Wockhardt Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation, today observed 'Global Handwashing Day' by conducting a community awareness drive in the slum areas of Mumbai.
There was a street play organised involving children from Wockhardt Foundation's 'Khel Khel Mein' initiative.
There was a live demonstration educating the people on how to wash hands with soap and importance of the same. Nearly 425 children participated in the drive spreading awareness in the slums at Colaba, Geeta Nagar, Antophill, Dockyard Road, Reay Road, Kurla, Mankhurd, Bandra and Chembur.
The Global Handwashing Day, celebrated every year on October 15, is a global advocacy day dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding about the importance of handwashing with soap as an effective and affordable way to prevent diseases and save lives.
The campaign was initiated to reduce childhood mortality rate, related respiratory and diarrhoeal diseases by introducing simple behavioural changes such as handwashing with soap.
"Hygiene and sanitation are key towards building a healthy nation. Through this community awareness drive we aim to educate and spread awareness that a small gesture of handwashing works to save children's lives and improve health by promoting the important habit of handwashing with soap," Wockhardt Foundation Trustee Dr Huzaifa Khorakiwala said.
Wockhardt Foundation's 'Khel Khel Mein' programme CEO Samina Khorakiwala said the institute wants to go to grassroot level to educate people on how a minuscule gesture of handwashing with soap is a key approach to disease prevention.
"We want people to inculcate this into a habit. Hand washing with soap before eating and after using the toilet can save more lives than any single vaccine or medical intervention," she said.
'Khel Khel Mein' is an initiative of Wockhardt Foundation, comprising of educational recreational centres for the underprivileged children aged 6 to 12 years. It operates 26 educational recreational centres and 16 toy libraries for the underprivileged children in slums of Mumbai, Delhi NCR and Aurangabad.
