Zoomlion Donates To Ayi Mensah Basic School To Mark Global Handwashing Day

Waste management giants, Zoomlion Ghana Limited, a subsidiary of the Jospong Group of Companies (JGC), has donated handwashing items to Ayi Mensah Basic School in the La Nkwantanang Madina-Municipal Assembly (LaNMMA) in the Greater Accra Region.

The donation formed part of Zoomlion’s activities to commemorate Global Handwashing Day, which is celebrated annually on October 15. October 15 is Global Handwashing Day, an advocacy day dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding the significance of handwashing with soap as an effective tool to prevent diseases and save lives.

The theme for this year’s day is “Unite for Universal Hand Hygiene.” The items included 150 Veronica buckets, 300 paper towels, 50 waste bins, and 50 gallons of washing soup, amongst others. The donation was done by the Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs, Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Ms. Adwoa Appiah Osei Duah, who was accompanied by some executives of the company.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the ceremony, Ms. Appiah Osei Duah explained that the day was relevant as handwashing among children formed the basis of an individual’s existence, hence awareness must be increased, especially among children.

She said the items from her outfit were to aid in effective handwashing among school children, adding that the theme for the celebration was appropriate. "The onset of Covid-19 taught us a lesson on handwashing; a practice that should be made part of an individual’s life,” she advised. She, therefore, encouraged Ghanaians to make handwashing a regular activity.

The Municipal Director of Education, La Nkwantanang Madina-Municipal Assembly, Mr. Kean Adjei Appiah, who received the donation on behalf of the school, thanked Zoomlion for the gesture and assured that the items will serve their intended purpose.

He indicated that handwashing has enormous health benefits, stating that the day was established by health authorities against the backdrop that diligent washing of hands with soap under running water has a positive impact on lives.

According to him, diarrhea has been reduced by 30%, acute respiratory infections by 20% and the transmission of outbreak-related pathogens such as cholera, Ebola, SARS, and Covid-19 amongst others has largely been reduced, all because of handwashing during the Covid period.

He, therefore, implored parents to assist head teachers to instill hand-washing discipline in children. This year’s Global Handwashing Day will fall on Saturday, October 15, a reason Zoomlion chose to mark the day on Thursday, October 13, to meet and interact with the Zoom Kids Club in the school.

Report by Prosper Kwaku Selassy Agbitor