DETTOL, NAIROBI COUNTY TEAM UP TO TURN 1,200 LEARNERS INTO ‘HANDWASHING HEROES’
By Jeff Kizzilah | Digital Editor
NAIROBI, KENYA | OCTOBER 2026
Dettol has partnered with Nairobi City County to promote proper handwashing among schoolchildren, as concerns over hygiene practices and access to handwashing facilities continue to highlight the need for stronger disease-prevention efforts in Kenya.
From left : Nairobi City County Deputy Director of Public Health Mackline Saitera, County Public Health Officer Margaret Sunguti and Reckitt Country Manager for Kenya and East Africa, Mustapha Bugaje during Global Handwashing Day celebrations at Moi Avenue Primary School in Nairobi, where learners, parents and community members were sensitised on proper handwashing practices to prevent disease.
The initiative, held at Moi Avenue Primary School in Nairobi’s Central Business District to mark Global Handwashing Day 2026, brought together more than 1,200 learners, parents and residents under the theme “Be a Handwashing Hero.”
The campaign combined interactive hygiene education sessions with practical demonstrations on the importance of washing hands with soap and water to help prevent the spread of diseases.
As part of the initiative, Dettol provided soap and handwashing stations to the school, enabling learners to put the lessons into practice both at school and at home.
Speaking during the initiative, Mustapha Bugaje, Country Manager, Kenya and East Africa Expansion at Reckitt, said consistent handwashing habits could help protect children and their families from preventable illnesses.
“At Reckitt, our mission is to provide better health in more hands, every day,” Bugaje said, emphasizing the importance of making hygiene education practical and accessible to communities.
He added that the partnership with Nairobi County seeks to ensure handwashing goes beyond classroom lessons by giving learners access to the facilities and supplies needed to practise good hygiene.
Mackline Saitera, Deputy Director of Public Health at Nairobi City County, welcomed the collaboration, saying the initiative would help learners understand the importance of handwashing in protecting their health.
The campaign comes against the backdrop of findings from a study conducted by the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), with support from Reckitt, in selected low-income areas of Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu and Nakuru.
According to the study, only 40 per cent of respondents said they always used soap when washing their hands, while 59 per cent said they used soap sometimes. The study further found that 28 per cent had limited access to handwashing facilities, while five per cent had neither a handwashing facility nor soap.
The findings point to continuing challenges in ensuring that households and communities have the resources needed to maintain proper hygiene.
Data cited in the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics’ Economic Survey 2026 also underscores the public health importance of prevention. Health facilities recorded 1.3 million cases of diarrhoeal infections and 15.4 million cases of respiratory infections in 2025.
Dettol said the Global Handwashing Day activities form part of its broader commitment to promoting healthier habits through school outreach programmes, digital campaigns and community initiatives.
The company also highlighted its New Mums Programme, which works with nurses and healthcare professionals to equip new mothers with essential hygiene knowledge, including proper handwashing practices. In 2026 alone, the programme reached more than 41,000 mothers across Kenya.
The partnership between Dettol and Nairobi City County highlights the importance of combining public health education with access to basic hygiene facilities to help children, families and communities adopt healthier everyday practices.
