Healthy Hands Chalk Sticks: The Magic Wands!!

“Mamma, look at this colorful fish I made. Isn’t it so pretty!”. Exclaimed my 8 year old as she admired her creation drawn on a chalkboard, before announcing in the same breath, “Am hungry..”. I took out the healthiest yet fulfilling snack I could think of. An apple! As she reached out to take the apple from my hand, I noticed her chalk-smeared hands & instantly realized the futility of washing the fruit so thoroughly before handing it out. It was not only to restore the goodness of the fruit but also to protect my daughter’s tiny body from the germs that stuck to it. But here she was, defeating the purpose by touching it with her powdery hands. All my pleas to wash her hands with soap fell on deaf ears. It wasn’t the first time we had battled over the topic. Now my daughter really cherishes her chalkboard & loves giving shape to her imagination on it. It is inevitable that she lays her hands on the chalks, the colorful wands that give wings to her creativity. Though I loved what SHE did with them, what I certainly did not like was what THEY did to her! Leave powdery, harmful residue on her hands that is. What I resented even more were her half-hearted efforts of washing them after much pleading; keeping them under the tap for a couple of seconds & getting over with it. No wonder she was complaining of stomach-aches ever so often. I suspected the chalky residue to be the reason. I wished there was a way out of the situation & often wondered how vulnerable those children who use slates & chalks in school, must be? I mean, here was my daughter who, despite having a parent goading her to wash her hands, was still reluctant to do so, then imagine those kids, who are not supervised or guided by parents? How seriously their hygiene must be getting compromised, since kids tend to be careless in these matters. How often they must be falling sick & missing school!  As I voiced my concerns at a get-together, a friend, working with a primary school, mentioned about “Savlon Healthy Hands Chalk Sticks” & how it was changing the way school children across the country were looking at hygiene. The residue from these chalks, upon coming in contact with water, turned soapy. It was nothing short of magic for the kids & they were now flocking to the taps to see the “magic” unfold. Instead of making hand-wash a chore, these guys had made it fun! I admired the great initiative by the company. A step that I feel, is bound to have long-term benefits, as good hygiene is the first step towards good health. Lesser instances of infections means improved attendance across schools. And regular attendance in school translates into better learning. A simple idea that is about to change many lives in the most positive way! The initiative has really got me hopeful about the future of these kids & in turn, towards the future of the country. Amen!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVWUlWEfJ1k