As a background to this campaign, Uganda’s hand washing with soap rates had remained consistently low, at 36.5%, despite the efforts invested over many years in improving the practice of hand hygiene. Therefore, as a country, there is need to re-strategize our Social Behavior Change interventions to shift to the targeted rate of 50% HWWS by 2025. Additionally, poor sanitation and hygiene have been identified among the five major causes of high infant mortality rates in Uganda and that handwashing with soap can prevent approximately 4 of every 10 cases of diarrhea.

Based on the background above, UNICEF Uganda contracted S4P Group to develop a Social and Behavior Change campaign to contribute to the overall goal of attaining sustainable knowledge, attitudes, and practices of handwashing with soap among priority audiences.

The campaign was developed through the application of HCD processes including desk reviews, co-creation / co-designing, iteration, research-backed messaging, pretest sessions with priority audience representatives, review sessions with technical stakeholders and final approval. Even at the rollout stage, the campaign was rolled up with back up from HCD principles.

As a result, hand washing indicators among priority audiences improved, priority audiences’ attitude and self-efficacy towards hand washing practices and facilities improved, as well. Additionally, the campaign was also adopted to support hand washing practices in the Karamoja region and most important to note is that the support for this phase mainly came from private companies and individuals.

Overall, 670,000 people were directly reached by the interpersonal communication interventions in three districts. Noted a 47% increase in the access to handwashing facilities in slum areas, while 90% of the public areas like taxi parks maintained functional handwashing facilities. The campaign was hinged on collective responsibility, and this resulted into local business handwashing initiatives which contributed 20,000 pieces of soap to the Karamoja region schools.