Rotary Club of Murang’a donates soap and sanitizers to mark GlobalHandwashing Day

The Rotary Club of Murang’a on Saturday donated soap and sanitizers to St. Mary’s Primary School town in Murang’a town as the world marked the Global Handwashing Day.
The club also led the school fraternity in practical handwashing sessions to demonstrate the proper way of washing hands with water and soap.
Led by the Club’s president, Judith Thuo, the club challenged learning institutions to create and support a culture of handwashing through constant sensitization as well as provision of adequate handwashing facilities. 

Surveys across many schools reveal that even as many of them have running water, there is hardly any soap available for use by learners to wash their hands.
Thuo said that the club had joined the globe in advocating for handwashing with water and soap as an effective and affordable way of preventing diseases and saving lives.
“In line with this year’s Global Handwashing Day “Unite for Universal Hand Hygiene” we join the rest of the world to create awareness and demonstrate the simplicity and the value of clean hands. We are reminded of the importance of protecting ourselves, our families and communities through washing our hands with soap and water.” She said.

She noted that promotion of proper hygiene and sanitation practices is one of the seven areas of focus around which Rotary operates. Other areas are Economic and Community Development,
Maternal and Child Health, Supporting the Environment, Basic Education and Literacy, Disease
Prevention and Treatment as well as Peace and Conflict Prevention and Resolution.
The president also observed that while a lot of emphasis on handwashing with soap and water
was laid during the Covid-19 outbreak, many institutions have now relaxed on implementation of
the practice, despite the fact that a large percentage of other deadly ailments are spread by
contaminated hands.

Research by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), indicates that washing hands with water and soap could reduce deaths from diarrheal disease by up to 50 percent. Researchers also estimate that if everyone routinely washed their hands, one million deaths a year could be prevented.
She advised students that practicing washing hands regularly and at key times such as after visiting the toilet significantly reduces the risk of diarrhea and influenza that can cause serious illness and even death.
The World Health Organization (WHO) observes that handwashing can also reduce the risk of respiratory illnesses such as scold with the general population by 16-21 percent. It will also reduce absenteeism due to gastrointestinal illness in school going children by 29-57 percent which significantly contributes to the achievement of education goals.

The school’s Board of Management Chairman, Michael Gachichio, expressed gratitude to the Rotary Club, noting that the soap donation will go a long way in promoting the culture of handwashing in the school, which has a student population of 432 pupils. He said that the school was committed to observing sustained hand hygiene among the school fraternity.
During the event, the club in collaboration with Lifebuoy donated soap bars, liquid handwashing and sanitizers for use by teachers and pupils. www.themountianjopurnal.co.ke