by Abraham Varampath, Senior Humanitarian WASH Adviser at Save the Children
It may seem like a simple act, but handwashing has always been a critical life-saving intervention to stop the spread of disease. This year, the global threat of COVID-19 has placed more emphasis on the vital role of handwashing than ever before.
That’s why today, on Global Handwashing Day, we’re excited to be part of Lifebuoy’s #HforHandwashing campaign, which brings together key partners across the private and public sector to engrain the importance of handwashing from an early age and the incredible public health impact it can have.
Most children and families who don’t have access to soap and clean water live in the world’s toughest and poorest countries. However, it’s not just about access to hygiene supplies and facilities. There is an enormous need to educate communities on the importance of handwashing with soap, to ensure that it becomes a routine part of their daily lives. There is also an urgent need to empower communities to address this at a very local level.
The Coronavirus pandemic is the biggest humanitarian challenge of our generation. But by supporting children, families, communities and schools to practice safe hygiene, including basic measures such as hand-washing with soap, we can fight the spread of the virus and save lives. To do this, Save the Children is a proud partner of the Hygiene & Behaviour Change Coalition (HBCC), a partnership set-up by Unilever and the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID), now Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). The HBCC represents a £100 million contribution to tackling the spread of COVID-19 among the world’s most vulnerable populations through the promotion of handwashing and good hygiene. The Coalition brings together the private sector, 20+ NGOs, two UN organisations and academics at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine to fight the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Save the Children is working throughout nine countries to reach more than 40 million people across Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Sudan and Yemen. We are:
· Raising awareness and promoting positive hygiene practices to over 40 million people
· Distributing over 3 million personal hygiene products such as soap amongst communities
· Training health care workers on infection prevention control
· Supporting the safe transition for children to return to school
Martha lives in Kapoeta, South Sudan. Her water borehole is broken so now she now has to fetch water from the other borehole, which is further away, so she and her family can wash their hands.
“After learning about the importance of handwashing, we make sure small children wash their hands once they come home after playing, and again before they eat food. We are very grateful for the support of Save the Children, for providing us with soaps and educating us on how to wash our hands properly so we can stay healthy.”
This year’s Global Handwashing Day calls on everyone to celebrate hand hygiene as a central part of the fight against COVID-19. We couldn’t carry out our vital Handwashing Programming without the support of our partners Unilever and the FCDO. Together we can make sure that all children stay safe, healthy and learning, and change the future for good.
