A Community-based Tooth-decay Prevention Project, Kenya

This project is inspired by the Healthy Teeth Challenge in South Africa, performed by Alice Grasveld and her team. It inspired Alice to set up the Healthy Teeth Foundation and continue her work with Participatory Action Research for oral health. Two years after the Healthy Teeth Challenge, the same team conducted a new Participatory Action Research with the same set up, yet in a different country and adapted to fit the new context. See here their PAR design.

An action plan was created with the community to improve oral health among children, focused on ownership and sustainability. Teachers, parents, health workers, the area chief, the herbalist, the village elders et cetera were involved in this project. About 1200 primary school students will wash their hands and brush their teeth on a daily basis under supervision of the teachers and the ‘health club students’ from now on. Stakeholders in the village were connected. Awareness about oral hygiene & diet was created. Also a play was made by the pupils to educate the community about oral health. Insights in the relationship between Kenyan culture & oral health were obtained. An opinion paper (article) about this project and a community prevention plan for DDC will be written by coordinator Alice Grasveld.

The impact of this action research project is that it has raised awareness in the community of Mamba Village about the consequences of poor oral health and a poor diet for the future of children. Now parents and children know what they need to do to prevent these problems.