More than 8,000 people in Piura and Lima received hygiene kits to prevent COVID-19

These and other deliveries were made as part of the project: “Prevention at our hands: healthy and protected families” implemented by Save the Children, with the support of BHA/USAID.

From July 2020 to January of this year, Save the Children implemented the project “Prevention at our hands: healthy and protected families” in four districts of Lima North and Piura, thanks to the support of the USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA/USAID). Through the project, we have worked with municipalities, state agencies in charge of health and protection services, and organized communities in the regions of intervention, providing inputs and information to address the COVID-19 emergency and protect the most vulnerable from any form of violence.

As a result, 5,110 people received safe drinking water, and 8,084 received hygiene kits, both essential supplies to tackle COVID-19. Likewise, 16,837 people received information to prevent infection through printed materials and digital awareness campaigns in social media. With the same strategies, we reached 58,366 people with information to mitigate gender violence and 18,049 people with information on child protection.

The project intervention areas were the districts of Ancon and Santa Rosa in Lima and Cura Mori and Catacaos in Piura. Both regions were hit hard by COVID-19, with children, women and the population with restricted access to basic services such as water and electricity, being the most affected. The project consisted in an integrated emergency response to the COVID-19 epidemic in Peru, including WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene), gender-based violence prevention and child protection components.

“When we started the project, the population had already been confined for seven months, so children and parents were very affected psychologically, which increased violence at home. That is why our response was integrated: water and protection,” says Roxana Pingo, the Save the Children Project Coordinator.

The intervention sought to ensure access to safe water and hygiene items. Through information, we promoted hygiene routines and actions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

“Fortunately, Save the Children provided us with hygiene kits to prevent COVID-19. These kits include liquid soap, detergent and bleach and a container for water and disinfection. In addition, they come every week to deliver 160 liters of water, with this, we have been able to get through the pandemic,” says Jenny, Cura Mori community leader in Piura. 

Specific results of the intervention to date:

• 16,194 people received information on COVID-19 preventive measures via WhatsApp, our institutional Facebook, community loudspeaker stations, large format posters, posters, brochures and an online musical event with children’s characters.

• 5,110 people received water for hygiene activities for COVID-19 prevention.

• 16,837 people received information via social media (Facebook and WhatsApp) and loudspeaker stations with a song on the moments to prevent COVID-19.

• 8,084 people received hygiene kits to prevent COVID-19.

• 18,049 people received information on child protection through social media, loudspeaker stations and the radio station with the largest audience nationwide, as well as training sessions on positive parenting.

• 58,366 people received information through social networks on violence prevention, assistance services in case of violence and actions to mitigate violence.

• 2,639 families and 40 institutions that are part of the protection systems received the Protection Kits consisting of a coloring book “I play, learn and take care of my body”, the stories “Colored hands ” and “The scariest fear of all”, and the health and protection directory.

Save the Children will continue working in the most vulnerable regions to prevent COVID-19 infections and promote the protection of children and adolescents during the pandemic.