Residents of Kagaga in Nyabihu District are reporting significant reduction in sanitation-related diseases after embracing good hygiene practices.

This came after residents trained in basic good hygiene measures, like having latrines, bathing, washing, cleaning their houses and neighbourhood, among others.

Now most residents say the training greatly impacted on how they perceived sanitation in relation to their health.

The hygiene campaign was initiated by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) through its Water, Sanitation and Hygiene’ (Wash) project, in partnership with the government and the Netherland Development Organisation (SNV).

Due to its rocky terrain, latrine coverage was low, thus posing a major threat to hygiene.

The volcanic area also faces water scarcity which compounded the hygiene problem.

According to district officials, the trainees later carried out awareness campaigns which led to behaviour change.

"The hygiene promotion training increased latrine usage. People adopted the culture of washing hands after visiting a toilet, keeping homes clean and washing food items before consuming them,” says Christine Sinibagiwe, the village leader.

All the 470 villages in Nyabihu District managed to set up hygienic tools around the pit-latrines, locally known as Kandagira Ukarabe, loosely translated as step and wash.

Kagaga village is located in Jenda sector in Nyabihu District.

Sinibagiwe says apart from promoting hygiene, they also trained on how to help households fight malnutrition among children.

"We were also sensitised about the need for a kitchen garden to fight malnutrition,” she says.Residents also learnt other sanitation measures like use of plate stands.

"We now lead better lives. Our children nolonger suffer from hygiene-related disease,” Sinibagiwe says.

"Due to the kitchen garden and other measures taken to fight malnutrition, we work as a team and meet every Tuesday to discuss issues pertaining to improved living conditions,” she says.

The residents have since resolved to export good hygiene measures to neighbouring villages.

Sinibagiwe says they visit neighbouring areas to sensitise residents on behaviour change.

"We had no measures to curb hygiene-related diseases and our children used to suffer a lot.

Now that we have measures in place, they are living healthy lives,” Alphonsine Nyirasuku, another resident, said.

Wash project started in 2010 in North West area and has so far spent over $23 million to extend clean water to residents, according to Lambert Karangwa, Wash project coordinator.

Speaking at the closure of the Hygiene and Sanitation Week in Nyabihu District, on Wednesday, the vice-mayor in charge of Social affairs, Alexandre Sahunkuye, commended Kagaga village residents for adopting good sanitation measures and urged other residents in the district to follow suit.

He commended the Wash project and other partners for playing a crucial role in promoting hygiene in the area.

Other Nyabihu residents committed to learning from their counterparts and promote hygiene while fighting malnutrition and other sanitation-related diseases.