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India's Little Doctors - leading the way in good hygiene
Would you trust a nine year old doctor? If not, think again: The Little Doctors programme in India has turned dozens of primary school students into local leaders promoting good hygiene. Sankalp Sanskritik Samiti, an NGO working in Chhattisgarh, India, has developed a novel approach to promoting good hygiene both at school and in the wider community. The Little Doctors programme has been rolled out in 12 schools in eight villages, giving students the chance to be leaders in the promotion of good hygiene. A student from every school is selected as a Little Doctor. He or she is given a hygiene, or "medical", kit. The Little Doctor is expected to visit every student in the school to check that they are following basic hygiene practices. These include nail cutting, hand washing, bathing, combing, wearing clean clothes, keeping the school grounds clean, motivating parents for toilet construction and usage, and washing utensils after lunch.
The Little Doctors are also given the authority to collect one rupee from every student, which is used to purchase soap and other maintenance materials for the kit. In general, each Little Doctor acts as a sort of "hygiene ambassador", motivating other children to use the toilet and keep the school clean. Students are selected on a rotating basis, so there is always the incentive to follow good hygiene practices both at school and at home in the hope of becoming the school's next Little Doctor. Sankalp started the concept in one village and found it so successful that it slowly replicated it across all twelve neighbouring schools. The Little Doctors spread the messages so effectively that they not only reach the children in the school, but also their families and in turn the wider community. Moreover, an inter-school competition for best Little Doctor has been a powerful tool in motivating students and bringing attention to the benefits of good hygiene.
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