Wockhardt Foundation spreads awareness on hand hygiene across 17 slums in Mumbai

450 children from Wockhardt Foundation’s Khel Khel Mein initiative come forward for this community initiative

Wockhardt Foundation, observed Global Handwashing Day (15 Oct) by conducting a community awareness drive in Geeta Nagar slums (Colaba) in Mumbai. There was a street play organised which involved kids from Wockhardt Foundation’s Khel Khel Mein initiative. There was a live demonstration educating the people on how to wash hands with soap and importance of the same. 425 kids participated in the drive spreading awareness in the slums across Mumbai (Geeta Nagar, Antophill, Dockyard Road, Reay Road, Kurla, Mankhurd, Bandra, Chembur).

Global Handwashing Day celebrated every year on October 15, is a global advocacy day dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding about the importance of handwashing with soap as an effective and affordable way to prevent diseases and save lives. The campaign was initiated to reduce childhood mortality rates related respiratory and diarrheal diseases by introducing simple behavioral changes, such as handwashing with soap. This simple, accessible action can, according to research, reduce the rate of mortality from these diseases by almost 25 and 50 per cent, respectively.

Speaking at the occasion, Dr Huzaifa Khorakiwala, CEO & Trustee, Wockhardt Foundation said, “Hygiene and sanitation are key towards building a healthy nation. Through this community awareness drive we aim to educated and spread awareness that a small gesture of handwashing works to save children’s lives and improve health by promoting the important habit of handwashing with soap.”

Striking a similar chord, Mrs Samina Khorakiwala, CEO, Wockhardt Foundation’s Khel Khel Mein programme, said, “We want to go to the grassroots level to educate people on how a minuscule gesture of handwashing with soap is a key approach to disease prevention. We want people to inculcate this into a habit. Hand washing with soap before eating and after using the toilet can save more lives than any single vaccine or medical intervention.”

Khel Khel Mein is an initiative of Wockhardt Foundation, comprising Edu Recreational Centres for the underprivileged children aged 6 to 12 years. Khel Khel Mein operates 26 Edu Recreational Centre and toy library for the underprivileged children in slums of Mumbai (16 toy libraries), Delhi NCR (eight toy libraries) and Aurangabad (two toy libraries).