Planet Water Foundation Announces Major Activation Around Handwashing in Conjunction With Global Handwashing Day

PHOENIX, October 13, 2021 (Newswire.com) -  Planet Water Foundation, a leading non-profit organization that addresses global water poverty by delivering clean water access and hygiene education programs, announces the launch of a major activation around handwashing, during which they will be deploying handwashing facilities and handwashing education programming to communities in need, alongside their community water filtration systems. 

In conjunction with Global Handwashing Day, which takes place on October 15, Planet Water and its donor partners are engaging in a month of action across six countries - Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Philippines and Vietnam. Recipient communities in these countries are each receiving an AquaTower community water filtration system, which includes integrated handwashing stations to make handwashing convenient and frequently practiced. Each project is deployed with one year's supply of liquid hand soap, together with Planet Water's Hygiene Education program, which teaches about germs and how they spread, the importance of how and when to wash hands with soap, and healthy hygiene habits to create a change in behavior and knowledge around water-health and hygiene. 

Enhancing the educational side of this activation in India, Planet Water has collaborated with long-standing partner Sesame Workshop India (SWI). As part of the partnership, SWI is further amplifying the messaging on handwashing in India through its online platforms with educational content and activities featuring Elmo and other well-known Muppets. 

"With handwashing becoming increasingly important due to the ongoing pandemic, we felt it was imperative that we help increase awareness of the need for handwashing across the communities in which we operate, and to provide people with the tools and knowledge to make handwashing something they can practice routinely," said Mark Steele, CEO and Founder of Planet Water Foundation. "Handwashing has been a key part of our hygiene education program for over 10 years, and thanks to the support of our donor partners, we are pleased to be able to make such a positive contribution with this activation."

Project supporters this year include Xylem, Watts Water Technologies, Inc., The Starbucks Foundation, SWM International, Freudenberg, and Columbia Sportswear.

About Planet Water Foundation

Planet Water Foundation is a non-profit organization focused on bringing clean water to the world's most impoverished communities through the installation of community-based water filtration systems and the deployment of hygiene education programs. Planet Water Foundation projects are focused on children, schools, and rural/peri-urban communities across Asia and Latin America. Since 2009, Planet Water has deployed more than 1,500 projects that provide clean water access to more than two million people across 15 countries. For more information, visit www.planet-water.org.

Media contact: John Deotrakul ([email protected])

Source: Planet Water Foundation