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- The initiative will be executed in a phased-out manner to sensitise about 6 crore children in over 5,50,000 madrasas in India, over a period of five years
- The approach would involve the use of animated videos and other engaging tools and activities
New Delhi, February 28, 2019: Reckitt Benckiser, world’s leading consumer Health and Hygiene Company, has taken a milestone leap in the direction of driving a transformational change on sanitation and hygiene by launching its Dettol Banega Swachh India Handwash Digital Curriculum, in collaboration with the All India Imam Organization.
Through the course of its journey, the Dettol BSI Campaign has addressed the issue of Sanitation and Hygiene under five important pillars. These pillars include making India open defecation free, inculcating regular hand washing practices, encouraging plantation drives to help clean the air we breathe, keeping our 10 yards clean and healthy, as key to our future and to a progressive nation.
The event was graced by Hon’ble Dr Imam Umer Ahmed Ilyasi, Chief Imam of All India Imam Organization and also saw presence of other dignitaries such as Mufti Waliullah Qasmi, Mohatmim Madni Darul Uloom Deoband; Moulana Allama Kalbey Rushaid Rizvi, Shia Aalimeydin; Grand Mufti Asad Qasmi Al Alzmi Mohatmim, Jamia Islamia Anwarul Uloom; Moulana Merjul Hasan Nadvi Kandhlvi, Aalami Tablig E Jamat; Moulana Ashgar Ali Qasmi Shahi, Imam Haryana and Aali Janab Sirajuddin Qureshi, Chairman India Islamic Centre.
Commenting on the development, Hon’ble Dr Imam Umer Ahmed Ilyasi, Chief Imam of All India Imam Organization said, “I am overjoyed to share the news of the partnership between the All India Imam Organization and Dettol Banega Swachh India. As part of this first-of-its-kind partnership, we would include the Dettol BSI Handwash Digital Curriculum in the entire educational syllabus across all the madrasas in India. We will take this initiative to other countries in Africa, the Middle East, South Asia and, eventually, turn it into a global program. Children are the change-agents of the society, and this step is going to ensure that we inspire these young minds to inculcate the learning into a habit, through engaging multi-media tools and activities such as animated videos, which would turn them into influencers for others, and nation-builders of tomorrow.”
As part of the campaign activations, Dettol BSI plans to expand its Hygiene and Sanitation curriculum to sensitise about 6 crore children in over 5,50,000 madrasas, over a period of five years, across multiple states in India. Additionally, appropriate efforts will also be made towards increased training and capacity building among teachers at madrasas to ensure effectiveness of the curriculum.
The campaign will be focused on helping children build healthy habits, focusing on cleanliness, from early childhood. This will be done through videos and multiple activities and tools that will be both fun and engaging. The curriculum would focus on highlighting the importance of good handwashing practices, benefits of regular handwashing in preventing the spread of diseases and improving the overall health of growing children.
Expressing his views on the collaboration, Gaurav Jain, Senior Vice President, Africa, the Middle East and South Asia (AMESA), RB Health India, said, “We are proud at the way Dettol BSI has created a deep impact on the Hygiene and Sanitation habits of people across India, by driving behavior change in the last four years. Now in its fifth year, we are focusing on driving behavior change through collective community efforts. Consequently, we will execute this campaign in a phased manner to sensitise about 6 crore children in over 5,50,000 madrasas in India, over a period of five years. I strongly believe that this effort would help boost the movement we have gathered to reach the desired goal of overall cleanliness (सफाई) and health (सेहत).”
According to the World Health Organization, poor hygiene practices are believed to be the main cause of deaths among children under five years. A study conducted by the World Health Organization, found out that while Diarrhea is a preventable disease, it still claims the lives of around 3,61,000 children, aged under 5 years, every year in India. This joint endeavor would not only extend well beyond reducing the risk of diarrhea, but would also influence the overall increase in the health indicators of these children.
NOTES TO EDITORS
In the last four years, BSI has created an all-pervasive impact:
– In less than a year, there has been a 2% increase in the number of toilets constructed by communities
– Launch of a sanitation credit facility in Parbani and Nanded districts of Maharashtra through which 5,000 loan sanctions were facilitated
– Launch of the World Toilet College in Aurangabad to help train 5,000 sanitation workers in its first year
– Tree plantation of over 2,00,000 trees in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, carried-out in association with SankalpTaru and GIWA – this will potentially produce 2,36,00,000 litre of oxygen, retain 600,000 million gallons of water released into atmosphere and help with 200,000 tons of carbon offset
– In association with ASSOCHAM, RB launched an awareness program around stubble burning in (Patiala) that reached out to 211,000 people across 42,200 households in 95 villages with complete support of the State Health Minister, Pollution Control Board and the Punjab Agriculture University.
– The Hygiene Index rolled out across 25 cities in India led to:
- 60% cities improving their per capita investment vis-à-vis last year in various hygiene sectors
- 52% cities improved their access to toilets and 40% cities demonstrated better utilization of funds for Behavioural change and communication activities
- Resulted in the reduction of the cases of Gastro-intestinal (GI) diseases, with 36% of the cities exhibiting improvement in the Health sector.
– In partnership with Swades Foundation, built 25,000 toilets in Raigarh District in Maharashtra
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