The Rotaract Clubs of Accra Labone and Accra Osu Oxford Street have donated handwashing materials to the Rangoon Camp 2 Primary and Junior High School in Accra to promote hand hygiene.
The donation, which took place last Friday, formed part of activities to mark this year’s Global Handwashing Day and Rotaract Clubs’ focus, which includes water, sanitation and hygiene, to increase awareness and the importance of handwashing to prevent diseases and save lives.
The items donated were four handwashing stations, four dustbins, 10 gallons of liquid soap, and 48 packs of tissue paper to the school to help improve hygiene among the pupils and prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
During the event, the club also demonstrated proper hand-washing techniques and educated the students on the importance of washing their hands correctly.
Initiative
President of the Rotaract Club of Accra Labone, Mavis Maku Addo, said the initiative formed part of Rotaract’s annual activities to mark Global Handwashing Day, which is observed worldwide on October 15.
She said the donation was to remind children of the importance of handwashing as a preventive measure against germs and infections.
“When children fail to wash their hands properly, they are exposed to bacteria, which causes sicknesses that can affect their attendance and performance in school,” she explained.
Ms Addo added that the provision of the hand washing materials was to help the pupils practice what they were taught.
Significant
President of the Rotaract Club of Accra Osu Oxford Street, Idriss Zuberu, stressed the importance of educating pupils on the right steps to take when washing their hands and the specific times handwashing was most necessary.
“We want the pupils to develop this habit and also share what they’ve learnt with their friends, families and communities. That is how awareness grows beyond the school,” he said.
Mr Zuberu said the sensitisation was particularly relevant due to the advisory issued by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) on the spread of flu and colds during the harmattan season.
He further explained that washing hands regularly was one of the simplest and effective ways to stop the spread of flu and other infections; hence, the clubs would continue to carry out similar sensitisation exercises in other basic schools within their catchment areas as part of their community service programmes.
The long-term goal is to instil good hygiene habits in young people to prevent diseases and promote healthy living.
Commendation
School Health Education Coordinator of the school, Gloria Sarfo Nyamekye, commended the Rotaract Clubs for the donation, as it had come at a critical time.
She said the school’s previous handwashing materials had broken down, while there were often shortages of soap and tissue, which made it difficult to maintain proper hygiene.
Ms Nyamekye said the materials would greatly enhance hygiene practices in the school.
“We are very grateful to the Rotaract Clubs for their support.
This will make it easier for our pupils to practice what they are taught about handwashing,” she said.
