15 October marks the annual Global Hand Washing Day, aimed at increasing awareness and understanding about the importance of hand washing with soap as an effective and affordable way to prevent diseases.
Building on a hugely successful inaugural Global Hand Washing Day in 2008 – in which over 120 million children around the world washed their hands with soap in more than 70 countries, this year it is anticipated that millions of children across five continents will celebrate Global Hand Washing Day again.
Around the world, children, teachers, parents, celebrities and government officials, plan to mobilize and motivate millions to lather up in order to reduce life-threatening diseases, such as diarrhea and acute respiratory infections.
Children suffer disproportionately from diarrheal diseases – with more than 3.5 million children under five dying every year from diarrhea and pneumonia-related diseases.
The simple act of washing hands with soap can reduce the incidence of diarrheal rates among children under five by almost 50 per cent, and respiratory infections by nearly 25%.
Under the slogan «Clean hands save lives», the driving theme for Global Hand washing Day is children and schools.
Children acting as agents of change, take the good practices of hygiene learned at school back into their homes and communities.
The active participation and involvement of children, along with culturally sensitive community-based interventions aim at ensuring sustained behavior change.
Hand washing with soap – particularly at critical moments, including after using the toilet – is a key cost effective and life-saving intervention.
Research in several developing countries illustrates that lack of soap is usually not the barrier – with the vast majority of even poor households having soap at home – rather, the problem is that soap is rarely used for hand washing.
Global Hand Washing Day was initiated in 2008 by the Global Public-Private Partnership for Hand Washing with soap, and it is endorsed by a wide array of governments, international institutions, civil society organizations, NGOs, private companies and individuals around the globe.
In http://www.globalhandwashingday.org/
RI World Resources Group for Health and Hunger
Information by Richard Hattwick and Safina Rahman, USA
PHOTOS: Poor Children; Meinrab Busslinger and Julio Sorjuz, from Spain (hidden image), Ed Futa, RI Secretary Genneral, Örsçelik Balkan and Safack Alpay (Turkey), Manuel Cardona and Henrique Pinto (during his speech), from Portugal, and Doros (Ciprus), Lisbon Institute 2007
Building on a hugely successful inaugural Global Hand Washing Day in 2008 – in which over 120 million children around the world washed their hands with soap in more than 70 countries, this year it is anticipated that millions of children across five continents will celebrate Global Hand Washing Day again.
Around the world, children, teachers, parents, celebrities and government officials, plan to mobilize and motivate millions to lather up in order to reduce life-threatening diseases, such as diarrhea and acute respiratory infections.
Children suffer disproportionately from diarrheal diseases – with more than 3.5 million children under five dying every year from diarrhea and pneumonia-related diseases.
The simple act of washing hands with soap can reduce the incidence of diarrheal rates among children under five by almost 50 per cent, and respiratory infections by nearly 25%.
Under the slogan «Clean hands save lives», the driving theme for Global Hand washing Day is children and schools.
Children acting as agents of change, take the good practices of hygiene learned at school back into their homes and communities.
The active participation and involvement of children, along with culturally sensitive community-based interventions aim at ensuring sustained behavior change.
Hand washing with soap – particularly at critical moments, including after using the toilet – is a key cost effective and life-saving intervention.
Research in several developing countries illustrates that lack of soap is usually not the barrier – with the vast majority of even poor households having soap at home – rather, the problem is that soap is rarely used for hand washing.
Global Hand Washing Day was initiated in 2008 by the Global Public-Private Partnership for Hand Washing with soap, and it is endorsed by a wide array of governments, international institutions, civil society organizations, NGOs, private companies and individuals around the globe.
In http://www.globalhandwashingday.org/
RI World Resources Group for Health and Hunger
Information by Richard Hattwick and Safina Rahman, USA
PHOTOS: Poor Children; Meinrab Busslinger and Julio Sorjuz, from Spain (hidden image), Ed Futa, RI Secretary Genneral, Örsçelik Balkan and Safack Alpay (Turkey), Manuel Cardona and Henrique Pinto (during his speech), from Portugal, and Doros (Ciprus), Lisbon Institute 2007
Well done, Henrique. I'm sure glad you are part of this year's team.
ResponderEliminarDick
(California, USA)