UNILEVER TARGETS 2M CHILDREN WITH HANDWASHING CAMPAIGN Unilever, foremost manufacturer of food, home and personal care products, has declared it will save the lives of 2million Nigerian children with this year’s Lifebuoy Handwashing campaign. Last year, the company created a platform for 37, 809 children to inculcate the habit of washing their hands before and after meals, a feat which earned it a place in the annals of the renowned Guinness Book of World Records. Annually, over 2.1 million children die of diarrhea and pneumonia before the age of five, especially in Africa and Asia. But the figures can be drastically reduced if they are educated on the benefits of hygiene. The Global HandWashing Day is celebrated on October 15 in over 100 countries worldwide, and aims to put the global spotlight on handwashing with soap as a lifesaving habit. Speaking at the event which held Thursday at the Temple Secondary School, Ilupeju, Lagos, Mr Thabo Mabe, managing director, said the initiative was the strategic intent of Unilever to create a better life for all Nigerians health-wise. “On the 15th of October this year, Global Handwashing will be five years old. As we all know, we are working towards the reduction of diarrhea and pneumonia incidence in children under 5 by promoting the washing of hands at 5 key occasions. As part of our goals this year, Unilever will be celebrating children who reach the age of five around the country. We will continue from our milestones last year with which we plan to achieve over 7 million pledges this year and deploy hand-washing points to the various schools selected.” Unilever, he quipped, will not rest on its oars regarding the project, and between 10-15 months, will visit 1000 schools in Lagos on a sensitisation campaign, while its staff will donate 300 hours of their time to the exercise. “We are asking Nigerians to pledge to defeat diarrhea. They should visit our website www.facebook.com/lifebuoysoap to make pledges. For every pledge, Lifebuoy will help more children reach five through hygiene education,” he added. In her keynote address, Dr. Christina Campbell, national president, Medical Women’s Association, remarked that the initiative was targeted at shoring up the health of children and getting them to imbibe the habit so their lives could be prolonged. Campbell, who noted that the initiative was timely, added that it was given more teeth through the reliable assistance provided by Unilever. “For five years, the Handwashing Day has been celebrated all over the world because we know children, especially in the developed world, don’t have the opportunity to live up to the age of five to become brilliant leaders of tomorrow. That is why we are here today to mark the event through the simple habit of washing their hands,” she said. As the well-attended event, which was anchored by ace comedian Kofi Idowu and featured musical and dance presentations from the Temple School Choir, David Okeme, marketing director, Unilever, said the team would visit schools around Lagos and provide them buckets and water for the exercise. “We are going to provide handwashing tools to schools, starting from now onwards. The plan is to reach about 2 million Nigerian children with the habits they need for survival. That is the extent of our commitment to the project,” he remarked.