Under the SWACHH BHARAT ABHIYAAN, Centre for Social Work, Panjab University (PU) today launched a “Hand Washing Campaign”. It was carried out at different locations within the north and south campus of PU and Khuda Lahora, one of the adopted villages by PU under the programme.

The focus of the drive was to target the migrant workers and their families. These construction workers are working at different sites within the campus of PU. In this campaign, the students of Masters in Social Work sensitized more than 350 people which included ladies and children also. The students demonstrated the exact way to wash hands to the audience and then ask them to re-demonstrate.

A group of five students targeted around 60 women at village Dharmshala, Khuda Lahora in the presence of ANM of the village.  The ANM also addressed the ladies about the benefit of washing hands. The group of MSW-1^st semester students included Anoop, Moti, Isha, Ramneet, Karanjot and Simran, who visited the village. The students also met the sarpanch of the village Sh. Rakesh Sharma and informed about the activity. The villagers were really happy and excited about the campaign. They also visited the village Sub-Centre (Health centre) and met the doctor and para-medical staff. The students demonstrated the hand washing technique at the anganwadi centre in the village also.

The students visited the cremation ground of the village, where they planted the trees. They removed the unwanted grass and watered the plants. Another group of students went to sector-25 to demonstrate the exact way of washing hands especially.

The MSW students mobilized the children in a playful manner and asked every child to redo the same process in front of them. The kids and their parents really enjoyed the whole exercise and thanked the students for taking this initiative.

Another group of students covered three boys and two girls hostels of the campus. They sensitized the mess and canteen workers about the exact way of washing hands. They students gave a live demonstration to all the workers. The hostel wardens fully co-operated with the students and appreciated the efforts made by them.

By undertaking such activities the Centre for Social Work is really making an effort to contribute in the SWACH BHARAT- SWASTH BHARAT ABHIYAAN.

The campaign was led by PU Co-cordinator of SWACHH BHARAT ABHIYAAN, Mr. Gaurav Gaur. This campaign would be carried out in all other hostels and rest of the villages also. The Centre for Social Work is planning to undertake the need based initiatives in the future.