Unilever is hoping to improve hygiene habits for some 12 million Kenyans by 2020, according to a report published by The Star.

The Anglo-Dutch FMCG giant launched a new campaign, named High 5 for Handwashing, in a bid to raise awareness of the importance of cleanliness in reducing infant mortality rates.

“At Unilever, our commitment is to change the handwashing behaviours of 12 million Kenyans by 2020 through educating and empowering underprivileged communities that handwashing with soap is one of the most effective and low-cost ways to prevent infections such as diarrhoea and pneumonia,” said Unilever East Africa CEO Justin Aspey.

The initiative will take pupils through a 21-day program, urging them to wash their hands on five critical occasions: before meals, after using the toilet and during their daily bath. Pupils will be encouraged to spread the word to their peers and families too.