Students, teachers celebrate Global Handwashing Day through amazing race
Global Handwashing Day is celebrated every 15th day of October This year’s theme “Clean Hands for All” reminds everyone the importance of handwashing as prevention to high-risk diseases that may affect the person’s health, education, and livelihood.
The students were grouped into six teams and had to pass various hurdles in six stations. The hurdles were all connected to hygiene and a clean environment. In one station, the students had to be blindfolded, picked up trash and must put it in the right category: biodegradable and non-biodegradable. In another stations, teams had to answer a charade-like game that pertains to hygiene.
“We thought of this so the students would enjoy and at the same time be reminded of hygiene and cleanliness of their body and the environment,” Ever Rogero, World Vision WASH project coordinator in Batangas.
Aside from games for the students, a new gender-segregated comfort rooms, additional water system and, a handwashing facility constructed under World Vision’s water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) project called Gender-based WASH in Emergencies were inaugurated.
“Many of these schools have not enough funding for such facilities which would cost more than a hundred thousand to construct. If the school lacks WASH facilities, the students will suffer which may cause to poor performance in school. As a child-focused organization, we also aim for the students, especially those in the rural communities, to have access to clean water and sanitized hygiene facilities to avoid diseases,” Rogero said.
Worldwide, unsafe drinking water, inadequate availability of water for hygiene, and lack of access to sanitation contribute to about 88% of deaths from diarrheal diseases. The simple act of washing hands at critical times can reduce the number of diarrhea cases by as much as 35%.
Likewise, a lack of menstrual hygiene support for adolescent girls has a significant impact on school attendance. School facilities need to be adequate to ensure girls have a clean and private way to take care of their menstrual hygiene needs. Menstrual Hygiene Management is a critical component of World Vision’s WASH in School’s efforts.
During the event, students also received Hapee toothpaste, Dental B toothbrushes and Robinson’s handwashing liquid soap after World Vision Health Manager Carleneth San Valentin gave a few pointers on proper handwashing.
Also present during the Global Handwashing Day were representatives from Bank of America, Department of Education, Parents-Teachers Association, and the Barangay and Local Government Unit.
