HELP (Health Education - Lessons in Pictures)

HELP is such a worthwhile project to be part of.  The author behind HELP is a retired British SAS medic, Jerry Barrett, who has seen first-hand the enormous need for First Aid education in remote regions around the world.  Due to language barriers or low literacy, Jerry instigated the HELP program – teaching and promoting basic first aid visually through a series of storyboards.  Jerry Barrett explains it better below:

HELP LogoFirst Aid PictureHELP was born from the need to offer basic first aid education to developing communities no matter what their language or level of literacy.
HELP provides a novel approach to First Aid and Disease prevention in a format that can be easily delivered by health care professionals and community leaders alike. HELP's accessibility has great potential to save lives and contribute to general community well-being in developing countries.
As a resource HELP was designed to be relevant to all persons regardless of their age, gender, culture or religious beliefs.
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We are presently working on a series of first aid modules that deal with the four B’s: Basic Hygiene, Burns, Bites and Breaks.  Below is an introduction to the Basic Hygiene module:

Basic Hygiene
Rural and remote communities often face significant challenges to maintaining their health and wellbeing. In developing countries these challenges are further compounded by:
Limited access to clean water.
Ineffective sanitation.
Low education and literacy levels.
Widespread unawareness that simple personal hygiene practices can reduce the risk of transmitting communicable infectious diseases.
Existing health education materials distributed within such communities are often presented in a traditional written format, making them inaccessible to people with low literacy levels. This Basic Hygiene Module communicates key messages about bacteria and good hygiene through the aid of visual storyboards, as seen below:

Germ AttackGerm sicknessGermsWashing HandsWashing Hands Chart
The Basic Hygiene module introduces the viewer to the 'Germ' family group and their danger.
Dirt GermBlood GermFlu GermPoo GermWater Germ
And illustrates how to eliminate the danger through pictures and symbols.
Hand Washing Symboldirt bugwater bugflu bugpoo bugblood bug
A few words from Jerry concluding Hygiene: So remember to wash your hands before: you prepare food, eat food, administer first aid or put your hands near your mouth. And after: you touch any animals, go to the toilet, cough or sneeze into your hands and whenever your hands look or feel dirty.
Good personal hygiene will not only keep you and your family healthy but it can save your life and the life of your loved ones by breaking the ‘chain of infection’ caused by those nasty, tiny bugs.
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HELP is currently being tested in remote communities. For further information please contact Jerry Barrett. jeremy.barrett@postgrad.curtin.edu.au
About the Author, Jerry Barrett:
After completing his medical training Jerry travelled throughout numerous third world communities, many of which were without a common language or literacy level.
He was alarmed to discover that the most common obstacle to the delivery of adequate life-saving treatment in these communities were the complex methods used to teach relatively simple medical skills.
Jerry therefore leveraged upon his broad experience to adapt the Western ‘Basic First Aid Skills’ taught to medical personnel into a simplified, more practical style of delivery suitable for the members of such communities.
Jerry has subsequently worked as a critical care paramedic and currently teaches Occupational Health & Safety within the disability environment. (HELP is © Copyright. Jerry Barrett)
Jerry BarrettJerry Barrett FAiPJerry BarrettJerry Barrett
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Helping HELP
Jerry Barret FAiPHELP is currently being tested in remote communities. If you have used a HELP module, Jerry would love to get your feedback. Your experience will help us improve HELP. For further queries please contact Jerry Barrett. jeremy.barrett@postgrad.curtin.edu.au

If you are going on a missionary journey to a remote community, it is worthwhile visiting Jerry’s website: Extreme Medical. Check out the Pilgrim's Page. You will find excellent advice plus a range of useful products for your missionary journey like mosquito nets to prevent malaria and a range of practical first aid kits. Maybe you could leave them with the locals when you have finished your trip.