Over 650,000 pupils to benefit from expanded hygiene programme

What the report says

At least 650,000 more pupils in Uganda are expected to benefit from hygiene education and handwashing training under the third phase of the Dettol Hygiene Quest programme, according to The Observer. The initiative, launched in 2024 by Reckitt’s Dettol brand with the Ministry of Education and Sports and CHIL Hygiene Centre, will expand to 750 additional schools and build on earlier phases that organisers say have already reached more than one million children in 1,500 schools.

The programme focuses on practical hygiene lessons, teacher support and learning materials intended to help pupils apply good habits at school, at home and in their communities. It also includes demonstrations on handwashing and digital tools, including an AI-powered chatbot called Keti that helps teachers bring hygiene topics into lessons. Organisers said the new phase is designed not only to increase reach but also to strengthen long-term adoption of hygiene practices.

Reckitt’s Uganda country manager, Bornface Shaka Onyari, said the effort aims to help schools sustain the practices introduced after the programme ends. A state minister’s representative, Aisha Sekindi, welcomed the partnership but said success should be judged by behaviour change and the durability of the facilities created, not only by the number of schools covered. The report places the initiative within broader public health efforts in Uganda, where school hygiene and sanitation are seen as important to preventing infections and supporting healthier communities.