The story of how cholera changed my village began with tiny germs spreading through the river. These germs were too small to be seen, but they were dangerous. Women carried cholera germs home in the water, flies carried them on their feet, and unwashed hands spread them too. We swallowed these germs in our water, on our food, and on our fingers.
By morning, my father was very sick with diarrhea that looked like rainwater. I went for help and the nurse quickly recognized it as cholera. We had to work fast to save him with a special drink made from safe water, salt, and sugar.
To make water safe, we filter it through cloth and boil it for one minute. We can also add chlorine drops and wait for half an hour. Safe water is important to prevent the spread of cholera and other diseases.
I went back to my village to teach people how to protect themselves from cholera. I told them to always wash their hands with soap and safe water after going to the toilet. We also needed to dig latrines far from the river, at least 30 meters away, and always wash and peel food, cook it, and eat it hot and protected from flies.
I spread the word throughout my village and now we filter and boil our water to make sure it is safe. We always use latrines and wash our hands with soap and safe water. We know that washing our hands is important for our health and safety, especially after handling food. We encourage everyone to do the same to keep our village safe from cholera and other diseases spread by flies. Let’s applaud the simple hygiene practices that can make such a big difference in our health and safety. Let’s continue to spread the word so that everyone can protect themselves and their communities from cholera and other diseases.
Let’s play a game to understand how cholera spreads. You will be divided into groups. Some of you will play the role of cholera germs, others will be villagers. The germs will try to ‘infect’ villagers by tagging them. The villagers can protect themselves by performing actions like ‘washing hands’, ‘boiling water’, etc. This will help you understand how cholera spreads and how we can prevent it.
Let’s do an experiment to understand how to make water safe. You will be given a glass of water and some common household items like cloth, salt, and a stove. Your task is to make the water safe for drinking by filtering and boiling it. Remember, safe water is important to prevent diseases like cholera.
Now, let’s learn the correct way to wash our hands. You will be shown a demonstration on how to properly wash your hands with soap and safe water. After the demonstration, you will practice washing your hands. Remember, washing our hands is important for our health and safety, especially after handling food.
Let’s design a safe village! You will be given a piece of paper and some colored pencils. Your task is to draw a village that is safe from cholera. Remember to include latrines far from the river, and places where villagers can wash their hands and prepare food safely.
Finally, let’s spread the word about hygiene practices. You will prepare a short presentation about the importance of hygiene practices in preventing diseases like cholera. You can use the information you learned from the article and the activities. Let’s continue to spread the word so that everyone can protect themselves and their communities from cholera and other diseases.
cholera – a bacterial disease causing severe diarrhea and dehydration, usually spread in water – The outbreak of cholera in the village was caused by contaminated water.
germs – microscopic organisms that can cause disease – Washing your hands regularly helps to kill germs and prevent illness.
diarrhea – a condition in which feces are discharged from the bowels frequently and in a liquid form – He suffered from a severe case of diarrhea after drinking contaminated water.
safe water – water that is free from harmful contaminants and safe for consumption – The organization’s mission is to provide safe water to communities in need.
hygiene practices – actions taken to maintain cleanliness and prevent the spread of disease – Good hygiene practices, such as washing hands regularly, can prevent the spread of illness.
latrines – a toilet or other structure used as a toilet, typically in a military or outdoor setting – The soldiers dug latrines in the field to dispose of waste.
soap – a substance used for washing or cleaning, made from a mixture of fats or oils and an alkali – You should always wash your hands with soap and water before eating.
chlorine drops – liquid drops containing chlorine that are added to water to kill harmful bacteria – The health worker added chlorine drops to the well to make the water safe for drinking.
food safety – measures taken to ensure that food is safe for consumption and free from harmful contaminants – The restaurant owner implemented strict food safety policies to prevent customers from getting sick.
disease prevention – measures taken to prevent the spread of disease or infection – Vaccines are an effective way to prevent the spread of disease.
community health – the overall health and well-being of a community – The community health center provides healthcare services to residents in the area.
water filtration – the process of removing impurities and contaminants from water – The water treatment plant uses a filtration system to purify the water before it is distributed to households.
