School-Based Hygiene Awareness Activity Engages Young Students in Peshawar

Civil Dispensary Akhunabad, managed by MERF with support of Gates Foundation, organized a school-based poster competition at “The Engineer School System” in Peshawar to raise awareness about personal hygiene among students. The activity was conducted by the community outreach team as part of its continued efforts to promote health education and healthy practices within the community.

The competition engaged 52 students from Classes 3 to 5, who enthusiastically created and presented posters focusing on essential hygiene practices, including handwashing, oral hygiene, the use of clean drinking water, and safe food handling. Students also delivered short speeches describing their posters and explaining the importance of maintaining hygiene in everyday life.

The activity created an interactive and student-centered learning environment that encouraged creativity, participation, and confidence. Teachers and outreach workers observed noticeable improvement in students’ understanding of hygiene-related topics, particularly the prevention of germs and diseases, the significance of sanitation, and the importance of personal responsibility in maintaining a clean and healthy environment.

Students expressed positive feedback about the session, sharing that the competition made learning more engaging and memorable. Many participants pledged to practice proper hygiene regularly and to share the lessons learned with their families and classmates. The event also strengthened students’ confidence in communicating health messages publicly.

This successful initiative highlights MERF’s ongoing commitment to enhancing health literacy, encouraging active student participation, and supporting community-level disease prevention through creative educational activities. The valuable support and cooperation of the school administration, teachers, and students was instrumental in making this event a success.