More than 600 students from Pasig Elementary School attend the Global Handwashing Day (GHD) School Lecture of the Manila Water Foundation in celebration of Global Handwashing Day in October. GHD raises awareness on proper hand washing with soap and water at critical times of the day to avoid the spread of communicable diseases. Contributed photo
Manila Water Foundation spearheaded a set of month-long campaign activities echoing the theme for Global Handwashing Day 2023: Clean Hands are Within Reach.
Celebrated every 15th of October since 2008, Global Handwashing Day raises awareness about proper hand washing with soap and water at critical times of the day to avoid the spread of communicable diseases.
Hand-in-hand with private and public sector partners, Manila Water Foundation organized onsite activities that demonstrate synergy in the promotion of hand hygiene for health and well-being.
High five for hand washing
Manila Water Foundation was named by the Pasig City Health Department as a co-presenter in two events for Apir Tayo, Pasigueño! This is in anticipation of the passage of the city ordinance to establish hand hygiene as an important public health component.
Last October 9, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto, Vice Mayor Dodot Jaworski, and Pasig City Councilors opened the Global Handwashing Day Fair at the Pasig City Hall compound. The half-day event showcased products and innovations that champion hand hygiene. The first sectors to walk through the hand hygiene partners’ booth were women and Muslim market vendors, 4Ps beneficiaries, health workers, and PWD sector representatives.
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The second event for Apir Tayo, Pasigueño was a Global Handwashing Day School Lecture on October 13. More than 600 Grade 2 students from Pasig Elementary School trooped to the school gym to be reminded about proper hand washing not only in school but also at home.
To reach more graders, the Manila Water Foundation Handwashing Song was broadcast in five other campuses reaching out to an additional 2,000 Pasig City students.
Also in October, Manila Water Foundation spearheaded initiatives impacting rural elementary school students and communities. It led a hygiene education session called WASH-Aralan and bought soap supplies for Sapang Munti Elementary School in Norzagaray, Bulacan, and handed over hygiene products for Aeta communities from Bamban, Tarlac and Mabalacat, Pampanga in celebration of the National Indigenous Peoples Month.
READ: Manila Water readies hand hygiene facilities in time for school opening
Hand-in-hand collaborations
The mission of Manila Water Foundation to bring WASH for All Communities is enabled by partnerships and synergies. Global technology company ROHM Electronics Philippines invited Manila Water Foundation to lead a WASH-Aralan for 120 student leaders of a school partner in Carmona, Cavite.
Then, Manila Water Foundation, Prime Infra Foundation Inc., and WawaJVCo, Inc. handed over 25 portable hand washing stations and hand hygiene products to schools in San Mateo, Rizal for the benefit of more than 2,500 learners, teachers, and staff on campus. The handover event was attended by Vice Governor Reynaldo San Juan Jr., who expressed gratitude to the leaders of Prime Infra and WawaJVCo, Inc. for investing in the health and well-being of the school community by enabling the habit of proper hand washing.
READ: Manila Water Foundation’s ‘WASH for All Communities’ acclaimed in PH, abroad
Grant a Wish of WASH
Manila Water Foundation likewise closed the series of activities to celebrate Global Handwashing Day with a handover program called Grant a Wish of WASH for partners requesting WASH interventions. This was in partnership with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Civil Relations Service and the Quezon City government. Representing Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte and Quezon City First District Representative Arjo Atayde during the program was Quezon City First District Councilor and Majority Floor Leader Dorothy Delarmente.
Nine schools in Quezon City and the City of Manila received refrigerated drinking fountains and portable hand washing stations. Drinking kits with tumblers and supplies of soap were also given to school partners.
Grant a Wish of WASH will be for the benefit of more than 5,000 learners, teachers, and staff.