Participatory methods in hygiene communication

In the past educating for health in Ghana has been through the mass media, posters and didactic teaching. These methods do not take into consideration, the knowledge, values and skills already possessed by the learner. In providing the relevant information, target audience are often not: allowed to explore their own attitudes and feelings in relation to the subject; given the opportunity to utilise the information they already possess; allowed to explore any misconceptions and misinforma­tion that they might possess on the issue. As a result of this approach, target groups are not encouraged to develop the ability to make decisions about their own lives that will ultimately promote their health. Participatory methodologies have been applied in dissemi­nating information to the public on hygiene by the Health Education Project (HEP) of Kumasi Metropolitan Assem­bly (KMA). These methods ensure the involvement of the target audiences throughout the learning process. The Project has a variety of participatory tools relating to water and sanitation including Three pile Sorting Cards, Flash Cards Series on diarrhoea diseases, worms, personal hygiene and Story- With- a- Gap. These methodologies have been extensively used in community and school education by health workers and teachers in the Metropo­lis. The educational materials developed by the project has broad implications for health education in Ghana and elsewhere.