The Inguapí la Ceiba Mural has life-size people's silhouettes and other additional elements that serve to incentive the appropriation of hand-washing behavior.

Inguapí la Ceiba Mural description

During the mural process in Inguapí la Ceiba community, Leaders of Change received information and tools that allowed them to collectively identify and select the least practiced healthy habit in their community.

With this information and based on drawings people made, a mural was proposed to address hand washing with running water and soap, after leaving the bathroom (defecating or urinating), before eating and before preparing food, with the intention that this practice becomes a habit in family life.

The mural implementation workshops involved mainly children between the ages of 7 and 12 and adults between the ages of 35 and 50. The mural is an opportunity to mobilize everyone to wash their hands with positive messages.

This mural is part of the Social Art for Behaviour ChangeTM (SABC) interventions of the Lazos de Agua program in Colombia.

The mural's creation is an example of participatory work among the communities.

Process of co-creation and implementation of the mural:

• Using playfulness and Social Art for Behavior Change, the participants explored creatively and concluded that, in the community of Inguapí la Ceiba, it is important to leave a reminder that allows people to practice hand washing with soap and water before preparing food, before eating and after going to the bathroom.
• The piece consisted of a mural designed as a result of drawings and artistic expressions contributed by the participants in the training workshops. The designers-muralists were present in this space; with the objective of making the sketches for the collective creation of the interactive mural, which seeks to be a playful and/or pedagogical tool to remind the practice of the behavior of washing hands with running water and soap in the three key moments.
  
• At the beginning of the workshop there was a brief greeting, an introduction, the work to be developed and we continued with an activity to break the ice. Then we explained the process of the interactive murals with the objective of making this strategy of community participation clear, explaining each of the techniques that would be used in the construction of the interactive mural to remind the practice of the behavior of washing hands with running water and soap in the three key moments (after defecating or urinating, before eating and before preparing food).
  
• Subsequently, we provided some supplies for Leaders of Change to draw a sketch of the chosen behaviour; in this case, the behaviour "Washing hands with running water and soap at the three key moments". In this exercise, the Leaders of Change individually proposed different behaviour sketches, taking into account they could increase the incentives and decrease the barriers through the messages placed on the mural, they were given the option to let their imagination run wild and were told that the sketches or drawings they made were the ones that would remain on the final mural.

Inguapí la Ceiba Mural inauguration

The mural implementation process culminated with the inauguration with music, cultural and traditional songs of the region. In addition, relay games and dance presentation from the group of stilt walkers kept the enthusiasm and public participation going throughout the day.

One hundred and three (103) people warmed up to share, learn and reflect about Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, particularly on the importance of washing hands before eating, before preparing food and after urinating or defecating; they also generated ideas and proposals to continue with the hand-washing practice at the key moments described above, thus contributing to the empowerment of the community, especially girls, boys and adults to make hand-washing a habit.

The stilt walkers' presentation was something never seen before in the community. On stage, they showed the importance of paying the fee for water and sanitation services.

A·B·C  for Sustainability interaction

Component A: Through actions implemented by Agua para ConvidArte project, four systems for access to sanitation were built, two existing ones were optimized and the corresponding network and inspection boxes were installed to cover 100% of the homes, thus benefiting 440 people with the sanitation system.

Component B: Twenty-three Leaders of Change participated in the process of training, co-creation and implementation of the mural on hand washing. They carried out a replication process in which they mobilized children, adolescents, young people and adults to reinforce their knowledge of hand-washing at key moments.

Component C: The pre-sanitation committee was strengthened through a training process based on a playful methodology that included six modules on administration, operation, community management, emotional intelligence, team work and leadership, in order to contribute to the sustainability of the sanitation system and strengthen interpersonal relations.

Activity to replicate in your community

This section is loaded with fun for you and your community, and starts with the Inguapi la Ceiba Mural that shows the importance of practicing hand-washing at three key moments: before eating, after using the toilet and before preparing food.

Take action now, watch the video of "La Trapa" festival and continue learning how to wash your hands with soap and running water.

Curious facts about the creation of this mural

The bubbles on the mural were inspired by the joy that children feel when they wash their hands, because when they rub and create them, their faces light up with a big smile that reflects the happiness and excitement of washing their hands.

Credits and acknowledgments

Special thanks to all the people who participated in the co-creation of Inguapí la Ceiba Mural.

Artists: Afro-Colombian Cultural Corporation Calipso

Community members: Inguapí la Ceiba village in Tumaco

Members of the Water Committee