{"id":9079,"date":"2016-11-17T21:44:17","date_gmt":"2016-11-17T21:44:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/associatednews.us\/content\/2016\/11\/17\/to-make-a-big-stink-about-diarrhea-ask-em-to-write-a-poo-em\/"},"modified":"2016-11-17T21:44:17","modified_gmt":"2016-11-17T21:44:17","slug":"to-make-a-big-stink-about-diarrhea-ask-em-to-write-a-poo-em","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/associatednews.us\/content\/to-make-a-big-stink-about-diarrhea-ask-em-to-write-a-poo-em\/","title":{"rendered":"To Make A Big Stink About Diarrhea, Ask 'Em To Write A Poo-em"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Vicky Hallett<\/a><\/span> <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n
\n
\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n

A trio of toilets, photographed by Samantha Russell, a Peace Corps volunteer, in Viti Levu Island, Fiji. Samantha Russell\/Courtesy of PATH<\/strong> hide caption<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

toggle caption<\/strong><\/div>\n

Samantha Russell\/Courtesy of PATH<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

How do you get people to discuss diarrhea? Ask them to write poetry about it.<\/p>\n

That’s the idea behind Poo Haiku<\/a>, a competition created by Defeat DD<\/a>, a campaign dedicated to the eradication of diarrheal disease.<\/p>\n

Although everybody’s had the runs, it’s not something most folks talk about, says Hope Randall<\/a>, digital communications officer for PATH’s Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access<\/a>, which created DefeatDD to bring together resources on vaccines, nutrition, oral rehydration therapy, sanitation and more.<\/p>\n

Silence is a problem because diarrheal disease is a problem. It’s the second-leading cause of death for children under the age of five. And it disproportionately affects kids in the developing world, where it’s tougher to access safe water and medical care.<\/p>\n

Attention translates into more resources, Randall says, which is why Defeat DD wants to get people comfortable with words like “poo.” Hence, the call for “poo-ets” to write “poo-ems.”<\/p>\n

Turns out there are plenty of potty mouths eager to show off their creativity. For the third Poo Haiku contest, which wrapped up on Nov. 4, Twitter was flush with submissions \u2014 a record 146 poo-ems, Randall boasts. The prize? Social media fame and the chance to be featured in DefeatDD’s 2017 calendar, which will be shaped like a toilet.<\/p>\n

Article continues after sponsorship<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n