One Drop Foundation's 2021 Impact Report

After learning the technique behind writing slam texts, participants collectively wrote two slam texts on handwashing with water and soap, as well as on the proper use and regular maintenance of sanitary facilities. D^r. Ouedraogo is a slam artist himself and provided technical support during this creative process. He reflects on the experience: “Social art enables us to share knowledge and ideas, and to see ourselves. You know that art has an important role to play in lives, and culture has an important role to play in lives, because a people without a culture is a people that is lost—and life without water is a life that is lost.”

Access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services and information is not enough to shift human behaviour; people must be convinced that they have a critical role to play, and they require frequent reminders to stay motivated and maintain the behaviours that protect them and others against diseases.

Through social art, we can communicate messages that trigger a more emotional response, which is more powerful in influencing people’s decisions and promoting lasting behaviour change.

For health workers in Banfora, appropriating the One Drop Foundation’s social art techniques allowed them to raise awareness about the uses of water within health care facilities to improve hygiene practices, making a real difference in the health and well-being of their community.

*WHO, Health care without avoidable infections. The critical role of infection prevention and control, 2016.
**WHO and Unicef, JMP, WASH in health care facilities: Global baseline report, 2019.

As Bintou explains, “There are social pressures here in Mali, the weight of tradition and gender variables... But as soon as someone tries to explain that gender is a source of complementarity and mutual aid between men and women, something that helps build the community and the country we cohabitate in, they [people in the community] begin to understand.”

Bintou notices that, little by little, teenagers are starting to take ownership of social art techniques and can facilitate conversations amongst themselves.

Social art opens the door to conversations, emotions, and awakenings around deep-seated individual views. “I see participants getting curious, attentive, and excited. They’re awestruck by the social art approach, which they find to be quite innovative and directly connected to their stories.”

Through stories that are rooted in local culture, Bintou and the “teen clubs” spread messages that reach the community at large, inspiring people to create a more inclusive environment that will respond to girls’ educational and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH)-related needs.

It’s time we all acknowledge art and behaviour change as critical components of sustainable water access projects, and access to water as essential to fostering education, gender equality, and ultimately, to creating a better world.

*UNICEF, Education, https://www.unicef.org/mali/education

“With the Pirursiivik project, we did shows in Inukjuak. Our message was to eat healthy, eat more vegetables, fruits, and traditional foods, to be in good shape, and to lead a healthy lifestyle.” - Michael, young man from a neighbouring community

Michael recalls the experience as being very rewarding, and that it inspired positive changes among some of his classmates who attended the shows, as well as within himself.

“I stopped eating junk food. (…) I don’t even eat sugar anymore, I quit exactly four years ago.” says Michael.

Social art activities based on Inuit culture and art are not only entertaining and fun, but also provide opportunities for shared learning and discussion about traditional foods, nutrition, and the importance of clean water.

“It has to be a good show for sure. You have to be very creative with the show, have some comedy in it and make a point at the same time, so it can have an impact on younger audiences.” says Michael.

Pirursiivik means “a place to grow” in Inuktitut. To empower Indigenous youth and ensure their well-being, we must not only address the inequalities that hinder their development, but also the drivers of positive change in their communities. Through water and art, we can build a better, more equal future.

Developed around the context of South Rajasthan, the script involves local artists who sing songs, perform theatre, dance, and create puppet shows, and engage in other art forms such as Gavri. These performances have received a very positive response from community members, who recognize the health benefits that come from fetching water from a safe source for drinking and cooking.

“Before, we were not informed, and no one cared about the problem. Now, I have clearly understood that we should drink safe water and eat healthy to become strong and live a healthy life.” - Kiki Bai, project participant

Social art activities are helping the community identify safe and unsafe water sources and motivating them to only use water from safe sources. They are also helping communities understand how they can adopt healthy behaviours around water in their daily lives and initiating the process of doing so.

“I believe that through the medium of art, be it in any form say—dance, music, nukkad natak, puppet show—any kind of message can be easily conveyed (…), make its impression in the mind of a person, and inspire them to adopt behaviours promptly.” - Nand Lal, artist

Access to clean water is vital to climate resilience, and social art can help communities better understand these challenges, develop ways to support each other, and adapt to new realities.

*World Bank. Addressing groundwater depletion: Lessons from India, the world's largest user of groundwater, 2021.
**Germanwatch.org. GLOBAL CLIMATE RISK INDEX 2021.

By carrying out theatrical tours of the play Tranquilo Tranquilino and co-creating a mosaic mural, this ecosystem of partners, Leaders of Change, and community members were able to raise awareness around the importance of paying the water tariff, which would ensure the sustainability of the project.

“We are going to have treated water, good water, quality water, which we didn’t have before. For the first time in the history of Waslala, we are going to have a plant with this quality of water.” - Jermán Vargas, mayor of Waslala

Through interventions tailored to the context of each Lazos de Agua project, the One Drop Foundation’s SABC approach was able to facilitate spaces for reflection and mobilize people towards the adoption of healthy practices related to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). In Nicaragua, SABC interventions enabled communities to take ownership of their projects, such as the water treatment plant, and thus contribute to its sustainability.

“Mosaic murals, the theatres, all of this helps to change the mentality of the community that has to make the project sustainable. Everyone pays for their water, for what they spend, and then also makes good use of the water service.” - Jermán Vargas, mayor of Waslala

Today, nearly 4,000 people from seven neighbourhoods in Waslala have access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene. The SDGs can only be met if we work together, through international partnerships and social art activities that enable lasting change.

*Wateraid. Water for Waslala. https://www.wateraid.org/us/water-for-waslala