AB163. Promoting safe drinking water through interactive education: a community-based initiative in Pallewela, Sri Lanka

Background: In Sri Lanka, water resources face significant depletion and degradation due to anthropogenic activities. In the target area of Pallewela, Western Province, the community’s water supply is heavily dependent on groundwater sources, which are increasingly threatened by pollution and over-extraction. Observations from local partners at the University of Kelaniya identified two critical behavioral issues: a prevalent practice of not boiling water before consumption and water contamination from improper waste disposal. This project aimed to address this knowledge-practice gap by designing and implementing interactive, sustainable educational tools for the wider community.

Methods: An on-site educational initiative was implemented in Pallewela in June 2025, in collaboration with a local medical school. The project engaged over 100 participants, including elementary school students and the broader public at a central community temple, with the community leader in attendance. The intervention comprised two core interactive components designed for sustainability. The first was a hands-on bacteria-staining workshop, where participants were taught how to use staining kits on locally collected water samples to visualize and compare microbial content between untreated and boiled water under portable microscopes. The second was an original educational card game, inspired by a traditional pastime, which taught players to match water sources with safe treatment methods. To ensure lasting impact, a supply of staining kits and card games was donated to the local school and temple. Program engagement and immediate knowledge transfer were assessed through facilitated discussions and structured observation.

Results: Following the activities, participants, including community leaders, successfully articulated the importance of boiling water for safety. The hands-on microscope session effectively demonstrated the health risks of unboiled water. Both the workshop and the card game demonstrated broad appeal and comprehensibility, engaging a diverse audience of children and adults despite language barriers. Observational feedback confirmed high levels of participation and understanding. The donation of materials equipped the community to continue the educational activities independently, promoting sustained dissemination of the public health message.

Conclusions: Interactive, hands-on educational tools, including a practical microbiology demonstration and a culturally tailored card game, can effectively engage entire communities and convey critical messages about safe drinking water. By training participants and leaving resources for continued use, this approach demonstrates a sustainable model for fostering better water habits and empowering local health advocacy.

Keywords: Safe drinking water; health education; community engagement; Sri Lanka