Global Handwashing Day
Global Handwashing Day (GHD) is an international campaign that aims to raise awareness and understanding on the importance of handwashing with clean water and soap as a cost-effective way to prevent communicable diseases. It is globally celebrated every October 15.
Manila Water Foundation (MWF) has celebrated GHD for the past 6 years and each year, MWF brings together corporate, government and non-government and socio-civic organizations as partners in bringing the story to the public and targeted audiences of how important handwashing is to good health.
MWF celebrates GHD nationwide in schools and communities for the whole month of October. It holds interactive and hands-on lectures, story-telling activities and educational games.
Institutions
Manila Water Foundation has celebrated Global Handwashing Day since 2013 and were held in the following institutions:
| 2018 | |
| Kidzania Manila | Taguig City |
| Mauaque Resettlement High | Mabalacat, Pampanga |
| School Jose F. Diaz Stadium | San Mateo, Rizal |
| Don Jose National High School | Sta. Rosa, Laguna |
| Ayala Center | Cebu |
| Abreeza Mall | Davao |
| 2017 | |
| Mind Museum | Taguig City |
| Pulong Sta. Cruz Elementary School | Sta. Rosa, Laguna |
| Northville 16 Elementary School | Mabalacat, Pampanga |
| Pinyahan Elementary School | Diliman, Quezon City |
| Barangay Ampid 1 | San Mateo, Rizal |
| Enchanted Kingdom | Santa Rosa, Laguna |
| Ati Community | Boracay Island, Aklan |
| Market Market | Taguig City |
| Lugam Elementary School | Malolos, Bulacan |
| 2016 | |
| Mind Museum | Taguig City |
| Balara Elementary School | Quezon City |
| Don Ricardo Britz Elementary School | Tagum City, Davao del Norte |
| Abreeza Mall | Davao City, Davao del Sur |
| D'Mall | Boracay Island, Aklan |
| Don Bosco Technical College (Elementary School) | Mandaluyong City |
| Quezon City Hall | Quezon City |
| Marquee Mall | Angeles, Pampanga |
| Mabalacat Elementary School | Mabalacat, Pampanga |
| Solenad | Santa Rosa, Laguna |
| Barangay Langkiwa | Binan City, Laguna |
| Circuit Makati (Maximo Estrella Elementary School, Francisco Benitez Elementary School-Main, Nicanor Garcia Elementary School& Jose Magsaysay Elementary School) |
Makati City |
| Sta. Cruz Elementary School | Antipolo City, Rizal |
| UP Town Center | Quezon City |
| Ayala Center Cebu | Cebu |
| Market Market | Taguig City |
| Rosario Ocampo Elementary School | Taytay, Rizal |
| Glorietta | Makati City |
| Department of Education Antipolo | Antipolo City, Rizal |
| Department of Education Marikina | Marikina City |
| Fortune Elementary School | Marikina City |
| Malayan College Laguna | Cabuyao, Laguna |
| Barangay Loyola Heights | Quezon City |
| Cebu and Davao | Cebu; Davao |
Impact
The GHD celebrations in 2016 alone reached 73, 970 attendees. In 2017, a total of since 2016 had a total of 4,720 attendees composed of students, parents, teachers, school staff and community residents.
While the events were held in different schools and establishments in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, IEC (Information, Education and Communication) materials were distributed on a national scale through different media outfits – print broadsheets, infomercials inside cinemas, digital and traditional bulletin boards along major highways and inside commercial malls and social media.
In 2018, Manila Water Foundation’s GHD campaign reached a total of 4.6 million people.