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PZ, Concern Universal Nigeria launch hand washing campaign

By Margaret Mwantok
06 October 2016   |   1:58 am
As part of efforts aimed at promoting hygiene across Nigeria, PZ Foundation in partnership with Concern Universal, a United Kingdom (U.K.)-based non-governmental organization, have launched a one-month campaign.

PZ-Cussons

As part of efforts aimed at promoting hygiene across Nigeria, PZ Foundation in partnership with Concern Universal, a United Kingdom (U.K.)-based non-governmental organization, have launched a one-month campaign.

Launched on October 1, at PZ office, Lagos, the campaign will see the two companies join forces with some top Nigerian entertainers to inspire school children to adopt the life-saving habit of hand washing with soap.

For three years Concern Universal has partnered with PZ Foundation to make a difference on the subject in Nigeria. According to the director of strategic partnerships, Concern Universal, Tim Kellow, “150,000 children die every year in Nigeria to diarrhoea. This is why we say prevention is better than cure. We are here to remind everyone about hand washing. Children are the key point of this campaign.”

He said the campaign was part of a wider five-year initiative that Concern Universal was implementing, Rural Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion inn Nigeria (RUSHPIN), which will empower two million people living in rural communities in the country’s South-East to sustainably improve their sanitation and hygiene practices. “The government of Nigeria is the driving force behind the initiative and has committed to matching the United Nation’s funds to reach twice as many people,” he noted.

Throughout the month of October, thousands of children from more than 200 schools will take part in the exercise across southern part of the country. Children will take part in hand washing games and demonstration that will empower them to return to their schools and communities and spread the campaigns vital message. The talent competition will enable children to get creative about hand washing by performing their own version of Sunny Neji’s campaign anthem ‘Wash Your Hands O.’

Kellow added, “hand washing as habits take up to 4 weeks to form, we are holding a month-long campaign to engage children with fun and creative activities to promote the hand washing habits among Nigerians.”

He said children will be inspired by songs recorded by Sunny Neji and 2face Idibia, and empowered as ‘Hygiene Heroes’ hand washing promoters, trained to transfer the life-saving habit to their schools, families and communities.

The Corporate Affairs and Admin Director of PZ, Yomi Ifaturoti said PZ thrives on corporate social responsibility and emphasized the need to imbibe the hand washing habit in children.

On his part, brand manager PZ Cussons Family Care, Alex Goma, said their aim was to ensure that children enjoy being children without taking the dangers that come with it. Adding, “This is how ‘Carex’ one of the products of the campaign comes handy, it tells you how to live your life hands-free.”

Events have since started in Cross River and Benue States, and will reach its climax on global hand washing day, October 15, at a major event in Lagos, MUSON Centre, where school children will compete against each other for prizes and the chance to perform with their musical heroes. Sunny Nneji will perform alongside his band, comedian Koffi and other guests.

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