Great initiative: Mumbai dubbawalas to promote importance of hand washing before meals

They are always on time, devoted to their duties and have a reputation for themselves derived with their sheer hard work and dedication. But we would love and respect them more because they just taught us one more important lesson in humility and humbleness. For now on they won t just deliver your lunch box from your house to your office but will also bring with them soaps and handwash. This is an initiative they took on their own to ensure that people in Mumbai remain healthy and hearty. (Read: Wash your hands before meals, prevent these 8 diseases)

With the threat of leptospirosis and other diseases looming over the city, they would be delivering handwash and soaps to around 100,000 people next week. The targeted people will receive Bacter Shield Natural Germ Guard handwash and a soap along with their lunch boxes on August 12 across the city. The drive is part of VVF India's mission to create monsoon health awareness and advocate '100 percent fun with 0 percent fear of falling sick' to promote the habit of washing hands before eating. (Read: A step-by-step guide to wash your hands the right way)

Every morning, lakhs of Mumbai housewives prepare dabbas (tiffins) to protect their family members from falling ill by eating outside food. The Mumbai dabbawalas will partner with Bacter Shield to help housewives in this mission to inculcate healthy habits at home and outside," VVF India Ltd senior vice president Ashish Potdar said. VVF, a 76-year-old MNC in chemicals and personal care products, had operations in 16 centres around the world. Last December, the 5,000-strong tribe of dabbawalas were invited by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to join the 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' to spread the message of cleanliness among their customers. (Read: The basic habit of hand washing can prevent the spread of the disease: Kajol on swine flu)

With inputs from IANS

Photo source: India.com