Pwani Oil Products Limited, through its Sawa brand, has partnered with Rotary District 9216 and Kentainers Limited to promote proper handwashing and personal hygiene among pupils at Embakasi Primary School in Nairobi.
The initiative, held on October 15, 2026, marked Global Handwashing Day under the theme “Be a Handwashing Hero!” and combined hygiene education with the distribution of soap and support for water storage facilities at the school.
As part of the programme, Sawa distributed soap and child-friendly educational materials to help pupils understand the importance of washing their hands regularly with soap and maintaining good personal hygiene.
The educational materials were designed to make learning about handwashing engaging while encouraging children to adopt healthy habits in their daily routines.
Kentainers Limited complemented the initiative by providing water tanks to support water storage at the school, helping create a more practical environment for pupils to practise the hygiene lessons they learned.
Rotary District 9216 supported the collaboration through its community engagement and hygiene promotion efforts.
The partnership highlighted the importance of combining hygiene education with practical resources to help schools translate awareness into everyday action.
“Good hygiene starts with simple everyday habits. By helping children understand the importance of proper handwashing and personal hygiene, while supporting the resources needed to practise them at school, we can encourage a healthier school environment,” said Anthony Chege, sales team lead at Pwani Oil Products Limited.
Addressing Gaps in Handwashing Facilities
The initiative comes amid continuing challenges in access to basic handwashing facilities in Kenya.
According to UNICEF data cited in the announcement, only 38 per cent of the population have access to basic handwashing facilities with soap and water at home, highlighting the need for sustained efforts to promote hygiene awareness and improve access to essential resources.
The World Health Organization identifies handwashing with soap as an effective measure for preventing diarrhoeal diseases. UNICEF has also reported that handwashing with soap can reduce the risk of diarrhoeal disease by at least 40 per cent.
By targeting schoolchildren, the initiative sought to encourage hygiene habits that can extend beyond the classroom into homes and communities.
The partnership reflects efforts by private-sector companies and community organisations to support practical hygiene education and contribute to healthier learning environments.
Through the Global Handwashing Day initiative, Sawa, Rotary District 9216 and Kentainers Limited reinforced the message that access to soap, water and consistent hygiene education is essential to making proper handwashing part of everyday life.
