Matheus David
The City of Windhoek on Wednesday held its 2025 Health and Hygiene Promotion Month event. Ndeshihafela Larandja, Mayor of Windhoek, reminded everyone that protecting one’s health can start with something as simple as soap and water.
Speaking to an audience of students, teachers, health workers, and community leaders, Larandja encouraged every Namibian to become a “handwashing hero.” “Clean hands remain our strongest defence against infections and harmful germs,” she said, noting that small daily habits in homes, schools, and workplaces can ripple out to safeguard entire communities.
The event was a prelude to the Global Handwashing Day, observed worldwide on October 15.
The mayor reflected on the lessons learnt from Namibia’s health challenges. From recurring outbreaks of diarrhoea to the long shadow of COVID-19 and ongoing threats such as Hepatitis E, she urged residents to see prevention as a personal responsibility.
“Everyone, from a young learner to an elderly member of the community, has the power to set an example,” she said. Her words resonated particularly with the children, who eagerly pledged to share what they had learnt about hygiene with their families.
UNICEF Country Representative Samuel Kweku Ocran reinforced the importance of handwashing with sobering statistics. He revealed that only 45% of Namibian households have access to proper handwashing facilities with soap, contributing to over 184,000 cases of diarrhoea each year and the tragic loss of 719 children under five.
“These numbers are not just statistics,” Ocran said. “They represent people, families, and communities. Every hand washed, every habit changed, can save lives.” He commended the government’s Vision 2030 and National Development Plan VI, as well as UNICEF’s partnership with local councils to roll out low-cost, climate-resilient sanitation solutions.
City of Windhoek CEO Moses Matyayi reminded the audience that the city’s cleanliness is a shared achievement. Highlighting the city’s campaign, Matyayi said, hygiene starts with the individual. He therefore encouraged young people to envision a cleaner, healthier city and act.