Samira Bawumia giving a pupil a ‘high 5’ after helping her wash her hands with soap under running water
Wife of Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Samira Bawumia, yesterday joined hundreds of schoolchildren at the Black Star Square to mark this year’s Unilever Global Handwashing Day event.
The second lady, who graced the handwashing festival dubbed ‘High 5 For Handwashing – Give Us High5 & We’ll Teach 5 Kids Handwashing’, called on Ghanaians, especially children, to wash their hands at the five critical times, which are before eating breakfast, lunch, dinner, after bathing and visiting the washroom.
Mrs. Bwumia observed that the global theme for the day, ‘Clean Hands’ A Recipe For All’ teaches that handwashing with soap prevents diseases.
“Proper handwashing practice also contributes to the healthy development of children by keeping them in school. Indeed, health is wealth without a healthy population, our efforts at national development will not yield the desired results,” she stated.
She, therefore, mentioned that making changes to “our everyday life and encouraging others to do so by always washing our hands with soap and under running water during the five critical times in our lives will help ensure better lives for children.”
The second lady also commended Unilever for taking the lead in promoting good health and hygiene habits among the Ghanaian populace.
The Managing Director of Unilever Ghana Limited, Ziobeieton Yeo, in his remarks highlighted that handwashing with soap under running water is one of the most effective and inexpensive ways to prevent diarrhea-related diseases.
“We have taken it upon ourselves to help communities around the world improve their hygiene through handwashing, hence our decision to be a founding partner of the Global Handwashing Day initiated in 2008,” he indicated.
He said Unilever would continue its ‘High5 For Handwashing’ with a higher target of teaching 40,000 children the basic principle of effective handwashing.
Explaining the notion behind ‘High5’ campaign, Mr. Yeo indicated that it is a global language, a sign of celebration and a popular culture which signifies a sign of clean and confident hands.
“Our objective is to reduce preventable child deaths from disease like diarrhoea by teaching lifesaving handwashing habits,” Mr. Yeo added.
He further hinted that the campaign has been scaled up to communities and schools, indicating Unilever’s commitment to sustain the behavioural change initiative.
Other dignitaries, including Minister-designate for Gender, Children & Social Protection, Cynthia Morrison; Deputy Minister for Education, Barbara Ayisi Addo; Deputy Minister for Water Resources & Sanitation, Patrick Boamah and Deputy Minister for Information, Nana Ama Dokua Agyei, joined Mrs. Bawumia and Mr. Yeo in a handwashing demonstration.
The schoolchildren later joined in the handwashing exercise.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri