Harewelle News

Global Handwashing Day and Global Poo Awards

Poor hygiene and lack of access to sanitation together account for around 1.5 million diarrhoea-related under-five deaths each year. Today is Global Handwashing Day, an annual event started in 2008, which aims to promote handwashing with soap around the world to improve global health.  Handwashing with soap is among the most effective and inexpensive ways to prevent diarrhoeal diseases and pneumonia, which are together responsible for the deaths of over 3.5m children before their 5th birthday every year. Last year, over 70 countries across five continents took part in the celebrations.

The focus of the day is children, who suffer the most from diseases spread by poor hygiene - diarrhoea and respiratory infections are the biggest killers of children in the developing world, claiming the lives of thousands of children every day.  Activities in the UK to mark the day include the Golden Poo Awards, and a variety of plans for schools and children.  CLEAN HANDS SAVE LIVES. http://www.globalhandwashingday.org.uk

UK activities for Global Handwashing day culminate tonight in the Golden Poo Awards – an evening of comedy and short animated films about hygiene and poo. To get tickets for what promises to be an irreverent and provocative evening of comedy, please visit the event website www.thegoldenpooawards.org.