Lifebuoy Hosts The ‘World’s Largest Classroom’ This Global Handwashing Day To Help Teachers And Parents Relearn That H Stands For Handwashing

Lifebuoy, the world’s number one hygiene soap brand, is celebrating Global Handwashing Day (GHD) by hosting the World’s Largest Virtual Classroom to impart the important lesson of handwashing with soap. Having already helped over 1 billion people develop better handwashing habits, improve their hygiene, and protect themselves against preventable diseases, this GHD Lifebuoy will launch a hygiene-focused alphabet book.

In 2020, inspired by how children learn their A, B, C’s, Lifebuoy set out on a mission to transform the way the letter H is taught worldwide. The brand launched the “H for Handwashing” multi-year campaign carrying a simple message:  While H is for hat, horse, and hippo…H must also stand for Handwashing!

Since its launch last GHD, the campaign has reached over 11 million children. Lifebuoy has partnered with the education ministries of India, South Africa, and Sri Lanka to ensure workbooks and other educational materials help to engrain effective hygiene habits from an early age.

This GHD, the World’s Largest Virtual Classroom will bring together a panel of experts comprising Rico Hizon, CNN Anchor and broadcast journalist; Roberta Golinkoff, academic and author of over 14 books on early childhood learning; Kajol Devgn, award-winning actress and global handwashing advocate; along with teachers, parents, educators and children from over 30 countries around the world.

At this much awaited event, Lifebuoy will announce its partnership with Sesame Workshop to launch the brand’s first set of digital behaviour change games – fun, interactive and research-based virtual modules starring Sesame Workshop’s beloved muppets, Elmo, Raya, Cookie Monster, and Grover that will teach children that H is for Handwashing!

This classroom event will also see the launch of Lifebuoy’s first ever children’s book - a “H for Handwashing” alphabet book – in which kids can explore the Alphabet with Azzy (as in A to Z) the horse. Throughout the book, Azzy embarks on an engaging earning journey about the importance of handwashing. The book is intended to support school curricula all over the world, whenever and wherever children are taught the ABCs.

 

Nana Yaa-Kissi, Beauty & Personal Care Marketing Director for Unilever Ghana PLC said, “After an incredibly successful first year of Lifebuoy’s H for Handwashing campaign, we’re very excited to be taking this movement to the next level. The World’s Largest Classroom is the launch of our partnership with Sesame Street.

We believe this event will reinvigorate teachers’ and parents’, and consequently children’s, relationship with handwashing, changing the perception of handwashing from a chore that needs to be done, to fun moments throughout the day.”

Derrick Odechie-Bossman, Brand Manager for Lifebuoy said, “As a pioneering purpose-led brand, Lifebuoy has always believed in making an impact and driving behaviour change for the better. While we have previously reached over 3.8m Ghanaians with handwashing messages, we know that there is still much to be done. Amid a generation-defining pandemic, we are working towards equipping future generations with the unforgettable lesson of handwashing with soap to safeguard their health and well-being at the World’s Largest Classroom.”

Lifebuoy is aiming to create the Guinness World Record by attracting more than 100,000 viewers to this virtual event!

Lifebuoy co-founded Global Handwashing Day with the Global Handwashing Partnership in 2008. The brand runs one of the world’s largest hygiene behaviour change programmes backed by strong partnerships and has reached over 1 billion people across 30 countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America since 2010.

 

About Lifebuoy

Lifebuoy is the world’s number one hygiene soap brand¹, sold in over 100 countries. Through the Lifebuoy brand, we aim to make a difference by creating quality, affordable products and promoting healthy hygiene habits. Since 2010, we have reached over 1 billion people through our handwashing programmes.

The desire to be clean, active and healthy is intrinsic to everyone – irrespective of age or economic status. We understand this and Lifebuoy soap has championed the cause for better health through hygiene for more than a century.

An inspiring vision for more hygienic, healthier, and ultimately more vital communities is the driving force behind the Lifebuoy brand. To realize this vision, we look to consistently innovate and provide accessible Lifebuoy products to a wide variety of consumers. The vision also commits the Lifebuoy brand team to visible action, through inspiring projects that motivate consumers to improve their hygiene behaviour.

Since the launch of the Lifebuoy brand in 1894, we have supported people in their quest for better personal hygiene. The classic red bar of soap and its distinctive medicated carbolic scent was synonymous with cleanliness throughout the twentieth century. Today, the brand is so much more. With its many soap variants and specially designed body washes, These, along with the range of liquid hand washes and hand hygiene gel, ensure daily hygiene and freshness for the entire family.

Social Media: Twitter –@lifebuoyghana / YouTube – 'Lifebuoy Global'

For more information about Unilever Ghana, kindly contact the Head of Corporate Communications and Sustainability on Henry.Malm@unilever.com  or by phone on 0206436295.