GLOBAL company Rentokil Initial has tapped an academic institution in the Philippines to heighten the awareness of proper toilet and handwashing habits, as well as raise the hygiene standards of the Filipino youth.
Makati Gospel Church New Life Christian Academy (MGCNLCA) was chosen by the multinational for its “Adopt-a-School” hygiene program that complements the goals of World Toilet Day.
Rentokil Initial Managing Director Ederine Gee Geneblazo said they picked MGCNLCA for this advocacy because their thrusts in toilet hygiene are aligned with their own program objectives.
“So, it’s a perfect fit,” she said, while citing that developing the mind-set toward proper sanitation should start with the young. “As such, the event program will particularly focus on helping students learn and develop proper toilet and handwashing habits.”
During the program, Rentokil Initial officials and health experts will discuss proper toilet habits and handwashing techniques suited for young students. Employees will also be available to do handwashing demos with the kids.
The adopted school will be provided with toilet-hygiene products for the use of its students and teachers in the school’s comfort rooms, as well as literature for the products’ proper use.
One of the main points of the activity is “When you flush, cover and wash,” which underscores the importance of shielding the toilet bowl whenever they flush to avoid contaminating the air and of washing their hands afterward.
World Toilet Day, which falls on the 19th day of November every year, is an initiative of the United Nations General Assembly.
Its declaration is in line with the Sustainable Development Goals launched in 2015 that include a target to ensure everyone has access to a safely managed household toilet by 2030.
Approximately, there are around 4.5 billion people globally who live without a household toilet that safely disposes of their waste.
“Our advocacy complements the World Toilet Day’s aim of addressing the global need for more toilets, because aside from the dire lack of clean toilets in many communities, studies show that contributory to the spread of diseases is improper sanitation and bad toilet habits,” Geneblazo said.
The “Adopt-a-School” program is part of Rentokil Initial’s ongoing global “Better Future” health-education program aimed at educating communities in developing countries about the importance of personal and environmental hygiene.
This initiative is expected to generally up the ante in hygiene standards globally, targeting everyone, including young students, adult employees and families.
“As experts in the hygiene industry, we have taken it upon ourselves to further educate the community and its schools by developing a more sustainable information and awareness campaign,” the managing director said.
Rentokil Initial is a company that combines the expertise of Rentokil, the world’s leading commercial pest-control services provider, and Initial, the top international commercial hygiene-services firm.
It is currently one of the leading providers of hygiene solutions, offering leading-edge technology, products and services to customers in more than 45 countries, including the Philippines.