Unilever and Plan International to uplift Padaviya health and hygiene

Friday, 7 July 2017 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Unilever Sri Lanka and Plan International partnered in a one-year project aimed to wash away the poor hygiene issues in the Padaviya division, by ensuring school children inculcate the lifesaving habit of washing hands with soap.

World Health Organisation states, ‘Handwashing with soap at key points is the simplest and most effective way to save lives’. In 2008, the Global Handwashing Day was announced, which Unilever through its flagship brand Lifebuoy has celebrated every year since the commencement. In 2017 in a strategic step in during the habit of handwashing in a sustainable manner, Unilever is partnering with Plan International to drive the habit in selected schools in Padviya divisional secretariat.

“Creating a healthy and child friendly learning environment for children at early ages is critical for their better growth. Hygienic habits that children learn in their formative years help them practice this behaviour in their families and pass on the knowledge to society. When children are equipped with the right skills, they are the best change agents,” said Plan International Sri Lanka Acting Country Director Sian Platt. “Our water, sanitation and hygiene program is both school and community-led, which aligns with our child-centred community development approach. We work to ensure children and community members have a voice and choice in the decisions that affect their lives and that enable them to act as agents of change. We work closely with children in schools, preschools with their families and communities. This includes the provision of inclusive, age appropriate and child friendly water and sanitation services for schools and preschools. Furthermore, teaching appropriate skills and practices to promote good hygiene practices among school children is considered an essential part of our water, sanitation and hygiene promotion programmes, which is why we are pleased to partner with Unilever in supporting the school children of Padaviya,” Platt added.

Identifying the need for improved health in the region for a better tomorrow, Unilever Sri Lanka and Plan International worked together in the planning and implementing of the joint project to advocate for better hygiene through sustainable handwashing practices.

“Living true to Unilever’s vision of making sustainable living commonplace or simply put ‘Doing well by Doing good’, we remain committed to the health and wellbeing of the people of Sri Lanka and we strongly believe that the way to ensure this is through better hygiene practices. This could be through something as simple and cost effective as creating a habit of washing your hands with germ protection soap and clean water. Over the years Unilever has been instrumental in building this habit in Sri Lanka and we have seen the vast difference it makes to communities,” said Unilever Sri Lanka Marketing Director Personal Care Sharmila Bandara.

Through the endeavour, 11 schools in Padaviya will receive a facility for handwashing, children between the ages of 5-12 will be educated on the habit of handwashing, positive re-enforcements will be carried out throughout the year to ensure the habit is created and adequate soap will be provided for all schools.