CYDI commemorates 2019 Global Handwashing Day with Schools in Orlu

CYDI commemorates 2019 Global Handwashing Day with Schools in Orlu

Globally, 15th October of every year is regarded as Global Hand Washing Day. Community & Youth Development Initiatives (CYDI) a Non-Government Organization based in Owerri Imo state, Nigeria with funds from USAID-E-WASH (Effective Water, Sanitation & Hygiene)  commemorated the 2019 Global Hand washing day with the Theme: ” Clean Hands for All”, by visiting three schools in Orlu LGA to talk the students about effective hand washing and why it is important to wash our hands with soap at critical times.

The schools visited during this event were:

 1. Ojike Memorial Secondary School, Orlu, Orlu LGA

2. Central School 1, Umuna, Orlu LGA

3. Community School, Umutanze, Orlu LGA

At the end of the event, some students were selected to be trained by CYDI as WASH club members to promote and sustain good sanitation and hygiene habits in their schools.

The students were taught in line with CDC recommendation on handwashing as one of the best ways to protect themselves and their families from getting sick. Some the recommendations as thought include:

1. Wash Your Hands Often to Stay Healthy

they were taught that washing of the hands often, especially during the under listed key times will help them stay healthy.

• Before, during, and after preparing food
• Before eating food
• Before and after caring for someone who is sick with vomiting or diarrhea
• Before and after treating a cut or wound
• After using the toilet
• After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
• After blowing the nose, coughing, or sneezing
• After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste
• After handling pet food or pet treats
• After touching/disposing garbage/refuse

Also, the students were taught step by step effective handwashing technique. The handwashing techniques includes the following steps:

Five Steps to Wash Your Hands the Right Way

Step 1: Wetting the hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.

Step 2: Lathering the hands, back of the hands, between the fingers, and under the nails by rubbing them together with the soap.

Step 3: Scrubbing of the hands for at least 20 seconds using the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice as timer.

Step 4: Rinsing the hands well under clean, running water.

Step 5: Drying the hands using a clean towel or air drying.

We also encouraged the students on the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers that contain at least 60% alcohol when soap and water are not readily available.

Although, sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of germs on the hands in many situations, they do not get rid of all types of germs, may not be as effective when hands are visibly dirty or greasy and might not remove harmful chemicals from hands like pesticides and heavy metals.

They were taught how to use a hand sanitizer and cautioned on the harmful effects of swallowing alcohol-based hand sanitizers which can cause alcohol poisoning if more than a couple of mouthfuls are swallowed.

How to use hand sanitizer

• Apply the gel product to the palm of one hand (the correct amount to be applied varies from one product to another depending on the volume of alcohol and can be read on the label).
• Rubbing the hands together.
• Rub the gel over all the surfaces of your hands and fingers until your hands are dry. This should take around 20 seconds