Health Clubs with a difference in Niger

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, £30,000 was raised to complete this project, giving many children the chance to grow up strong and healthy and develop life saving skills, which can be passed on to their families and future generations. 

Adam Hinton

Not many of us can say we regularly help to save lives. But for groups of children, in some of the countries where Plan works, it is a daily occurrence. These children are members of special health clubs, formed to help promote important health messages among themselves and their communities. They are extremely effective at it - in villages where the clubs are active, children are stronger, less prone to infections and more aware of how to keep themselves safe and healthy.

For children in the village of Tidirka, the most devastating health problem is malaria. In Niger, almost one child in five dies before reaching the age of five, and untreated malaria is one of the main causes.

Health club members in Tidirka arranged for a health worker to teach them about the disease.

Muhammed (7), who took part in the training, explains, "Before I didn't understand why I needed to use a mosquito net. Now I always sleep under the net with my brother."

Through songs, drama and posters the children were able to pass their knowledge on to other children in their school. Since their training, they have ensured that any child who arrives at school with a fever is sent home. A club member accompanies them to explain to the parents the risks of failing to get treatment for malaria. In six months, the health club encouraged the parents of 20 seriously ill children to bring them to a health centre.

"Now when my little sister gets fever I know what to do. Before, my mother used to give her leaves and water. Now I have convinced her that it's better to bring her to the health centre. We have spoken to the health worker and he is a nice man. Before I didn't know what he was doing," said Tahirou (14)

The children of the village of Darey Maliki had a different concern. There, a scabies epidemic was affecting their overall health and the constant scratching was preventing them from sleeping. The health club organised training on personal hygiene and scabies prevention. With the support of Plan, they bought soap, towels and medicines. The whole village got involved with the result that every child was treated for scabies and every mattress was disinfected. Within ten days the epidemic was under control.

For information on similar projects in need of support, email us at supportaproject@plan-international.org.uk call us on 020 7482 9777