At Splash, we believe in the transformative power of education and community engagement. Our recent initiative, a collaboration between Splash and KPIS Consultancy Solutions, underscores this belief. Together, we undertook a project to update and adapt our behavior change curricula and guides, tailoring them to the unique needs of rural communities in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. During this process, we updated and contextualized four pieces of curriculum:

  • Abeba’s World – Menstrual health and hygiene curriculum directed toward girls
  • Peer Mentorship – Menstrual health and hygiene guide for peer mentors
  • Male Engagement – Curriculum for engaging male students about puberty and menstrual health
  • Parent Engagement – Menstrual health and hygiene guide about how parents can support their daughters during puberty and menstruation.

We also developed three new guides:

  • Community Engagement – Guide that proposes activities that community leaders can be engaged in regarding menstrual health and hygiene
  • Operations and Maintenance – Guide detailing operations and maintenance components and responsibilities
  • Cleaning Guidelines – Guide designed for individuals or groups involved in cleaning school grounds.

Engaging in earnest with local communities is more than making edits to the wording of our guides. It’s about earning trust, building relationships, and increasing the impact of our behavior change interventions to make a real difference in the lives of those we serve.

Community Meeting at a School in Bahir Dar


Understanding the Rural Context

We began this initiative by selecting three primary schools in rural Bahir Dar: Gedro, Wanzaye, and Tebabari Primary Schools. The Splash team conducted detailed formative research to gather baseline data and understand the local context. This step ensured that our interventions would be relevant and effective.

To gain deeper insights, KPIS implemented a comprehensive strategy involving Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs). Engaging key stakeholders, including faith-based leaders, community groups, Health Extension Workers, and school clubs, allowed us to grasp the community’s social structure and identify effective approaches for behavior change communication (BCC) sensitization sessions.

Prototype Testing and Community Engagement

Security concerns led us to conduct our second round of testing at the semi-rural Gedero Primary School. Alongside Splash and FH representatives, KPIS tested prototypes for Abeba’s World, the Male Engagement Curriculum, the Parent Engagement Curriculum, and the Community Engagement prototype. The feedback from students, teachers, mothers, PTA members, and community leaders helped guide us as we refined our programs based on their feedback.

During this trip, we found that dealing with an ongoing malaria outbreak was the top priority for community and religious leaders, who emphasized addressing these urgent health issues before engaging with WASH-M initiatives. This experience taught us that aligning our efforts with the community’s most pressing needs fosters trust and cooperation, enhancing the effectiveness of our interventions in the long run.

Updated Abeba's World Curriculum


Training of Trainers (TOT) and Curriculum Adaptation

Staff from Bahir Dar traveled to Addis Ababa to participate in a Training of Trainers (TOT) program focused on WASH Behavior Change and Cleaning Guidelines. We also began a TOT session on Operations and Maintenance Community Guidelines, however, once we began engaging with the material it became clear that a comprehensive review and update was warranted. We thoroughly revised and aligned the content with best practices so we could implement it effectively.

Back in Bahir Dar, KPIS conducted another TOT session for Health Extension Workers and community stakeholders. The objective was to provide training on Operations and Maintenance (O&M) and Community Guidelines. Most of the suggestions that came from these individuals centered around contextualizing the content to align with local cultural norms and practices. Through this process, we gathered valuable insights that we believe will enhance the practicality and effectiveness of the training curriculum.

Writing the Guides

We began by adapting the existing guidelines to a rural context and updating them based on the insights we gained during prototype testing. All documents were initially written in English and subsequently translated into Amharic. Post-translation, feedback from Splash Addis Ababa, Splash Bahir Dar, local partner Food for the Hungry, and KPIS was incorporated to refine and enhance all documents.

Translation posed a significant challenge during the writing process, requiring meticulous effort to ensure accuracy and cultural relevance. During TOTs and document reviews, many linguistic changes were made to the curriculum. One example was the use of “hero” in the Amharic translation (Gejna) for the title of the Male Engagement curriculum. Due to potentially negative implications, the language was updated to read “ally,” instead, ensuring that the wording doesn’t disrupt the goal of the curriculum or trigger unwanted attention.

By incorporating local idioms and contextual references, our curriculum and guides became more relatable and effective for the target audience. Our experience highlights the importance of local expertise in translation projects, especially in regions with distinct cultural identities.

Lessons Learned and Recommendations

Contextualization is Key

Tailored approaches are essential for each community. Curriculums intended to scale must recognize diversity, requiring unique religious, traditional, and language adaptations.

Access to MHM Products

Ensuring the availability of menstrual hygiene management (MHM) products is crucial. Integrating with existing MHM product providers and distribution channels supports behavioral change.

Building Strong Relationships

Forging relationships with local health centers and consistent community engagement are vital for sustainability. Trust-building takes time, but it’s essential for the successful adoption of new programs.

Healthcare Professionals’ Role

Healthcare professionals must lead the community curriculum roll-out to dispel misconceptions and ensure accurate information dissemination.

Updated Peer to Peer Mentor Training Guide


Curriculum Updates and Design

Each curriculum was meticulously updated to reflect the rural and regional context, incorporating feedback from various stakeholders. Highlights include:

  • Abeba’s World: Relevant pictures added and culturally sensitive items (like tampons) were removed.
  • Parent Engagement Guide: Updated illustrations to include fathers and convey the family’s responsibility (not just the mother’s) to support daughters.
  • Male Facilitation Guide: Changed the translation from “hero” to “ally” to avoid negative implications, added another story and activity about changes during puberty.
  • Cleaning Guideline: Pivoted from a “Janitor’s Guideline” to a general “cleaning” guideline, involving students in school upkeep.
  • Community Engagement Guide: New guide developed specifically for engaging rural communities.
  • O&M Guideline: New guide detailing how to form an O&M committee as well as suggestions for O&M in a rural context.

Moving Forward

Our collaborative effort in adapting behavior change curricula shows the need to tailor programs to local contexts and how crucial it is to engage stakeholders and community leaders in the process.

Learn more about Splash's behavior change work here!