Government Partners With Unilever to Celebrate Global Handwashing Day
DURBAN, South Africa, October 15, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --
On 15 October, Lifebuoy will partner with the Department of Health together with the Department of Water and Sanitation to celebrate Global Handwashing Day in Soweto.
Representatives from the Departments of Health and Water & Sanitation will join Dr Myriam Sidibe, Global Handwashing Day co-founder and Unilever Hygiene and Nutrition Social Mission Director for Africa to commemorate the 7th annual Global Handwashing Day in South Africa. This is the first time that she will be commemorating the auspicious day locally. Unilever Executive Vice-President of Africa, Bruno Witvoet and Unilever CEO Peter Cowan will also attend the event at Faranani Primary School in Soweto.
Global Handwashing Day is a UNICEF-affiliated 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. Today it is celebrated in over 53 countries.
The Department of Water and Sanitation and Department of Health have partnered with Unilever and Lifebuoy to share the important message of handwashing for good health and hygiene and will demonstrate this with a handwashing exercise with over 2000 learners taking part.
Since 2012, Lifebuoy has been using this important day to highlight the work the brand is doing both locally and globally to change the handwashing behaviour of one billion people by 2020.
Lifebuoy's 'Help a Child Reach 5' initiative, which was launched in 2012, teaches good hygiene practices to prevent disease and help children reach their fifth birthday. It has become the world's largest hygiene promotion programme.
South African artists Mafikizolo will join guests on the day to give a special performance of the song, "Tell Everybody", which was created in collaboration with Unilever and Global Citizen to raise awareness of the Global Goals for sustainable development.
On Global Handwashing Day, Lifebuoy will demonstrate how its' hygiene promotion activities are aligned with the Global Goals and how Unilever is promoting positive change through its bright Future initiatives.
About Lifebuoy
Lifebuoy is one of the oldest international brands in the World. Established in 1894 by Lever Brothers, Lifebuoy is one of the jewels in Unilever's Crown. Lifebuoy's 110 year old core positioning is Championing Health and Hygiene. Lifebuoy's Handwashing With Soap intervention programme has helped to save hundreds of lives in South Africa and is striving to achieve the Global Goals No 3 - Good Health and Wellbeing and Global Goal No 6 - Clean water and Sanitation.
About Unilever South Africa
Unilever South Africa (Pty Ltd) is one of the largest FMCG companies in South Africa. The Company is over 100 years old, with brands like Sunlight, OMO, Lux, Knorr, Vaseline, Shield, Sunsilk, Flora etc. that are household names throughout the country. Unilever South Africa has over 3500 employees based across two offices and five manufacturing locations in South Africa. Unilever has been rated as the Top Employer in South Africa 2014/2015 for the second year in a row. For more information visit - http://www.unilever.co.za
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