This article describes the FOAMS model which includes five core elements of hygiene promotion programmes that all need to be addressed in order to achieve behaviour change. It also provides an introduction to a compilation of good hygiene promotion practices: three key note papers and thirty-three case studies searching for answers to the question: What makes hygiene promotion work?
Published on: 09/06/2011
The objective of this compilation is to strengthen the capacity of organisations to design and deliver effective hygiene promotion programmes leading to the improved health of communities.
This compilation of three key note papers and thirty-three case studies searches for answers to the question: What makes hygiene promotion work? The case studies are written by authors from a wide variety of organisations working in South Asia, South East Asia and the Pacific and Africa. They provide lessons and learnings from very diverse experiences which are relevant beyond the specific project location, and for programmes in other regions too. The case studies were first written for workshops[1] and publications[2] organised by IRC and WaterAid between 2007 and 2010. This compilation draws out a synthesis of key lessons and makes the case studies more accessible by providing a snap shot overview and access on an accompanying CD and a dedicated webpage.
The keynote papers and case studies in this publication provide a wide range of information, in some depth, about hygiene promotion. All case studies offer practical lessons and tools so that we can reflect upon these experiences, and also consider applying some of the techniques in our own work.
The cases can be accessed by clicking on the following themes below or via the lists of titles, countries or authors in alphabetical order:
The FOAM model describes four core elements of hygiene promotion programmes that all need to be addressed in order to achieve behaviour change. An ‘S’ has been added to the model here, in order to draw attention to the importance of sustaining behaviour change. The key elements of ‘FOAMS’ are as follows:
F: Focus practices and focus groups
O: Opportunities exist in the external environment to practice the behaviour e.g. soap and water available, gender relations allow the practice
A: Ability to practice, e.g. an individual possesses the skills, equipment and time
M: Motivation to practice, e.g. sense of disgust, to be like others, a better life for children
S: Sustain and study behaviour change; determine if the behaviour has been sustained to the point of it being habitual.
[1] Sanitation and hygiene practitioners seminar East and Southern Africa, Moshi, Tanzania, 19 – 21 November 2007; South Asian sanitation and hygiene practitioners’ workshop, Gazipur, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 29-31 January 2008; South Asia Hygiene practitioners’ workshop, Rajendrapur, Bangladesh, 1-4 February 2010; Learning day on hygiene promotion, Melbourne, Australia, 9 June 2010
[2] See Beyond construction: use by all: a collection of case studies from sanitation and hygiene promotion practitioners in South Asia. (2008) London, UK, WaterAid and Delft, The Netherlands, IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre; and Sharing Experiences: Effective hygiene promotion in South-East Asia and the Pacific. (2010) Melbourne, Australia, WaterAid and Brisbane, Australia, International Water Centre and Delft, The Netherlands, IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre
