Good hand hygiene through handwashing with soap or alcohol-based handrub can dramatically reduce the transmission of diseases.

 

The evidence is clear: good hand hygiene through handwashing with soap or alcohol-based handrub can dramatically reduce the transmission of diseases that claim millions of lives each year.

Beyond disease prevention, hand hygiene brings wider benefits. Studies show it reduces school absenteeism and improves wellbeing, dignity, and productivity – creating ripple effects that strengthen entire communities.

Community volunteer Marijan shares health and hygiene tips with Sayedul Amin and Setara Begum, two residents of a camp for displaced people from Myanmar, located in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.

In Camp 13 in Cox's Bazar, Sayedul Amin and his wife Setara Begum have transformed their shelter into a model of healthy living. Their home is clean and organized, with a small garden where fresh vegetables grow.

Their two sons have learned to wash their hands regularly, a habit their parents practice and teach every day.

The family learned about proper hygiene from Marijan, a Bangladesh Red Crescent Society health volunteer who visited their community.

Sayedul started cleaning around their shelter regularly and made sure his wife and children followed good hygiene routines. When a scabies outbreak spread through Camp 13, their household remained unaffected—a clear result of their consistent handwashing and hygiene practices.

Sayedul has become a role model for others in his community. His story inspires those who are still struggling with living in the camp.

“I tell them—look at me. I was once sick and hopeless. But someone believed in me, and I decided to change,” he says.

 (See more about hand washing can reduce diarrhea and respiratory infections).