The Kennedy Lugar- Youth Exchange And Study Programme Alumni Creates Awareness For Food Vendors On Personal Hygiene In Benue State.

The Alumni of the Kennedy Lugar-Youth Exchange and Study programme (KL-YES), Benue State and kind spirited volunteers on Friday, 26th April, 2013 engaged in an awareness campaign on educating the food vendors at the Benue links terminus. The project started by 8am and lasted for 4 hours. The campaign team engaged the vendors in an interactive session on the importance of Personal hygiene. Emphasized on the need of bathing regularly, keeping their hairs clean and covered, trimming their fingernails and toenails, brushing their teeth, using deodorants and keeping their general environment clean.
The team explained the risk the food vendors put the customers at if their hands are not properly washed, they could pass infections and viruses/bacteria to other people and cause outbreaks and food borne diseases. Environmentally the food vendors are facing a challenge of rats, bugs and insects and pleaded that the KL-YES Alumni intervene by talking to the management to help fumigate their stores. The YES Alumni further went to the round about were the food basket of the Nation statue Is situated and placed the banner for 30 minutes creating awareness for passer by and finally took the banner to the Benue State Environmental and Sanitation Agency where the General Manager approved, signed and stamped the banner for public display. The banner was finally hung at the High level roundabout were it’s displayed publicly for 1 month.

The project with its funding from Iowa Resource for International Service (IRIS) was graced by Engr. John Baka, the General Manager of Benue Links Nigeria Ltd and Mr. Ediga Akpa, General Manager, Benue state Environmental and Sanitation Agency.