Domestos commits to fight unsafe sanitation in schools
WATERFALL – Domestos aims to provide improved sanitation to1 million learners.
In celebration of World Toilet Day on November 19, Domestos visited Waterfall Mall to highlight the impact of poor sanitation in the country.
To this end, the brand brought the stark reality to shoppers at the mall through a massive display depicting a life-sized toilet in an unsanitary and unsafe condition, similar to what many children are forced to use on a daily basis in schools around the country.
Senior brand manager at Unilever, Nobuhle Ngubane said the initiative was an urgent call-to-action that came from an understanding of the physical harm that unsafe toilets could pose to learners, including the long-term psychological harm.
Dr Adé van Heerden, a medical doctor, model, ex-beauty queen and presenter said, “This [unhygienic toilets] is exacerbated by the Covid pandemic as an ideal ground for the spread of the virus and many other diseases such as typhoid, shigellosis, norovirus, hepatitis E and cholera,” she added.
In response to the crisis, the brand has been helping to support the realisation of hygienic sanitation through a comprehensive programme that includes:
q The National School Hygiene Programme, aimed at supporting the curriculum in 15 000 public primary schools across South Africa by instilling good hygiene and sanitation habits in partnership with the Department of Basic Education.
q The Cleaner Toilets Brighter Future Programme, where cleaners, teachers, and the entire school are trained to manage their toilet facilities in a more hygienic and sustainable way to ensure high-use facilities retain optimal sanitary levels throughout the day.
q The Infrastructure Programme, to fund new toilet or refurbish facilities at the most in-need schools around the country.
In a bid to continue the programmes, the brand has decided to take consumers along, and contribute R1 from every 750ml bottle sold between November this year and March next year towards providing improved sanitation to a further 1 million learners next year.
Details: Lebogang Mashangoane Account Manager at Riverbed lebo@theriverbed.co.za
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