To help promote awareness about the importance of handwashing with soap, October 15th is celebrated at Global Handwashing Day. Started by the Global Public-Private Partnership for Handwashing five years ago, the campaign aims to reduce the spread of common childhood illnesses such as diarrhea and respiratory infections that kill millions of children worldwide each year.
Research shows that washing hands with soap could reduce the spread of diarrhea among children in developing countries by 50 percent and could cut respiratory illnesses by 25 percent.
Although the focus of this campaign is on teaching children to properly wash their hands, anyone can participate and help spread the word about the importance of proper handwashing. There are plenty of events going on around the world, see how you can get involved by visiting the official Global Handwashing Day website.
You can also get information about events and handwashing from:
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