Get involved on Global Handwashing Day

Credit: WaterAid / Marco Betti

Published on 23 September 2008

15 October is Global Handwashing Day, a day to remind people of the importance of washing their hands.

Diarrhoeal diseases kill more than 1.5 million children under five each year but the simple act of handwashing can reduce these diseases by 45%.

Lydia Zygomo, WaterAid's Head of Region - East Africa, says:

"Global Handwashing Day is an ideal opportunity for WaterAid to promote hygiene education - the third and crucial pillar of our work along with water and sanitation. Without hygiene practices like hand washing people can not gain the full benefits of safe water and sanitation."

This year the actions for the day focus on schools – but everyone can get involved by reminding each other about the difference handwashing can make.

Get your school involved

There are many ways for schools to celebrate Global Handwashing Day.

Why not organise a handwashing song competition? Give children some existing verses to a song, so that they are more likely to make up new verses. Or you could set up relay races involving handwashing at handwashing stations.

Stick posters up that illustrate key messages about handwashing and hold a handwashing learning event with case studies, videos and a discussion.

Some resources on our website include:

• Download The Gingerbreadman, a story for Global Handwashing Day ( PDF 721Kb)
• Our healthy living module in the Learn zone section of our website, which teaches students about hygiene in a slideshow and includes a related activity in the activity sheet. Watch the slideshow now 
• Our Breaking taboos, laughing about loos slideshow teaching communities about hygiene education through puppet shows and drama in Madagascar. Watch Breaking taboos, laughing about loos 

Razanadrasoa's happy, healthy, handwashing grandchildren

Credit: WaterAid / Marco Betti Razanadrasoa, from the village of Ambohimalaza in Madagascar, knows what a difference the habit of washing hands will make towards her grandchildren's lives. She says: "I am sure that my grandchildren will have very different lives. "They haven't got stomach problems, they are educated about clean water and hygiene. SAF (WaterAid's partner organisation) taught us about washing our hands. I taught my grandchildren and now we all do it - it's a habit now."