In a bid to catch them young and to instil healthy practices as a way of life, the Old Students of LUSESC Association (Luminary School Alumni) in Warri, Delta State, has taken the gospel of hygiene to the grassroots as part of the activities marking the World Hygiene Management Day.

The Alumni association as led by its National President, Mr. Gabriel Ukuli, visited the Luminary Schools and the Great Faith Nursery/Primary School, both situated at Karien Street in the Okumagba Layout, on Monday, May 5, 2025.

Other Alumni members in attendance during the visits are Mr. Mariega Efe (Secretary), Comr. Toritsereju Eyitemi Hope, Mrs. Vivian Newman and Godspower Ajeleba.

In the course of the visit and sensitization visits, the pupils and students were taught good health hygiene practices that include hand washing and environmental hygiene awareness, with a practical demonstration on hand washing technique.

Speaking on the exercise, Comr. Hope, who is also the State Commissioner of Nigeria Girl Guide Association, Delta State, stressed that maintaining hygiene is key to healthy living especially with the washing of hands to prevent dangerous organisms such as bacterias in the environment that poses harm to good health.

"The environment is not clean, so when you want to talk about hygiene, so many organisms—bacterias and all that we consume come from our environment especially with the children," she stated, and with emphasis on children added, "After playing outside, touching those things, they go back to their houses (they don't wash their hands properly), they eat and the next thing you see they have cholera and all that," she explained.

She therefore appeal to parents to ensure they inculcate good hygiene practice in their children, particularly the practice of washing of hands which should become a habit.

"Parents should learn how to keep their hands clean because it's a very important part of our body. Like I said, when I was speaking with the children, there are some things you do when you are sleeping. So, when they (children) wake up in the morning, the first thing you're supposed to do as parents is to wash their hands; not giving them banana and all that. Allow them to wash their hands first thing in the morning. Parents should cultivate that habit of washing hands in their children," she cautioned.

Responding, the Principal of Luminary Schools, Mr. Akpoviri Akpoyoware, and the Head Teacher of Great Faith Nursery/Primary School, Mrs Vera Okpere, thanked the Old Students of LUSESC Association for the orientation and donation of sanitisers among other items such as soap, napkin to pupils and students.

"I urged them to continue doing the good works they have started. They are supportive, not only to Luminary Schools but to other schools, while we assure them that we will inculcate this hygiene practice of washing of hands to the pupils and students so that it becomes part of them," said Mr. Akpoyoware.

The Principal also appealed to the government to invest in water projects, noting that hygiene starts with potable water, the supply of which is largely absent in the immediate environment as it is in the hands of the private sector which is costly.

According to Mr. Ukuli, who revealed that the exercise is earmarked to mark the World Hygiene Day which is part of the Alumni's effort to contribute to the development and growth of pupils and students as well as sensitize teachers on hygiene, is also a call on the larger society to keep their environment clean and to maintain healthy practices.

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