Showing posts with label world toilet day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label world toilet day. Show all posts

Project Sunlight for the #BrightFuture...


Do you know that the 19th of November is celebrated as the World Toilet Day?
Yuuup...World Toilet Day...
How cool is that...
Giant inflatable toilet in front of the UN building in NYC
photo is taken from https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152763229500589&set=a.141516105588.143476.669795588&type=1&theater 

I know some of you might be laughing or at least smiling..then start thinking why we need to have world toilet day anyway...

It's astonishing to know how simple thing as having a clean and proper toilet is indeed a luxury! A luxury that not everyone can enjoy.

For us who are lucky enough to live in a better world, sitting in a comfortable toilet every morning is just part of the routine. 
No fuss...just flush...

But as a matter of fact, this particular challenge has long been regarded as one of the issues that require urgent attention from the international community. No wonder the United Nations, together with UN Water and Unilever, which is sponsoring the Toilet Board Coalition (TBC), conducted a series of awareness raising campaign, including by putting giant inflatable plastic toilet in front of the UN headquarter in New York City on the World Toilet Day. 



World Toilet Day, with UN Water
Moreover, an inspiring seminar was conducted and a comprehensive report prepared by TBC was presented. Providing sanitation-related challenges and cases in India, interesting approaches combining creativity and knowledge have produced outputs that are effectively proven to be  working. Very intriguing! 




Another shocking truth that I got from this event is that how statistics show that many, many others, - approximately 2.5 billion people world wide, have not had access to improved and adequate sanitation, including toilets. Even 1 billion people still defecate outside, putting their life at risk of hygiene and health problems like diarrhea. 

In 2013, 1,000 children died every day because of diarrheal diseases due to poor sanitation and hygiene as well as unclean water. Even worse, for women and girls, open defecation also puts them in more risks for sexual harassment and violence. 


The comprehensive report

Can you imagine how many lost of valuables lives that we can actually prevent? 
How many bright lives of agents of change, our children, that we can spare if we address this sanitation issue.

Toilet is not only a home accessory that you probably need most in the morning. It's the necessary means required by everyone of us to live a healthy life. A healthy life that paves the way to our future. #BrightFuture.

Back home in my country, Indonesia, we do face the same daunting problems. With the constant growing population, extra limited space for decent living and lack of attention to important healthy habits, sanitation indeed poses big challenges. 

For sure the Government has taken steps to overcome it, including through the implementation of national program of community-based total sanitation. With its 5 important pillars comprising of the eradication of open defecation;  washing hands using soap; household water management; solid waste management; and liquid waste management, it has served as the main framework in addressing the issue of sanitation. But of course, the Government can not work alone to address this issue. Private sectors and civil societies have long partnered and worked hand in hand with all related stakeholders to come up with the solutions for this problem. 

This is when Project Sunlight, initiated by Unilever Global, steps into the picture. 
Commenced in 2013 at 5 countries, namely Indonesia, United States, United Kingdom, Brasil and India, Project Sunlight is the true realization of Unilever Sustainable Living Plan (USLP) aiming at encouraging millions of people all over the world to take real steps and implement sustainable living to ensure the #brightfuture of our children.

In 2014, Project Sunlight in Indonesia focuses on the theme of Healthy Future. And I am more than happy to introduce you to Dira Noveriani

Being a volunteer at Sahabat Anak, one of the non-governmental organizations in Indonesia focusing on providing quality education for street children in Jakarta, she teaches English, math as well as the importance of healthy cleaning habits to the kids. At her tender age of 16, she shares her dreams about teaching and raising awareness about the importance of sanitation, which directly links to healthy lives and the #brightfuture of Indonesian children. She also rightly points out that most of the time, the biggest challenge we have is being apathetic with our surroundings. No wonder she is elected to represent Indonesia for the global Project Sunlight

We can also contribute more to this global movement. 
Through 4 (four) easy ways, we can be part of these important steps to realize healthy future of our children.

First, VIEW.  Take your time to view this inspirational film at www.projectsunlight.co.id  as Unilever will donate Rp100,00 for every view of the film.

Second, ACT.  There are many ways to take part here, including by writing any ideas for #brightfuture at www.projectsunlight.co.id where Unilever will donate Rp1000,00 for every single idea, and becoming volunteers #brightfuture and directly provide health education and interact with children in many elementary schools at Jakarta, Surabaya, Medan, Makassar, and Yogyakarta. For this, Unilever will donate Rp100.000,00. Moreover, in cooperation with Lotte Mart, every purchase of Lifebouy, Peopsodent, and Domestos products, Unilever will donate Rp1000,00 to support the educational program and to provide sanitation facilities at Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia.

Third, SHARE. All inspiring stories and videos about children's ideas to save their #brightfuture will certainly worth a share. These will further inspire others in doing the same thing.

And fourth, FOLLOW. Follow those inspirational stories at Project Sunlight and for sure we learn more and more on how to contribute to this noble movement. 

See...Easy steps and it won't take too much of your time to join this cause. You can definitely have more updates and details of this project as well on Unilever Indonesia fan page on Facebook.

And for me personally, all these good habits start from myself and from home.

Yup...starting from myself. 
By ensuring that I apply healthy habits like properly washing my hands, cleaning my teeth regularly, cleaning toilets, drinking plenty of water and living a healthy lifestyle.


2 liters of water or 8 glasses a day..don't forget :)

Not only that I ensure my own health but I also set good examples for my kids, Bo et Obi :).


don't forget to wash you hands properly, Bo :)

Don't forget, sanitation is the magic word. 
Some simple, yet lifesaving healthy habits can spare the lives of many future agents of change. Our children...

Let's show our support to this program and be part of it!

References:
- Project Sunlight Indonesia website https://www.projectsunlight.co.id/
- Fan Page Unilever Indonesia https://www.facebook.com/unileverid
- 'Get a Toilet' Building demand for toilets, a Report prepared for the Toilet Board Coalition sponsored by Unilever
- The Toilet Paper, Global Citizen and UNICEF publication.