Introducing our ‘H for Handwashing’ CEOs

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) once again joined Lifebuoy to celebrate Global Handwashing Day in Umbumbulu, KZN on Friday where they appointed H for Handwashing Chief Education Officers or ‘CEOs’ to become child advocates for handwashing in their schools.

This is part of a shift that sees Lifebuoy harnessing the power of peer-to-peer learning within the context of early childhood learning. Indeed, studies have shown that when kids teach other kids, they are more likely to remember the information. Numerous studies have shown that children are more likely to change their behaviour when influenced by others, with one study finding 59% of students changing their behaviour after being influenced by their peers. Therefore, Lifebuoy is calling on young changemakers to take on the mantle of H for Handwashing Chief Education Officers (CEO) to inspire and cultivate a new generation of hand hygiene ambassadors.

In the lead-up to GHD, Lifebuoy went on a month-long search and handpicked seven learners between the ages of 6 and 12 from schools in KZN to become H for Handwashing CEOs. After visiting Unilever Head Office in Durban on 10 October to meet with the Lifebuoy team, they attended the Global Handwashing Day event at Emphusheni Primary School in Umbumbulu, showing off their training with a classroom demo and taking their pledge of office live on stage.

Justin Apsey, Unilever Southern Africa General Manager said, “Lifebuoy’s purpose has always been about preventing illness by promoting good hand hygiene through handwashing with soap. Today I’m proud to announce that Unilever are extending their partnership with the Dept. of Basic Education to continue our mission together. This Global Handwashing Day, we’re incredibly excited to recognise the fundamental part kids can play in spreading the message that H must stand for Handwashing. Through the power of peer-to-peer learning, we hope to inspire more kids to rise and change the world’s handwashing behaviours.”

Delegates from the DBE, Department of Health (DOH), UNICEF, Unilever and Lifebuoy and other special guests offered their support and encouragement as they received their badges of office and prepared to spread the message of handwashing in their schools and communities using Lifebuoy’s decade-old proven behaviour change model.

This is the same model that has been used by Lifebuoy and the DBE to educate over 5 million Grade 1’s since 2017 through the National Schools Hygiene Programme.

Hon. Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga attended the event and said, “Our role is to ensure that children are looked after, they are well educated and they are healthy. We appreciate this partnership with Unilever in working with us to provide hygiene education in 15,000 schools across South Africa. We are immensely proud to be in a KZN school today, this province has faced so much recently and we are grateful to be here. COVID really helped highlight the importance of washing your hands, regularly and correctly with soap and water, something we have been teaching for many years.”

Dr Lynn Moeng Mahlangu, Chief Director: Nutrition & Health Promotions, National Department of Health said “To progress forward means to make changes and work together, this is what corporate and government partnerships allow us to do. Today we are commemorating Global Handwashing Day at a health promoting school, this means a big community involvement which takes great leadership. Thank you to all involved today.

This GHD also marked two years since Lifebuoy launched its award-winning campaign H for Handwashing aiming to fundamentally change the world’s handwashing habits and accelerate handwashing behaviour change for children. Through this campaign the brand intends to transform the letter H in the alphabet so that H not only stands for Hat, Horse or Hippo – H also stands for Handwashing.

As part of the celebrations, Emphusheni Primary School also received a donation of handwashing basins on behalf of Lifebuoy and the DBE.

“We hope that this donation will go a long way to support the learners and staff of Emphusheni School with greater access to water that will help them to practice and encourage greater hand hygiene within the school,” said Sphelele Mjadu, Unilever Personal Care Senior PR Lead for Africa.

Lifebuoy’s GHD celebrations spilled out into the Umbumbulu community where the brand took to the streets to hand out soap and sanitizer to passing motorists and pedestrians to encourage proper hand hygiene in the area.

Celebrity guests at the event included DJ Zinhle, who has worked closely with the brand for a number of years.

DJ Zinhle said, “It’s wonderful to see young children step up and take on leadership roles like this and I hope that they feel empowered to positively impact their schools. I hope to see them inspire a whole new generation of hand hygiene ambassadors that will help to cultivate healthier communities.”

On behalf of Sphelele Mjadu, sphelele.mjadu@unilever.com

The Hardy Boys

Amanda Sapo Email: pr@hardyboys.co.za

Lifebuoy is the world’s number one hygiene soap brand1, sold in nearly 100 countries. Through the Lifebuoy brand, we aim to make a difference by creating quality, affordable products and promoting healthy hygiene habits. Since 2010, we have reached over 1 billion people through our handwashing programmes.

The desire to be clean, active, and healthy is intrinsic to everyone – irrespective of age or economic status. We understand this and Lifebuoy soap has championed the cause for better health through hygiene for more than a century.

An inspiring vision for more hygienic, healthier, and ultimately more vital communities is the driving force behind the Lifebuoy brand. To realize this vision, we look to consistently innovate and provide accessible Lifebuoy products to a wide variety of consumers. The vision also commits the Lifebuoy brand team to visible action, through inspiring projects that motivate consumers to improve their hygiene behaviour.

Since the launch of the Lifebuoy brand in 1894, we have supported people in their quest for better personal hygiene. The classic red bar of soap and its distinctive medicated carbolic scent was synonymous with cleanliness throughout the twentieth century. Today, the brand is so much more. With its many soap variants and specially designed body washes, These, along with the range of liquid hand washes and hand hygiene gel, ensure daily hygiene and freshness for the entire family.

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[1] Calculation based on Nielsen unit sales information for the total markets (approx. 40 countries). Latest 12 months available.