Global Handwashing Day

15 October is Global Handwashing Day 2010  - the centrepiece of a week of activities that will mobilize millions of people in more than 80 countries across all five continents to wash their hands with soap.

More handwashing with soap means lower rates of infectious disease: Clean Hands Save Lives! 
 
This year's event revolves and today, playgrounds, classrooms, community centres, and the public spaces of towns and cities will be awash with activity to drive handwashing behaviour change on a scale never seen before, bringing the critical issue to center stage.

Why Focus on Children?

Of the approximately 120 million children born in the developing world each year, half will live in households without access to improved sanitation, at grave risk to their survival and development. Poor hygiene and lack of access to sanitation together contribute to about 88% of deaths from diarrheal diseases, accounting for 1.5 million diarrhea-related under-five deaths each year. Children suffer disproportionately from diarrheal and respiratory diseases and deaths. But research shows that children – the segment of society so often the most energetic, enthusiastic, and open to new ideas – can also be powerful agents of behavioral change.

It's also an opportunity to tell you about our fairly-traded range of soap.


We have 'Clean' from Tropical Wholefoods - a fragrance free soap, good for those with sensitive noses.   Made with Aloe Vera, Coconut and Baobab Oils. Each soap blends pure vegetable oils with natural plant extracts. Made in Tanzania.  


We also stock a limited range of Caurnie Soap the original 'wholesoap' from a Scottish organic herb garden in cucumber and lavender varieties.


For a gift, how about Traidcraft's gorgeous raffia-tied packs made from fair trade olive oil and shea butter and scented with essential oils (lavender/lemongrass and rose geranium/spicy orange cinnamon).  They are made in South Africa by Township Trades, a social enterprise addressing the needs of young adults who have lost their parents to HIV.
 

The Batsiranai Story

When is a doll more than a gift or plaything? When it’s from Batsiranai.

Each of the dolls sold by Traidcraft has a twin in Zimbabwe, where it was made. So when you buy one of these handmade dolls, you keep one and its twin is given to a needy child from a family affected by HIV/AIDS. For many of the children, this is their first doll.

The dolls, which will be arriving in the shop next week, are made by the Batsiranai Mothers Group, which provides work for around 100 women in poor townships surrounding Harare. The members are mothers of special needs children, who are often shunned in Zimbabwe, not just by society but by their extended families as well.

Batsiranai means working together in Shona, the local language, and by working in this way the women aim to create a secure future for the children. The group is self-managed by a committee of seven elected members, with the group making decisions as a team. They are proud of the level of co-operation between the members.

During the last five years, Batsiranai has expanded and bought two houses that are used for daycare, physical therapy, workrooms, an office, and housing for three families. The centre provides hot meals and a vegetable garden for the members and children working there.

Last Christmas they provided a special lunch and party for the 100 Batsiranai mothers and their families, as well as a Christmas food basket.

The women are determined to see the business grow, which is why orders are really important, to provide them with a market.

“The only wish I have now is for Batsiranai to grow bigger and become an even stronger business, so that we will be able to help others,” member Mai Chiedza said, “because there are many people out there, just like us, wishing.”

You can order your doll now (by phone or in person) and pay on collection (£16) from the Small World Shop.