Last year, I had done a post on Lifebuoy’s #HelpAChildReach5 campaign in India. As a mother I feel helpless and utterly dismayed when I see little children losing their lives to completely preventable diseases. My heart goes out to their parents for their avertable losses. Sometimes, lack of awareness proves to be very costly especially for our little angels, fragile and helpless as they are and completely dependent upon the adults to protect them.
Every year, diarrhea and pneumonia act as silent killers snuffing out innocent lives of children in cities and towns across the globe. All it takes is a simple act of washing hands properly that can prevent the death of children through diarrhea. Lifebuoy has been actively disseminating this message of handwashing globally so that every child lives to the age of 5. Last year, they adopted the village of Thesgora in India. You may remember the touching video of Gondappa which showed him walking on his hands to celebrate his child’s 5th birthday. By spreading awareness, they managed to bring down deaths of children below the age of 5 from 36% to 5%.
Lifebuoy is committed to changing the handwashing behavior of a billion people by 2015.
After this incredible achievement, this year, they have adopted the village of Bitobe in Indonesia. Watch the touching video above to see the story of Utari, a young mother in that village. She and her husband planted a tree when their young son died due to diarrhea. There are many such trees in Bitobe symbolizing the deaths of little toddlers who did not live to see their 5th birthday. Lifebuoy has taken it upon themselves to bring down this needless mortality of little children. They are actively engaged in the act of spreading awareness about the simple acts of handwashing here.
Let us support Lifebuoy in this initiative by spreading this awareness no matter where we live. Losing a child is a tragedy of unfathomable proportions in the life of any parent. When that death is preventable, it is indeed devastation that mankind can do without.
Handwashing kills harmful germs that can cause life-taking diseases like cholera and diarrhea. Every child and adult must wash their hands regularly:
- After using the toilet
- Before and after eating
- Before cooking
- When unwell especially with cold and cough
- After playing
- After handling garbage
- After gardening or spending time in the fields
- After playing
- After playing with a pet
It is also important that the hands be washed properly with soap and water, rubbing the palms, fingers, the area between the fingers and back of palms well with soap and then rinsing off with clean water. This simple method will keep little kids protected from harmful germs.
Spread the word. Teach your helpers so that they can teach the right method to their children. Talk to your child’s school to ensure that they practice and enforce this hygiene of handwashing rigorously.
Let us make the world safer for our children. Let us #HelpAChildReach5!
Do watch and share the short video above.
Connect and find out more at Lifebuoy website, Lifebuoy Facebook page,Lifebuoy Twitter page, and Lifebuoy YouTube Channel
This post is sponsored by Lifebuoy, however, all thoughts are my own!
This is so true, just a little bit of awareness and it can save thousands of lives. I think these simple steps are very important to be taught to kids of all backgrounds and we as parents need to lead the way…
Thanks for reading and sharing, Prasad! We all need to do our small bit to help those who may not know.
It is a touching video and your post is so elaborate.
May lifebuoy be successful in Bitobe as well.
Thanks Preethi! Yes, the video is so poignant. I hope they are successful in Bitobe and all other villages that they are planning to help.
Yes! a little soap and water goes a long way. Nicely presented, Rachna. With that powerful video and the write-up that follows, who wouldn’t want to listen!
Noble campaign.
Thanks, Divya!
wowow from 36% to 5% is good BUT still 5% are dieing which is so sad .. I really hate when this happens to kids .. I can understand grown up .. but kids they havea whole life in front of them and then this.
A very good initiative and a touching video that one .. Washing hands is very important ..
Good of you Rachna mam.. to post and tell us all how important it is ..
Thank you
Yes, I agree. Even that 5% should not happen. Hopefully, it will go down to zero soon. Thank you so much for reading, Bikram. And ma’am, since when did I become ma’am to you :D?
🙂 .. i had just come back from the shift and had been taking tons of statements so the Mam carried on ..
although I knew the moment I pressed the Post comment button you would say that .. for some reason 🙂
After having known you for ages and having called you a brother, of course, I would be surprised at the ma’am :-).
I remember that post. Spreading awareness can help us save many young lives.
Thank you, Saru! One feels so sad that little children lose their lives for something as trivial as this.
Gondappa was a heart warming and inspiring video that touched lives. I blogged about it and happy that it reduced mortality rates. Planning to blog about it this time also. All it take is a simple act and awareness will reduce death of innocent children who has a right to live with human dignity.
Agree Vishal! It’s wonderful that you did your bit in spreading awareness.