Haiti Women’s Soap Project Empowers Women to Assist in COVID-19 Prevention

In some of the poorest neighborhoods in Haiti, a team of nurses trains women as hygiene educators and sellers of liquid soap, something that is considered a luxury item in Haiti. The team’s ability to make and sell soap cheaply helps break down the cost barriers that often prevent people from buying it. Their work, supported philanthropically by Nursing Education Collaborative for Haiti, heightens awareness about the importance of hygiene – along with its role in reducing disease, loss of work, and loss of schooling – and peer education encourages healthy choices. During the COVID-19 pandemic, those nurses became part of the national team for COVID-19 prevention in Haiti, and they trained 649 healthcare professionals on hygiene to prevent its spread.

Renee Botta, PhD, associate professor in the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, leads this team as an expert in improving health outcomes through health promotion and communication.

“Nurses are a powerful force in social change, and this team’s work is having significant impact on hygiene and the prevention of COVID-19 in Haiti,” said Dr. Botta.