For the sixth consecutive year, United Purpose and PZ Cussons will jointly facilitate the world’s largest Global Handwashing Day (GHD) Campaign in Nigeria. Global Handwashing Day, celebrated on 15th October, is an annual global advocacy day dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding about the importance of handwashing with soap as an easy, effective, and affordable way to prevent diseases and save lives. The theme for this year’s Global Handwashing Day ‘Clean Hands for All’ emphasises the importance of leaving no one behind in ensuring access to handwashing facilities. With this message, United Purpose and PZ Cussons have already engaged thousands of schoolchildren and reached millions of people in Nigeria and globally – and will continue to share the vitally important message of handwashing with soap with many more.
The 2019 Campaign
The campaign will be led by United Purpose (formerly known as Concern Universal), an international NGO and key player in the Nigerian WASH sector, and global hand-hygiene expert PZ Cussons through its leading brand Premier Cool. They will work with some of Nigeria’s top entertainers to inspire children to adopt the life-saving habit of handwashing with soap. The month-long campaign with this year’s theme ‘Clean Hands for All’ will be implemented in ten (10) programme LGAs in Cross River and Benue States, with a special meeting in the Benue State Capital, Makurdi, an event in a special needs school in Abuja, and an unmissable finale in Abuja.
Throughout October, at least 60,000 children from 210 schools will be directly engaged. Children will be inspired by exclusively recorded songs, and empowered as ‘Hygiene Heroes’ – handwashing promoters trained to inspire their schools, families to make handwashing a habit. The campaign will reach its climax on Global Handwashing Day, on Tuesday 15th October at the celebration concert in Abuja with our celebrity Ambassadors – where schools will compete against each other for fantastic prizes and have the chance to perform with their musical heroes.
Overview of Events
Social Media Campaign
The social media campaign officially started on 25th September on Facebook and Instagram and 1st October on Twitter. The different social media channels will be dominated by the topic of handwashing during the month of October. Our campaign anthem, “Wash Your Hands O’’ by Sunny Neji, will be heard across Nigeria and beyond! Expect interviews and live updates about the campaign on radio, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Benue and Cross River States
From 3rd to 9th October, selected schools in our ten (10) programme LGAs, four of which have become Open Defecation Free (ODF), will be engaged in fun handwashing games and competitions, and receive Premier Cool branded campaign materials, including T-shirts, soap, notebooks and stickers.
Makurdi Event
The State Government and United Purpose staff will convene for a special GHD-themed breakfast meeting to discuss the achievements and future of hygiene promotion in Benue State. There will also be opportunity to engage with different media.
Abuja Events
The day before the main event and GHD, on October 14th, a special-needs school in Abuja will be engaged to ensure our hand-washing message is inclusive, and no group of children is left behind. This event also exemplifies our commitment to this year’s theme of “Clean Hands for All.”
The main event will take place the following day, on 15th October, where some of Nigeria’s top artists engage and entertain school children and a range of (VIP) guests. Keynote speakers will raise awareness on the crucial, yet often overlooked, issue of handwashing with soap.
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