Malawi (2015): WASH Baseline study in primary schools of Nkhatabay, Salima and Mangochi districts.

Numerous interventions have been implemented to reduce incidence of diarrhea among the vulnerable groups in Malawi. Hand Washing with Soap (HWWS) is the single-most cost-effective health intervention with regard to diarrhea prevention. The national HWWS campaign was initiated to transform small scale or ad hoc efforts into a single, well-coordinated and comprehensive intervention. Children in primary schools form the key target group as their habits may be more easily molded at a young age, and they may serve as agents of change by reinforcing the selected hygiene practices within the home environment. The goal of this study was to assess whether the planned hand washing intervention in schools results in behavior change among school-aged children. The study also assessed whether children are effective as behavior change agents for proper hand washing among peers, family, and the wider community. The study used three methods: 1. Assessments of Schools at baseline and endline to observe hand washing stations; 2. Key Informant Interviews at baseline and endline with school administrators to understand OAMs around provision of soap and access to HWF in schools; and 3. Endline Assessment of Student Households including surveys with both randomly selected students and one caregiver of each student from participating schools, as well as observation of handwashing facilities and soap availability within households.