their children’s lives, and help nurture them. They also, though, play a role in transmitting disease. The key messages in the programme bring together these two themes.

The idea At the heart of the programme, we’ve also incorporated the two central learnings from our research: Nurture Handwashing with soap plays into this idea – leading to success, along with broader good manners. The story used through the programme ends with a child in a good job. Affiliation In emergency contexts mothers unite, sharing resources and supporting each other. This is reflected in the activities.

Key messages and objectives The two key messages of the programme are to: Promote handwashing with soap at critical times To show that visibly clean hands aren’t always clean The objectives of the programme are to: Increase HWWS knowledge at key times among mothers Increase HWWS practice at key times among mothers

Programme targets Primary targets Secondary targets In all three trials, mothers were found to be the most significant hygiene influencers. As caregivers, their behaviour was most likely to have an impact on children under 5. As grandmothers, aunts and older siblings often also care for children, Mum’s Magic Hands targets women of all ages who care for under 5s. Secondary targets It’s much easier to change children’s behaviour. Along with motivating them through their mothers, we have also targeted activities for children. Fathers can also play a role promoting handwashing habits – especially with boys. We also have activities geared towards men.

Pre-existing conditions Before implementing the programme, we first need to make sure the environment and situation are suitable. If certain conditions aren’t met, the programme may actually frustrate people, rather than motivate them. Some pre-existing conditions include: Handwashing with soap practice is poor/low Basic needs should be met – i.e. shelter, food, water, latrine with handwashing station at communal and household levels, hygiene kits etc. People need to be in the correct mindset or emotional state.

The resources The Field Guide details all the resources available, including: Storyboards Stickers Posters The visual resources are also available in three different versions: African Asian Multicultural

Step-by-step IMPLEMENTATION guide In the Field Guide there’s a step-by-step guide to rolling out the programme. A sample programme plan with a week-by-week timeline is also available.