About the UKU Project
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Although small in stature, uku (head lice) are big trouble for schools in Hawaii.
Many of Hawaii’s children are missing school due to endemic uku infestation. The stigma associated with uku, and the school work missed when a child is sent home from school can have long-lasting repercussions on a child’s education. For many of us who grew up in Hawaii, a short bout of uku was part of childhood; something we can look back and laugh about. However, to many of our low-income and immigrant families already faced with language, cultural and economic challenges, the cost, knowledge and accessibility of commercial uku products can create large barriers to education.
HPIRC’s Uku Project empowers families and provides tools to Title 1 school personnel to help their children improve attendance and prevent and treat uku infestation.
Hawaii’s Public Health Nurses have found a simple and effective treatment for uku. The treatment is cheap and non-toxic, requiring only Listerine, shampoo, conditioner, a plastic bag, and an uku comb. HPIRC’s challenge is to disseminate this information to Title 1 school personnel, Headstart classrooms, Healthy Start and HIPPY programs, parents and health providers throughout the state.
Presented on this website are the Uku Treatment curriculum, recipes and instructions in three languages, English, Marshallese and Chuukese.
What next? Translations into Spanish and collaborating with Farrington High School graphic arts students to create “got uku?” shirts for health aides and community leaders who will take the lead in spreading the word to their schools and communities.
*A Title I School is defined as a school in which 40% or more of its students come from families that qualify under the United States Census’ definitions as low-income. There are currently 174 Title I schools in the state of Hawaii.