NUTRI-QUIZ - Training on nutrition and hygiene through participation in an online quiz on GIZ's Atingi platform

Challenges

With the COVID-19 pandemic, the country of Burkina Faso faced a huge challenge. At a time of growing insecurity, what means were available to inform the population sufficiently while keeping the risks of the disease spreading low? In addition to increased radio and television communication, the government set up a free hotline which the people in the country can call at any time. However, there was little time and resources for the training of the hotline staff. As part of the country package Burkina Faso, which is implemented by Health Focus/IAK Consult and which is part of GIZ’s Global Programme on Nutrition Security and Resilience Strengthening, an online quiz on COVID-19, hygiene and nutrition was developed. In addition to the call centre staff at national level, service providers in the project's intervention region (south-west region) were trained.

Specific activities

Training of COVID-19 hotline staff

A training course was carried out in cooperation with the Technical Secretariat for Nutrition of the Ministry of Health (STAN) and the Operation and Response Centre for Medical Emergencies (CORUS) in order to improve the knowledge of the 282 employees of the COVID-19 Call Centre in the areas of COVID-19, nutrition and hygiene. Next to the training, a comprehensive online quiz on COVID-19, nutrition and hygiene was pilot-tested. Through a playful competition between individuals and groups, the participants are trained remotely and receive precise feedback and coaching through additional information related to the questions at the end of each game.

Information events organised by multisectoral service providers at community level

After pilot-testing the functionality of the game, 300 service providers from the agriculture, health and animal husbandry sector as well as staff from mayor's offices in the project area, Southwest Region, were invited to participate at the game. In addition to the introductory game on COVID-19, there is a module on malnutrition and the UNICEF model of food security, which describes the multisectoral reasons for malnutrition. Other modules focus on improving year-round food availability, access to food, nutritional practices with a focus on infants and pregnant and lactating women, health and hygiene aspects, and the stability of food availability and access throughout the year.

NUTRI-QUIZ on the Atingi platform

Two-hour online competitions were held every Thursday and Sunday from 23 August to 13 September. Winners at regional and national level were selected and awarded. The players could train outside of match hours. Frequent training was also rewarded with special prizes for those players who collected the most points over the entire period.

Difficulties

The platform should be adapted to allow for a larger number of participants. It created problems that slow internet connection of players seems to influence the speed of the other players.