From Taiye Joseph, Ilorin
The Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WBFA), has encouraged secondary school students in Ilorin to cultivate the habit of regular handwashing as a simple but powerful step towards preventing diseases and maintaining good hygiene.
Speaking during the 2025 Global Handwashing Day celebration, WBFA Country Director, Dr Adebukola Shittu-Muideen, said the foundation’s outreach aligns with its commitment to improving hygiene education among school children across Nigeria.
The 2025 theme, “Be a Handwashing Hero,” underscores the importance of individual responsibility in curbing the spread of diseases through consistent hygiene practices, especially in schools where infections can spread quickly.
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Dr Shittu-Muideen explained that the foundation deliberately targets young people to help them form lifelong hygiene habits. “We focus on students to catch them young and ensure they grow up understanding that handwashing is essential for their health and wellbeing,” she said.
She reminded students and teachers that handwashing remains one of the easiest and most effective ways to stay healthy. “Clean hands help prevent sickness, reduce absenteeism, and enable students to concentrate better on their studies,” she noted.
According to her, the act of handwashing, though often overlooked, empowers individuals to safeguard their health and that of others. “It is not just a routine—it is a powerful act of self-care that can protect families and communities,” she added.
A teacher at St. Anthony’s Secondary School, Mrs Omolade Omojola, commended the foundation for the sensitisation visit, describing it as timely and impactful. She said the awareness campaign would help students adopt better hygiene practices and make cleanliness part of their everyday lives.
The WBFA has continued to promote health and hygiene awareness among Nigerian students as part of its efforts to build healthier communities and reduce preventable illnesses.
