Enhancing communication capacity to change behavior and adapt to climate change

The training course was attended by 24 trainees who are communication officers at the Commune Health Station, the Commune Women's Union , Heads of the People's Committees of hamlets, medical collaborators, school teachers and owners of sanitary equipment stores in the commune . These are the subjects directly involved in mobilizing, propagating and supplying sanitary products to households and the community .

At the training class, the lecturers focused on instructing on hygienic toilet models suitable for the conditions of flooded and saltwater intrusion areas . At the same time, they emphasized the use of safe water and protection of water resources in the context of climate change, which increasingly impacts people's lives. In addition , trainees were instructed on communication skills to change behavior, how to choose appropriate forms of communication in the community and schools, as well as use support tools such as handbooks, leaflets , etc. appropriate in each practical case. At the same time, trainees practiced planning specific communication activities for each target group , thereby helping to improve their initiative and ability to apply them in practice immediately after the training.

The training course not only contributes to improving knowledge and skills for grassroots communication forces but also opens up a new approach in developing a safe and sustainable sanitation market . It meets the requirements of disease prevention , behavior change and development of a sanitation market that adapts to climate change in the locality .

It is known that the training activity aims to support the development and implementation of a communication campaign to raise awareness and demand for behavioral change on clean water and environmental sanitation in the three provinces of Ca Mau, Bac Lieu (now Ca Mau province) , Soc Trang (now Can Tho city) , under the Project " Support for capacity building on clean water and environmental sanitation adapting to climate change" funded by UNICEF and the Government of Japan.