Handwash Campaign

Issue-80% of all infections are transmitted by hands. (Source: Centers for Disease Control, USA). Many diseases and conditions can be prevented by washing one’s hands with soap and clean, running water. Washing hands before and after every meal, and especially after going to the washroom, is a simple habit but needs re-enforcement, especially in children.

Dharmalife Solution
Dharmalife launched a Hand Wash Campaign directed at schoolgoing children. The aim is to form a “sustainable habit” over a period of 3-6 months via extensive awareness creation, behavior change and training programs. The objectives are:
• To create awareness about the importance of washing hands with soap and water.
• Educate students about the proper method of washing hands and the critical moments of washing hands.
• Promote habit formation and adoption of using soaps for hand wash by using innovative monitoring mechanism.
This was achieved through flipcharts story telling, a catchy handwash jingle, the pledge to wash one’s hands, hand wash tracking and rewarding children who regularly tracked hand wash habits.

Geography: Bihar, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttrakhand.

Project Partner:
Unilever India Ltd.

Impact:
Number of children reached out to: 200,000
Number of DLEs involved: more than 2000