Pakistani women have been leading the way in improving health and hygiene in their communities following the earthquake that devastated huge swathes of the country in 2005.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies working with the Pakistani Red Crescent quickly realised that women are key to improving the health and hygiene of communities, particularly in more conservative rural areas.

Women are often the ones who draw the water, fetch the firewood, clean, cook and care for sick children and so it is vital that they are involved.

In order to reach out to women and girls, the Federation decided to work with Ministry of Health-approved "lady health workers" and by training local teams of hygiene promoters.

The idea was to educate women, as well as men, within these communities to spark change at the grass roots level. Community members form committees, which then pass on hygiene promotion messages and lessons to the wider community - a concept that is not only working but also gaining increasing acceptance in quake-affected areas.

It may sound very basic, but many people do not know that the simple act of boiling water can kill bacteria and prevent disease.

Charity Sikamo, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Charity Sikamo, a Federation water and sanitation delegate, said: "After people started leaving the camps and returning to their homes in March, we very quickly realised that we needed to reach out to communities and boost their awareness of good hygiene.

"It may sound very basic, but many people do not know that the simple act of boiling water can kill bacteria and prevent disease. We also educate communities about where to put their latrines and how to dispose of solid waste, and we encourage mothers not to allow their children to play in courtyards if there is garbage or excrement lying around."

Mother-of-three Ruqya (26) was widowed in the earthquake. Along with 20 other women, she attends the hygiene promotion sessions in the remote mountain village of Kappi Galli, which also received hygiene kits from the Red Cross after the quake.

Ruqya described how the sessions are making a difference.

"Although we were aware of basic health and hygiene we weren't practising as we'd never had sessions explaining it, so this is good," she said.

"We've especially noticed how risks have been reduced. The children used to get diarrhoea all the time but now we have solutions. In the past it would recur again and again but now we know the reason we can tackle the problem."

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