NOAMUNDI: As part of its commitment to increase the quality of life of people in and around its areas of operation, the Ore Mines & Quarries (OMQ) Division of Tata Steel under its CSR organised a week-long campaign to increase awareness on hand washing among school children.
October 15, Global Hand washing Day, a global advocacy day dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding about the importance of hand washing. Every year, Global Hand washing Day is celebrated with events, campaigns, and hand washing programmes around the world.
The week-long campaign targeted 20 schools across Noamundi and Joda covering over 5000 children, where a session on the importance of hand washing was conducted for the school children.
Tata Steel volunteers demonstrated the proper techniques of hand washing to school children. Quiz on health and hygiene was also organised for them. The idea was to sensitise the school children on the importance of hand washing and encourage them to spread the message in the community. A street play was organised in the community as part of the campaign.
The week-long campaign culminated in a rally at Noamundi and Joda, where more than 2000 people participated. These include people from the local community, Self Help Groups, school children, employees, Union representatives and their families. Employees in the mines and community were also sensitized on hand washing during the week.
Pankaj Satija said, GM-OMQ, “Health is wealth. It is a known fact that proper hand washing can protect us from many diseases like diarrhoea and other infections that spreads from dirty hands. We targeted school children, as millions of schooldays are lost due to diarrhoeal diseases. It has an important role in achieving Sustainable Development Goals, contributing to good health, quality education, etc.”
Tata Steel has been providing various promotive, preventive and curative healthcare services to the community and has been organising health and hygiene awareness sessions for different target groups on a regular basis.
