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STORY 2
In a short training program for village health workers, students decided that one
of the most serious problems in their villages was diarrhea in children. They learned
that the main danger with diarrhea is dehydration. They discussed Oral Rehydration
Solution, and agreed that teaching mothers and children how to make and use it
should be one of their first responsibilities.
“It won’t be easy,” said one of the students, herself a mother, “People don’t
understand funny words like oral, rehydration, or solution” So the group decided it
would be better to speak of Special Drink—even among themselves, so they would
not be tempted to use fancy words in their villages.
“What if the mothers put in too much salt?” asked a student whose uncle was a
doctor. “Wouldn’t that be dangerous?”
“Yes,” said the instructor. “We need to find ways of teaching that will help parents
and children remember the right amounts. How do people remember things best in
your villages?”
“We all remember songs,” said one of the health workers. “People are always
singing and learning new ones. We remember every word!”
So the group decided to write a song about diarrhea and Special Drink. They all
worked on it together. But they got into an argument over what to call the baby’s
stool. For most people, a stool was something to sit on.
Nobody understood words like feces and excrement. The word
shit some people considered dirty. “But it’s the word everyone
understands—even children,” argued one health worker.
“Especially children!” said the mother. Finally they agreed that
shit was the most appropriate word—at least in their area.
The song they wrote is shown below. (It can be sung to “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little
Star” or another simple tune. With children, have them SHOUT the words printed in
CAPITAL LETTERS.)