BusinessWire India
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 16: Transforming schools into immersive hygiene learning hubs, investing in a cleaner, healthier next generation. Reckitt, a global leader in consumer health and hygiene, today launched India’s first-ever ‘Hygiene Building as Learning Aid (H-BaLA)’ under its flagship Dettol Banega Swasth India (DBSI) programme, at Prabhadevi Primary Marathi School, Worli, Mumbai, on Global Handwashing Day 2025. The initiative represents the confluence of a unique model which includes 6C’s – Curriculum, Communities, Collaboration, Campus, Connect and Children.
Hygiene Building as Learning Aid (H-BaLA) is an innovative 6C’s approach which is based on the concept of Early Childhood Development (ECD). This initiative supports students by offering diverse ways to engage with information, simplify complex ideas, and enhance retention through hands-on experiences. It embodies the belief that learning about hygiene should not just be taught, but experienced, making hygiene an integral, joyful part of a child’s daily routine and inculcating a positive call to action #IAmTheChange.
Over the past 12 years, Dettol Banega Swasth India has created a powerful movement towards hygiene education and behavioural change across India. Reaching over 26 million children in 840,000 schools across 28 states and 11 languages, the programme has nurtured healthy habits, improved attendance, and built a foundation of hygiene awareness that extends beyond classrooms into communities. With the launch of Hygiene Building as Learning Aid (H-BaLA), the program reimagines education, representing a long-term investment in hygiene for a new generation. Reckitt aims to expand the H-BaLA model across 20 Urban cities, establishing a scalable framework for hygiene learning nationwide.
Speaking on the launch, Ravi Bhatnagar, Communications and Corporate Affairs Director, South Asia, MENARP and Africa, Reckitt, said, “For over a decade, Dettol Banega Swasth India has been driving real, measurable changes in how hygiene is perceived and practised among children. The 12-year journey has shown us that when awareness meets education, transformation begins. With the launch of the Hygiene Building as Learning Aid (H-BaLA) model, we are deepening this impact, making hygiene a learning tool that shapes young minds. This is not just an initiative; it’s an investment in the next generation of India’s health champions. #IAmTheChange is not merely a hashtag; it’s our shared commitment to build a Viksit Bharat @ 2047- one clean school, one healthy child at a time.”
Sai Damodaran, Padma Shri Awardee for Sanitation Revolution in India, and Founder and CEO, Gramalaya, commented, “Change becomes lasting when hygiene is part of how children live and learn every day. The ‘Hygiene Building as Learning Aid (H-BaLA)’ beautifully bridges infrastructure with education, turning every wall and corridor into a reminder of good hygiene. As someone who has witnessed India’s sanitation journey evolve from awareness to action, I believe this model will create a lasting cultural shift by nurturing healthy habits early in life and building a generation that values cleanliness, dignity, and well-being.”
Prof. (Dr.) Indira Chakravarty, Padma Shri Awardee for Public Health and Environment Expert, added, “Hygiene is the first lesson every child should learn because it builds physical and mental health as well as dignity. Dettol Banega Swasth India has shown how education and hygiene can go hand-in-hand to empower children and their communities. The ‘Hygiene Building as Learning Aid’ model beautifully carries this legacy forward by integrating hygiene into every aspect of school life. It’s inspiring to see this movement evolve into a platform where every child not only learns hygiene but lives it, becoming the true changemakers of tomorrow.”
Dettol Banega Swasth India Season 12 – #IAmTheChange reaffirms the campaign’s sustained impact and trajectory. With over 95% of students reporting feeling happier and more confident, and teachers observing visible changes in children’s attitudes, the initiative has become one of India’s largest and most impactful public health collaborations. Recognised by national leaders and supported by strong social returns on investment, the programme stands as a testament to Reckitt’s commitment to build a healthier, cleaner, and stronger India for generations to come.
Established in 1966, Prabhadevi Primary Marathi School, Worli, has been a catalyst in promoting hygiene culture in Mumbai. Operated by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), India’s largest urban local body education provider, the school has been recognized with the President Award, the Mayor Award and ‘Swachh Shala’ Award for good hygiene practices. Its transformation as the first H-BaLA Model School sets the foundation for a scalable model that Reckitt aims to replicate across India, creating Centres of Excellence for Hygiene and Well-being.
Through H-BaLA, Dettol Banega Swasth India aims to make hygiene learning sustainable, inclusive, and interactive, transforming schools into living classrooms for health and well-being. The initiative reinforces Reckitt’s continued mission to empower communities, educators, and children in building a cleaner and healthier India, reflecting the company’s purpose “to protect, heal and nurture in the relentless pursuit of a cleaner, healthier world.”
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