World Global Hand Washing Day: Zoomlion initiates Proper Hand Washing Activities in Basic Schools
Story by: Ishmael Barfi
To ensure proper hand washing under running water is practiced among children, Zoomlion Ghana Limited (ZGL) through its Zoomkids Club programme has instituted a project to intensify proper way of hand washing among school children in basic schools across the country.
The project, which kicked off on Monday, October 18th, 2021 at Sowah Din Memorial School in the Adentan Municipal Assembly is to mark this year Global Hand Washing day.
This project will be replicated in all the 526 Zoomkids Club basic school members across the country.
World Global Hand Washing Day: Zoomlion initiates Proper Hand Washing Activities in Basic Schools
The aim of the project is to increase hand washing with soap and water in basic schools as an effective way of preventing diseases such as diarrhea and pneumonia and help save lives especially children. out in all the
Since 2008, Global Hand washing Day has been marked yearly on October 15 to promote hand washing with soap and water as an easy, effective, and affordable way to prevent disease and save lives.
Acting Managing Director of Zoomlion, Mr Ernest Kusi
The theme for this year’s celebration was “Our Future is at Hand Let Us Move Together,” and the slogan is; “Seconds Save Life.”
Addressing the press, the acting Managing Director of Zoomlion, Mr Ernest Kusi, said the operation will involve a demonstration to the school children on how to practice proper and effective way of hand washing.
He explained that, the demonstration will be done in a form of drama series, education for the children on the significance of hand washing and also donating training materials to them.
The essence he noted is to prevent the children from catching diarrhea and other infectious diseases adding “And we also know the connection related to COVID, that when you wash your hands well and put on your nose mask, you will be protected from catching the virus and other diseases”
According to Mr Kusi, Zoomlion will be sponsoring the various hand washing activities in all the Zoomkids Club member schools across the country.
Cross Section of students at the event
This he noted is part of company Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) revealing that, Zoomlion has over the years, been giving back to society through the Zoomkids Club project.
The Chairman of the Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS) who is also the Technical Coordinator of World Vision Ghana, Mr. YawAttah Arhin on his part explained that the purpose of the day is to promote the culture of hand washing with soap in all societies, create awareness on the state of hand washing in each country and inform people about the importance of hand washing.
According to him, the practice of hand washing in the country is not encouraging that, there is the need for government to put measures in place to ensure proper hand washing is practiced.
World Global Hand Washing Day: Zoomlion initiates Proper Hand Washing Activities in Basic Schools
To him, most of the state institutions across the country lack facilities that promote good hygiene.
“Most wash rooms in state institutions are not up to standard of good hygiene, you get there, the taps are not flowing and no soap to even wash your hands with, to talk of tissue to clean your hands”, he lamented.
He also used the occasion to appeal to government to set up other facilities in public places to help in the regular washing of hands.
Therefore proposed for a National Hygiene Policy that will encourage effective hand washing practice among citizenry.
Adding her voice, the School Health Coordinator under the Adentan Municipal Assembly, Mrs. Patience Akudugu called the students to also educate their friends, family at home how to practice good hand washing as well the importance of this practice.
The School Health Coordinator under the Adentan Municipal Assembly, Mrs. Patience Akudugu
To her, the celebration of the day should remind everybody of why washing hands under running water is relevant in the fight against diseases and infections in the community.
Mrs. Akudugu therefore urged all and sundry to always place Veronica buckets at advantage places to promote good hygiene especially proper hand washing.
At the Nii Sowa Din Memorial Cluster of Schools in Adjirigarno, a demonstration was done on the proper way of washing of hand which involves the washing of hands with soap under a running water.
World Global Hand Washing Day: Zoomlion initiates Proper Hand Washing Activities in Basic Schools
The students expressed their joy and happiness for such exposure and thanked Zoomlion Ghana Limited and other stakeholders for such a project.
Adding that, they will continue to practice proper hand washing and will propagate the good practice of proper hand washing among their peers and families.
Source: www.thenewindependentonline.com
