Global Handwashing Day: Awareness drive covering 28,000 students across 43 NDMC schools

New Delhi: Seeking to inculcate the importance of healthy habits among students and encourage widespread behaviour change in hygiene practices through handwashing, ASSOCHAM Foundation for Corporate Social Responsibility (AFCSR), the social arm of ASSOCHAM, organized an awareness drive across New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) schools here on the occasion of ‘Global Handwashing Day’.

Supported by hygiene brand Savlon and covering nearly 28,000 students across 43 NDMC schools, AFSCR conducted the programme in a hub and spoke model in which a mega activity was organised at Atal Aadarsh Bengali Balika Vidayalya, Gole Market and parallel activities were carried out in other NDMC schools.

The initiative complements the various government initiatives transforming the critical water, sanitation and hygiene sector.

Speaking about the initiative, Anil Rajput, Chairperson, ASSOCHAM National CSR Council, said, “There is an old saying that good habits formed at a young age make all the difference. I believe that on this global handwashing day, the youth have to understand, incorporate and disseminate information on the importance of handwashing. Every year about 1.8 million children under the age of 5 die from diarrheal diseases and pneumonia that are attributed to poor hand hygiene, and therefore, it is my firm conviction that the incorporation of this habit in our daily routine will go a long way in leading a healthy and productive life at an individual level, along with creating a high performing society that will increasingly contribute towards nation building.”

Pramod Kumar, Academic Consultant, New Delhi Municipal Council, (NDMC), said, “Awareness and behaviour formation from an early age has a multiplying effect on the potential benefits and impact on human lives. Today’s event not only highlights the importance of handwashing, it also delivers valuable lessons on the impact of personal hygiene on public health and betterment. Initiatives such as this will surely have a positive impact on the future of the children and also of the society in general.”

Deepak Sood, Secretary General, ASSOCHAM, said, “Handwashing promotes overall hygiene and is a simple yet highly cost-effective way to promote personal and public health. Today’s event is held to commemorate the Global Handwashing Day and to support the various initiatives launched by the government to promote public health. Initiatives such as this can go a long way in reinforcing the need for better hygiene and the vital role of clean hands in saving lives and promoting public health.”

To ensure engagement of students, the event used short and engaging videos in classrooms and assemblies to drive home the importance of handwashing and proper hand hygiene practices.

In addition to these activities, students also took a pledge to religiously follow proper hygiene practices and make people aware about the importance of washing hands properly.

The ‘Illness to Wellness’ campaign was launched in 2014 and remains committed to promoting health and well-being through empowering, educating, collaborating and adopting of sustainable health practices. Over the years, it has aimed to maximise outreach and impact, from organising camps and awareness campaigns to holding regular webinars on key health topics and developments- with the clear purpose of raising awareness and providing motivation and remedies.